A Serious Tennis Fan’s Complete Guide to the 2026 US Open: Tickets, Tips & More

▸ Returning Visitors: Click Here for Latest Updates!
- June 28: Published fully restructured new version of this post to facilitate navigation, including this PDF 2026 US Open Ticket Options and Average Prices: How to Spot a Good Deal — day-by-day ticket options and direct links to check prices and comparison shop on Ticketmaster and Stubhub.
- July 3: Added FAQ: “Which seats in Promenade have obstructed views?”
- August 3: Updated details on shade patterns in Armstrong Stadium in FAQ: “Which seats get the most shade?”
- August 27: The NYT reported that the Open would offer limited $25 evening grounds passes for purchase on-site only through Sep 6: “However, they can be purchased only on-site the evening of entry and on nights that Louis Armstrong is sold out (not including resale tickets).” When I asked the US Open box office to provide more details, they wrote: “No unfortunately we cannot confirm availability beforehand, these specific passes are on a day-to-day basis. Evenings grounds passes are only made available day of based on the capacity of the events and the stadiums.”
- August 29: My new chart outlining how scheduling should work beginning in Round 2: “Who Plays on Which Dates After R1?”
- September 1: Fellow fan Carrie reported on the late-night taxi situation: “I had a great experience with getting a yellow cab at the rideshare area by the NY Hall of Science at around 11:30pm the first two nights. NYPD organized the taxis and the taxi line and I waited only a few minutes in line before I was able to get a cab and a fast ride back to the hotel at a very reasonable cost. There were plenty of taxis waiting to pick up folks. This was probably way faster than waiting for an uber, and the police officer organizing the taxi line even made the sure my driver had his meter on when he saw I was a woman traveling solo late at night!”
- September 3: I share observation on the new post-renovation Courtside and Loge sections in my updated FAQ “What’s different about Ashe after the big 2026 renovation to Ashe Stadium?“
By P.J. Simmons
If you’re a fellow tennis fan planning a trip to the US Open — whether it’s your first visit or your fifteenth — I built this guide for you. As a serious tennis player and fan living in NYC, I feel so lucky that the US Open is in my backyard. I absolutely love the tournament, and find nothing more educational and inspiring for my own game than seeing world-class live tennis.
2026 will mark my 18th time at the US Open, and I’ve learned a ton over the years through trial and error about how to maximize the opportunity, find the best tickets and seats on the Official US Open ticket site on Ticketmaster, StubHub, and other reseller sites, and generally get the biggest bang for the buck. Likewise, I’ve learned so much thanks to fellow fans around the world who have shared their own insights since I wrote the first version of this post over a decade ago.
Below are my top 10 recommendations and practical resources to help you sort through the complexity, understand all the ticket options, and make the best decisions for your own priorities and budget so you have an incredible experience. I’ll continue to update throughout the summer and the tournament. Don’t hesitate to reach out with a question below if you can’t find what you need – I’ll reply as soon as I can.
For my returning friends: Please let me know what you think of this newly restructured and updated version (June 28), which hopefully will make navigation easier and faster for you. Please let me know what you think – I’d really appreciate your feedback!
What Every First-Timer Should Know Before Buying Tickets
Whether it’s your first Open or you just haven’t been in a few years, here are a few things worth understanding before you spend a dollar or make final decisions on when to attend.
Consider taking advantage of incredible FREE opportunities to see world-class tennis and superstars the week before the main tournament (August 23–29)
Before the main tournament begins, there’s a packed week of events at the US Open grounds (“Fan Week”) that offers many opportunities to experience the magic of the Open without spending a dollar on a ticket.
The week kicks off Sunday August 23 with Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day. If you have kids, this is a great day to go with lots of interactive games, music, activities.
Then, the Qualifying Tournament (Monday August 24 – Thursday August 27) is an amazing opportunity for serious fans to see major rising players and incredible tennis up close. 128 of the world’s best male and female players (whose ATP and WTA rankings were just shy of qualifying automatically for the US Open) will compete for the final 32 spots (16 each for men and women) in the singles draws. In 2021, #150-ranked qualifier Emma Raducanu went on to win the US Open women’s singles title – the first Grand Slam champion in history to come through qualifiers. Maja Chwalinska came close to doing the same at the 2026 French Open. Read why Fan Week/Qualies are so special in this excellent piece by Steven Kutz.
Throughout the entire week, there are opportunities to see some of the top-seeded players and biggest stars in unofficial practice sessions (details posted on the practice schedule the morning of).
Note: Fan week also features four special events that require paid tickets: including Mixed Doubles Rounds 1&2 (Aug 25 10am); Exhibition play with Roger Federer (Aug 25 7pm); Mixed Doubles Semis and Finals (Aug 26 7pm); and a “Stars of the Open” exhibition (Aug 27 7pm).
IMPORTANT: TO GAIN ADMISSION DURING FAN WEEK, YOU MUST PRE-REGISTER FOR A FREE FAN ACCESS PASS.
The US Open is much bigger than Ashe Stadium. Get the lay of the land before you make your plan.
Most people think of Arthur Ashe Stadium when they think about the US Open—and understandably so. It’s the largest tennis stadium in the world (almost 24,000 seats) and home to many of the tournament’s biggest matches. But the US Open is so much more than Ashe. Think of it as a massive tennis festival spread across an entire campus. On a typical day during the first week, world-class matches take place simultaneously on Ashe plus 16 other courts.
In fact, some of the most exciting tennis during the tournament happens on Louis Armstrong Stadium (almost as big as the main show courts at Wimbledon, the French Open, and the Australian Open with around 14,000 seats plus a retractable roof in case of rain), Grandstand (with 8,100 seats), Court #17 (2,800 seats) and the smaller field Courts #4-16.
Some important basic rules about how entry and seating works:
- Any of the almost 80 ticket options gets you access to the entire US Open grounds — you’ll find every option laid out in the ticket chart below (2026 US Open Ticket Options and Average Prices).
- Once you’ve entered the US Open grounds, you can access unreserved seats (on a first-come basis) in Armstrong, Grandstand, and on every other court except Ashe stadium. Ashe Stadium has no unreserved seats, so you need to buy an Ashe-specific ticket if you want to get in. Armstrong and Grandstand have both reserved ticket options and unreserved seating. Courts #4-17 are entirely first-come, unreserved seating.
- Grounds entry times vary depending on your ticket: A grounds pass or “Day” session reserved ticket for either Ashe, Armstrong, or Grandstand allows entry when gates first open (usually 9:30am). If you only purchase an “Evening” session ticket for a particular day, you’ll have to wait until 6pm to enter the grounds. Once you’re in the US Open grounds, you can stay as late as you want until closing.
Learn how player and match scheduling works to raise the odds of seeing your favorite players.
Most fans coming to the Open dream of seeing their favorite players in action. But what many first-timers don’t realize is that it’s impossible to predict which players will play on which days, on which courts, or at what time until the detailed “Daily Schedule of Play” is released shortly before the actual match day. So if you buy a ticket to the Open prior to that – which most people do – you’re buying access to matches in a particular round of play, not a guarantee that you’ll see any specific player.
The good news is that having a clear understanding of how scheduling works can dramatically improve your odds of seeing the players and matches that matter most to you. Taking a few minutes now to review these things will put you ahead of the game:
1. Start by getting the big picture of the tournament’s schedule – here’s an overview:
>> You can find a comprehensive, day-by-day breakdown of the schedule and every ticket option here: 2026 US Open Ticket Options
2. Get a sense of what day-by-day match scheduling looks like by reviewing last year’s “Daily Schedules of Play” to get a feel for what types of matches are played on which courts during the various rounds. Keep in mind this is just illustrative: for instance, just because a player was scheduled for certain days or played on certain Ashe Day or Night sessions does not mean you can expect the same for this year!
3. Go deeper: see the FAQ “How can I predict when and where my favorite player will play?” below — it explains how to make educated guesses about who plays when and where.
How to Choose the Right Tickets and Spot Good Deals
One of the most common questions I get every year is some version of: “What’s the best ticket to buy?” The honest answer is that there are many “best” tickets — it simply depends on your priorities and what kind of experience you’re hoping to have. Some fans want the energy of being with 24,000 others in an Arthur Ashe night session. Others are happy spending an entire day roaming the grounds in the early rounds, hopping from court to court. Some want to treat someone special to courtside seats in a final round. Others want the most tennis possible for the lowest price. So the goal is simply to find the ticket that’s best for you.
Below are my top recommendations—followed by a time-saving chart I built to help you compare all the options, benchmark average prices and comparison shop, and make decisions with confidence.
Don’t miss the chance to see world-class players and great matches up close on the other courts beyond Ashe Stadium.

It was awesome seeing Ben Shelton up close for the first time in 2022 on Court #10 in Round 1 (v. Borges)
For my first US Open, I spent about $250 per ticket for a seat in the upper portion of Ashe Stadium for a night match so I’d be guaranteed to see at least one Top 10 player live. While it was certainly thrilling to experience the electricity of an evening Ashe match, I still felt somewhat distant from the action (it’s a mammoth 24,000-capacity venue) and spent much of the time watching the match on the huge video screen. Moreover, because the tournament prioritizes putting the biggest stars on Ashe over the best match-ups, the matches I saw weren’t terribly exciting.
Since then, I’ve become addicted to the unparalleled thrill of seeing many world-class competitors from a few feet away in epic duels on several of the smaller non-Ashe courts (Louis Armstrong Stadium, Grandstand Stadium, the very cool Court #17, and other outer courts #4-#16). Once you have this experience you’ll likely get addicted too. While it’s rare that you’ll see the Top 5 players on those courts, you WILL see other awe-inspiring players in very competitive matches –including seeing rising stars before they become household names, and feel the excitement of “discovering” new talent to cheer for. Over the years I’ve seen countless “next-gen” players up very close for the first time on outer courts before they were super famous — including Carlos Alcaraz, Coco Gauff, Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe, Madison Keys, Dominic Thiem, Sasha Zverev, Felix Auger-Aliassime, and many others.
While I recommend everyone experience Ashe Stadium at least once, I also can’t recommend more strongly that you make time to explore the opportunities to see thrilling tennis in more intimate settings on the other 16 courts.
On a tight budget but want to see a lot of tennis? Consider going during Rounds 1 and 2, and aim for an affordable Ashe Stadium (or Armstrong Stadium) DAY session ticket — often comparably priced to a Grounds Pass, but a much smarter buy.

Be sure to take in some Doubles action too. Here was Casper Ruud and his partner William Blumberg during Round 1 in 2024.
Rounds 1 and 2 (Sun–Thurs of the main tournament’s first week) are a great chance to get maximum bang for your buck. There’s so much action across the entire US Open grounds, with matches happening simultaneously on 17 courts all day — and some play stretching into the evening. Crowds are heavy but not as intense as Labor Day weekend. It’s one of my favorite times to be out there.
Many fans assume a Grounds Pass is automatically the cheapest way into the Open — but often it isn’t. Before you buy one, always compare it against Ashe and Armstrong DAY-session tickets. During Rounds 1 and 2 those are often available for a similar price (sometimes less!), and they give you everything a Grounds Pass does — early entry when the gates open in the morning, the run of the whole grounds — plus a reserved seat and rain protection (both stadiums have roofs). You may end up roaming the outer courts more than sitting in that seat — but it’s there when you want it, and it guarantees you a spot inside if one of your favorites gets scheduled in that stadium. And keep in mind: a Grounds Pass won’t get you into Ashe at all (every Ashe seat is reserved). So if having Ashe be part of your experience matters to you, a cheap Ashe day ticket in the early rounds is often the most affordable way to do it.
And because a DAY ticket lets you stay on the grounds into the evening, you’ll get hours of extra tennis on the outer courts well past 6pm — all for the price of one ticket.
If your budget can swing it, I strongly recommend getting a courtside reserved seat in Louis Armstrong stadium (especially between Sep 4 – Sep 7) and/or in Grandstand (especially on Sep 4 or Sep 5).

Me spotted on Netflix “Break Point” series cheering on Taylor Fritz and Brandon Holt at the 2022 US Open – front row during awesome match on Grandstand
As a general rule, I encourage fellow fans to budget their time and money in ways that maximize the possibility of a few magical experiences versus a ton of forgettable ones. For instance, if you’re opting between multiple days of cheap nosebleed seats in Ashe’s Upper Promenade versus applying the same budget towards excellent seats on Armstrong or Grandstand for a couple sessions, I generally recommend the latter.
Louis Armstrong (14,053 seats) and Grandstand (8,125 seats) are the other two main show courts after Ashe Stadium – and they offer a much more intimate experience. A reserved courtside ticket for either can give you access to thrilling matches and players up close that you’ll never forget.
The first time I did this in 2010 I saw an unforgettable marathon slugfest between David Ferrer and Fernando Verdasco from the first row of the old Armstrong stadium… It gave me a memory I will treasure forever. Ever since, I’ve made it an annual tradition to go with friends to get excellent courtside seats in Armstrong during the 3rd Round or Round of 16. In 2019, I got to see Matteo Berrettini crushing balls in the Round of 16 on Armstrong from the second row (and my phone exploded with texts when my friends and I were spotted on ESPN frequently cheering for him). I’ve had similar transporting experiences in Grandstand over the years – including sitting first row behind-the-server for a match between Auger-Aliassime and fellow Canadian Denis Shapovalov.
Both stadiums also feature general admission seating on a first-come basis, but getting good GA seats can be tough and involve long lines for the higher-profile matches — so having a reserved courtside ticket gives you the dual benefit of skipping long lines plus incredible proximity to the players.
If you’ve never done it, consider splurging once on a courtside Ashe seat.

Me caught on ESPN cheering very loudly for Carlitos from front row Ashe (lower left) during 2024 Round 2 (v Botic van de Zandschulp)
After dreaming for years of the possibility, I finally bit the bullet to invest in Arthur Ashe Stadium Courtside seats in 2011 for the first time. It was bliss. Ever since, I’ve made an annual pilgrimage to experience Ashe Courtside with a few close friends at least once.
What most people don’t understand about the mammoth Ashe stadium until they’ve been in person is that even Loge seating is fairly high up because (a) the stadium is very vertically oriented (seating is on a sharp incline) and (b) there are two levels of suites above Courtside before the first row of Loge even begins. So when you’re down in Courtside, you feel like you’re in another world. The feeling of being that close to greatness in Ashe’s electric atmosphere is pretty amazing.
Here’s a video I shot of Federer from the front row in 2011, the very first time I sat courtside at Ashe. I found a great deal on a resale ticket on Labor Day during the Round of 16 and got to witness Federer perfection from a few feet away. Best money I’ve ever spent.
Before you compare options, get clear on what matters most to you for this particular visit — seeing a favorite player, incredible proximity, atmosphere, the most tennis for your money, shade, flexibility, or certainty. The more familiar you become with the market, the easier it becomes to recognize real value when you see it.
Here are 4 steps to making sure you make your decision with confidence:
- Know the benefits/restrictions of each type of ticket – read “What Each US Open Ticket Type Gets You” below.
- Review the day-by-day ticket options and average prices in the chart below. It will give you valuable context for smart decisionmaking, including up-to-date price ranges of what to expect for every single ticket option plus benchmark ranges from last year’s Open.
- Comparison shop — best done on a computer. For my full step-by-step process — which sites, how to read the maps, what to avoid — see “Which ticket site should I use?” under Before You Buy below.
- Scan the topics below under “Before You Buy — Common Questions” to dive deeper into many important questions that may impact your final decision about what’s best for you.

Before You Buy — Common Questions
▸ Should I buy now or wait? Will prices go up or down?
The frustrating reality is: it depends — and it’s impossible to predict with certainty. Buying US Open tickets can be a bit like investing in the stock market: knowledge and good judgment dramatically improve your odds, but there are always surprises because so many variables are involved.
One thing many first-time buyers don’t realize is that the inventory they see today may look very different tomorrow, next week, or later in the summer. Much of the market is driven by resale, because the USTA typically makes relatively few Standard tickets (“blue dots” on Ticketmaster) available, with most inventory pre-allocated to subscribers — and even Standard tickets are dynamically priced rather than sold at a fixed “face value.” As a result, prices can move in unexpected ways.
Historically, some sessions get cheaper as more resale tickets hit the market and sellers compete, while other high-demand sessions rise substantially. Who gets scheduled on which days, courts, and sessions matters too. Last year (2025), schedulers surprised everyone by putting the blockbuster Djokovic–Alcaraz semifinal in the day session rather than at night — so day prices spiked and night prices dropped.
Resale tickets are almost always available until the last minute, so patient buyers sometimes find great deals — but waiting trades certainty for risk. The best advice I can give: familiarize yourself with typical prices for the sessions you’re considering so you can recognize a good opportunity when you see one. The chart above is built for exactly that — every option, this year’s average ranges, and last year’s day-of benchmarks (for context, not prediction). One clue: if you enlarge the Ticketmaster map and see few tickets, scarcity often signals prices may keep rising; abundant inventory often means more downward pressure.
▸ Will the tournament release more Standard tickets and Grounds Passes?
Sometimes yes — but in a completely unpredictable way. The USTA has historically released additional Standard (“blue dot”) tickets throughout the summer for some sessions, sometimes for surprisingly good seats. There has never been a reliable pattern for which sessions or ticket types get more inventory, and Grounds Pass inventory can fluctuate too. My advice: check periodically, especially in the mornings, but don’t count on it for any specific session.
▸ Will I still get good tickets if everything looks expensive right now?
Usually, yes. One of the biggest misconceptions among first-time buyers is that the inventory available when tickets first go on sale is all there will be. In reality, more resale inventory appears throughout the summer, and the USTA often releases additional standard tickets too. The market keeps evolving right up until the tournament begins — and sometimes even on the day of the matches.
▸ Which sessions are the best deals?
This varies year to year, and some of the best last-minute deals turn up when the lineups aren’t what people expected (last year, for example, a marquee semifinal landed in the day session instead of the night). Still, here are a few sessions that tend to be overlooked and have historically offered relatively good value:
- Armstrong evening courtside, week 1 — exciting under the lights in a big stadium, but demand is lower because many fans choose day-session tickets instead (understandably, since a day ticket lets you in as soon as gates open, so you can catch as much tennis as possible). The trade-off: an evening-only ticket won’t get you onto the grounds until 6pm. But it can be an affordable way to see bigger names from a far better vantage point than the upper tier of Ashe.
- Quarterfinal day sessions — the biggest-name lineups almost always go to the night sessions during the quarterfinals. With many tourists gone and locals leaning toward evenings, day tickets here are often cheaper than the Round of 16.
- Labor Day Ashe evening — historically cheaper than other Round-of-16 sessions, since many tourists have headed home and demand dips. You still get great matches, and it’s a great time to experience Ashe at night.
▸ How do I see the exact location of seats I might buy?
Use the “Map View” on Ticketmaster for any particular session provides the best reference for the exact location of specific seat(s). After you click on the session/stadium that interests you, choose Map View, then mouse over or click any of the dots to see the exact section, row, and seat number. This is also helpful if you’re comparison shopping with Stubhub or other resale sites, whose maps may only feature sections and zones and not individual seats.
KEY SEATING CHARTS AND SHADE MAPS
ARTHUR ASHE STADIUM
- NEW 2026 Arthur Ashe Seating Chart
- My NEW 2026 annotated Ashe Stadium SHADE map
- Ashe “Interactive Seat Viewer” (updated for 2026) to give you a sense of what view is like from specific seats – which from my experience tends to make seats look like they’re closer than they actually feel when you’re there, but helpful nonetheless.
Update on the Renovated Loge Section
In previous years, I recommended prioritizing the lower half of Loge when Courtside wasn’t in the budget, because even the front rows of Loge were already relatively high up. With the new design, the front rows of Loge now sit meaningfully farther from the court (only 5 of the original 13 rows of Loge remain) – so sitting in Loge is only marginally better than lower Promenade, making it hard to justify paying much of a premium.
A warning about the first row of the new Loge section: The roof of the luxury suites just below juts out like a sore thumb from the front row, both creating a visual and emotional barrier to the court. Here’s a photo I took from the new Section 231 Row A.
LOUIS ARMSTRONG STADIUM
- Louis Armstrong Stadium Seating Chart (Official)
- Louis Armstrong Chart (with my annotations)
- Armstrong Interactive “View from Seat” Map
- My annotated Armstrong Stadium SHADE map
GRANDSTAND
▸ What’s different about Ashe after the big 2026 renovation to Ashe Stadium?
A lot. 2026 brings a huge change to Ashe: a major renovation added 2,000 new Courtside seats and removed around 2,800 Loge seats to make room for the expanded courtside area and newly designed luxury suites between the Courtside and Loge levels. Promenade remains exactly the same.
My initial observations after spending a few days watching play from various sections of Ashe in 2026:
The New Courtside
- Courtside seats (even higher rows) remain qualitatively much, much better than Loge and Promenade, which now feel even more remote. Overall, though, courtside feels far less intimate. And more numbers create intense crowds in the “Club Level” corridors (where you get drinks and food).
- Noise levels are worse than ever in the stadium due to the larger numbers of people in courtside and folks in suites, many of whom are drinking heavily and carry on conversations at full voice. All it takes is a few loud conversations to spark a chain reaction: background conversations become white noise, and everyone feels permission to talk loudly.
- Gone are the days when you would be embarrassed for standing in an aisle except during changeovers. The longer stairways — coupled with the highly questionable elimination of the continuous walkway at the top of Courtside — means people take too long to get to their seats.
- The addition of two cordoned-off Courtside rows (“100A-100E”) with walkway behind the umpire chair feels, to be perfectly frank, obnoxious. One the one hand, I applaud the move to put Players’ Boxes into the first row on this side (section 100A) and directly opposite (105AA). And I understand the need to reserve parts of these rows (especially 100G) for VIPs like Billie Jean King and provide special security for them. But selling the rest of these seats to ultra-rich subscribers — many of whom skip matches in favor of hanging in suites or resell the seats at out-of-reach, exorbitant prices — is infuriating to someone like me who has spent hard-earned savings on those seats in the past and literally been moved to tears of joy and appreciation to be in them watching favorite players.
The New Loge
In previous years, I recommended prioritizing the lower half of Loge when Courtside wasn’t in the budget, because even the front rows of Loge were already relatively high up. With the new design, the front rows of Loge now sit meaningfully farther from the court (only 5 of the original 13 rows of Loge remain) – so sitting in Loge is only marginally better than lower Promenade, making it hard to justify paying much of a premium.
A warning about the first row of the new Loge section: The roof of the luxury suites just below juts out like a sore thumb from the front row, both creating a visual and emotional barrier to the court. Here’s a photo I took from the new Section 231 Row A.
I’ll update the FAQ on views from seats as soon as I can with a few more photos, but wanted to share this update in real time (Sep 3, 2026).
▸ Which seats get the most shade?
ASHE STADIUM
The roof creates a huge amount of natural shade all day for many seats. The most shade is in the South and West sections. Next-best is the North. The most sun (to avoid for Day sessions) is on the East side. See my Ashe shade map. I will update this with more details after I’ve experienced Ashe post-renovation in person during Fan Week this year.
GRANDSTAND
Much less shade overall, but South and West are again better because the sun is more at your back. GA seats higher under the overhang — especially the Southwest corner — get the most.
ARMSTRONG STADIUM
Sections 1–8 (South and West) are best overall for shade, with Section 2 the best (in shade all day). Sections 11-16 (East) are the worst and sit in direct afternoon sun (however the top couple of rows are shaded all day due to the overhang from the upper deck). See this basic overview of the Armstrong shade pattern – then see these additional photos showing how various sections are impacted throughout the day. Additional details:
- Section 1 is fully shaded until around 12:30pm, then some rows and some seats in the first 8-10 rows start getting some sun). See this photo.
- Sections 17-18: Fully shaded until around 12:30pm, then lower rows start getting sun. By about 2:15, many of the first 8-10 rows (rows E-O) are getting sun – see this photo and this photo. By 3pm a few more rows in 17 and 18 get sun – see this photo. By around 4pm (not sure exact time) all of 17 and 18 are shaded completely again
- Sections 3-8 (West side/Chair umpire side) is in full sun at 11am, but the shade gradually moves down to blanket more and more rows such that by 12:30pm the top 10 rows (appx) are in shade and by around 1pm all seats are fully shaded.
- The last 2 rows in the lower bowl around the entire stadium stay shaded (under the overhang from the upper bowl).
- Sections 8-11: Rows U and above are always shaded, most other seats always in direct sun.
▸ Which sections and seats have the best views?
Most people consider “behind the server” seats (the North or South ends of the court) the best — and prices reflect it. For first-timers, that’s my top recommendation. It’s the angle used for broadcast: you can follow point construction and see the court from the perspective of the player on your side of the net, without moving your head side to side. Here’s a photo of the same perspective (from higher up seats) in Armstrong. Here’s another photo from Ashe courtside front row.
Corner sections are also widely considered to be highly desirable — and for good reason. They carry many of the same advantages of the above, with the added benefit you can see the player on your side of the net from the front as their hitting the ball not just the back. Here’s a photo from the new Armstrong from that perspective.
As a serious player myself, I personally love sitting courtside as close as possible in lower rows of sections where seats are practically on the court, perpendicular and near to the actual baseline (e.g., section 120 in renovated Ashe) because it gets me physically even closer to the players and more on the same level. Sitting in the lower rows, I feel even more like I’m on the court with them. I feel the speed of the game. In these seats, I personally enjoy watching one player at a time sometimes to see their footwork, how they prepare for the next ball, etc. Here’s a photo from Ashe courtside from that perspective.
For Loge or Promenade in Ashe, I generally recommend the lowest rows you can get regardless of location, since Loge — and especially Promenade — are already quite high up.
For Day sessions, factor in shade (West, Southwest, and Northwest get the most relief; see the shade question above). The umpire chair is never a real obstruction, but in very low rows on that side it can be a minor annoyance.
▸ Which seats in Promenade have obstructed views?
There are a handful of specific seats worth avoiding in Promenade based on reader reports in the comments over the years and posts on “View from my Seat.” Two recommendations based on every obstruction complaint I’ve ever heard about the Promenade:
1. Avoid aisle seats in Promenade rows A-E (due to large glass safety panels at the bottom of aisle stairways).
At the bottom of every aisle staircase, there’s a clear safety panel (with a metal support bar) to keep people from stumbling over the ledge. These sit at the ends of the rows, all the way around the stadium. If you’re in one of the first several rows (roughly A through E) AND in the seat or two directly beside an aisle, that glass and bar can cut right across your view of the court. Fans report this year after year, always in the same spots: the aisle-adjacent seats in the low rows. A few rows up, or a few seats over, and the problem disappears. The added bonus of skipping these seats: you’ll avoid fans walking up and down the aisles (which they’re only allowed to do in Promenade).
2. Unless you are fairly tall, avoid Row A in Promenade due to the metal safety rail. The front row of the Promenade has a horizontal rail along it. For many adults it’s a non-issue — you see right over it. But if you’re on the shorter side, or bringing kids, the rail can sit annoyingly close to your sightline to the near baseline. My advice for most folks is to avoid the first row altogether. Rows B and C give you virtually the same view with zero rail, and Row A’s extra legroom probably isn’t worth the tradeoff.
Check out photos from other fans of particular seats in Promenade at “View from my Seat.”
Note: I am not able yet to address questions about structural obstructions in the newly renovated Courtside and Loge sections – I’ll update after I’m there this year.
▸ Day session or evening — which is the better value?
For most fans, day sessions offer better overall value. You’ll typically get more tennis, more scheduling flexibility, and grounds access from morning until late evening. Evening sessions often feature big names and a special atmosphere under the lights, but you’re usually paying for fewer matches. Which is “better” comes down to whether you care more about the quantity of tennis or the energy of a showcase night session.
▸ Is a Grounds Pass worth it?
Sometimes — but usually not. Many fans assume a Grounds Pass is automatically the best value; often it isn’t. Before buying one, always compare prices for Ashe and Armstrong day-session tickets. If they’re available for a similar price, you get all the same grounds-access privileges plus a reserved seat and valuable rain protection from the stadium roofs.
▸ Should I buy a subscription or multi-session plan?
For most serious fans, I don’t recommend it. Most multi-session and first-time subscription plans are only for Promenade seats — so high up in that huge stadium that you’ll watch much of the match on the Jumbotron or through binoculars. It can take years to upgrade to Loge (only available with the very expensive full-series plan). For the price of a full-series plan (well over $2,000 each) you could buy several amazing seats across the tournament — or two excellent seats for the Men’s Final. And there’s always a glut of Promenade Ashe seats on the resale market, so an entire series of Promenade seats can be hard to resell.
▸ Which ticket site should I use? How to comparison shop?
Start with Ticketmaster, then compare resale. My process:
- Consult 2026 US Open Ticket Options and Average Prices: How to Spot a Good Deal to learn the average price ranges for the sessions you care about.
- Always check the official Ticketmaster US Open site first — on a computer for the fastest navigation. Use “map view” (click any section), try different sortings, and use multiple tabs to compare sessions. Ticketmaster shows both Standard tickets (“blue dots” — face value, most often Promenade, occasionally Loge/Courtside) and resale tickets (“red dots”). Surprisingly, resale red dots are often the best value, because resellers undercut each other. Tickets stay on sale up to 59 minutes after a session starts if inventory remains, and both Ticketmaster and StubHub make it easy to relist if your plans change (you need a US bank account to re-list on Ticketmaster).
- Compare availability and prices with StubHub and any other preferred resellers to see if you can find an even better deal for comparable seats. Other sites I’ve never had any problems with include Viagogo, VividSeats, SeatGeek, or Ticket Liquidator. I personally no longer recommend TickPick after two very poor experiences. My “2026 US Open Ticket Options” chart linked above links directly to every specific Ticketmaster and StubHub session ticket option.
- Only buy resale tickets that specify the exact Section, Row, and Seat (or seat range) matching the stadium seat maps in this post. Double-check what you receive matches what was advertised; reputable resellers refund a misrepresented ticket (but then it’s on you to find another).
- Never buy off Craigslist or classified sites — too many scams, and NYC law bans “scalping” within 1,500 feet of the venue (effectively everywhere off the subway), with undercover police on site.
- Going with friends? Consider buying a mix of cheap and amazing seats and trading off time in the great one (Promenade vs. Courtside, or across stadiums) — I do this every year. All tickets are mobile-only; if you don’t have a smartphone, Ticketmaster customer service can move yours to Will Call.
- For package deals (tickets + hotel/transport/VIP), trusted options include Championship Tennis Tours, Grand Slam Tennis Tours, and Steve Furgal’s International Tennis Tours.
▸ Are resale ticket sites safe?
Generally, yes — provided you use reputable marketplaces. In some cases resale tickets are actually better values than standard tickets, because sellers compete on price. Before buying, always verify the section, row, and seat numbers, and make sure the ticket is clearly marked for mobile transfer.
▸ How can I predict when — and where — my favorite player will play?
While you can never be absolutely sure whether your favorite player will be scheduled for a Day or Night session (or on which court) until the Schedule of Play is released the day prior to matches, you CAN predict which DATE your favorite players will play if they advance after the Round 1 schedule is announced. Here’s a chart showing which players would play on which days after Round 1 if they advance (based on the pattern from the first two days of Round 1).
To be absolutely sure you see your favorite player, consider waiting until the schedule is published the day prior (start checking frequently early afternoon, usually out by 5:00pm), then immediately go to the official Ticketmaster US Open site or other resale sites like Stubhub to grab a resale ticket. This strategy requires, however, that you monitor the ticket situation closely in the days prior and are prepared to act immediately when the schedule is announced. Also, if you see tickets becoming scarce and prices going up in the days prior, you may conclude it’s worth taking a chance and purchasing based on an educated guess.
Another way to see your favorite player up close is to watch them when they’re scheduled for practice on the practice courts. See Tip #9
- Only the biggest superstars (like Carlos Alcaraz and Coco Gauff) are sure to be scheduled on Ashe – others might be scheduled on Armstrong, Grandstand, or field courts. Schedulers have been known to put even the #1-ranked player in the world on Armstrong or Grandstand, as they did in 2021 with then #1 Simona Halep during Round 1 (on Grandstand) and then #2 Aryna Sabalenka (Armstrong).
- There’s never any sure way to predict whether players will be scheduled for DAY or NIGHT sessions. Officials try to spread the wealth and be fair to players by alternating players between Day and Night sessions. Contrary to popular belief, they do not always schedule the biggest stars at night. The one exception to this is Quarterfinals, when biggest stars are almost always scheduled for the night sessions.
- For Men’s Semifinals, we learned last year (2025) never to assume that the biggest starpower matches would be put on the Night session: they shocked everyone and put the Alcaraz v Djokovic match on during the Day session, and Sinner v Auger-Aliassime at night.
How to Get the Most of Your Visit
The night before you go, check the Schedule of Play
1. Download the official US Open Everywhere App (search “2026 US Open Tennis”) for the latest schedule, scores, and live updates. I also recommend SI.com’s tennis page for terrific day-to-day coverage and analysis.
2. Be sure to check the Schedule of Play here (or on the App) to identify the matches that most interest you and build your plan around that.
3. If you are targeting the first match of the day on either Grandstand or Armstrong and if you don’t have a reserved seat, aim to get in line early at either the East Gate (for Armstrong) or South Gate (for Grandstand) so you can be among the first to enter when gates open at 9:30am. Then speed-walk over and grab the best seat you can.
4. If you’re a player, you might be interested in reading my ten ideas for watching a pro match to help improve your own game— some of the ways I challenge myself to watch live tennis more deliberately from the perspective of a player who wants to improve.
Check out the practice courts for close sightings of the superstars
Check the practice schedule here (or on the US Open App) the night before and the morning of your day at the Open. Note: the best time to see top players practice without fighting as many crowds is during the Fan Week (see Tip 1).
Don’t drive unless you really have to — here’s how to get there
My top recommendation is to take the Long Island Railroad (LIRR) to “Mets-Willets Point.”
It’s super fast (under 20 minutes from midtown Manhattan) and drops you literally steps from the US Open’s East Gate. You can take it from either Moynihan Train Hall (8th Avenue between West 31st-33rd) or Grand Central. Look for “Port Washington” train on the monitors (signage may say “GREAT NECK” or “PORT WASHINGTON” — double-check the train number.) See 2026 LIRR schedule here. Download the MTA TrainTime app to purchase tickets. Important: the Mets-Willets LIRR stop is NOT accessible for fans with disabilities — exit instead at Woodside/61st St and transfer to the 7 train (or just take the 7 to Mets-Willets Point).
The subway #7 train is also a convenient (and the least expensive) option.
Takes a bit longer, but runs 24 hours. Stops include Grand Central. Download the MTA App for train time and routes. If you must drive: See the US Open’s driving directions and parking details. Plan extra time when the Mets are home (Aug 24-30 and Sep 4-6); I recommend arriving no later than 8:30am on Mets’ dates to be on the safe side. A good alternate parking option is the Shops at Skyview – about a 10-minute walk to the East Gate (and you can reserve a spot in advance for a discounted rate here). Consider buying a resale parking pass on StubHub for a specific lots. Fellow fan Harry notes street parking under or south of Highway 495 is viable if you don’t mind a walk.
Thinking of using UBER/ LYFT/ TAXI? They’re great getting out to the Open – but can be a nightmare coming back after a night session.
To the Open, set the destination to “Billie Jean King National Tennis Center” (drops near the South Gate) or “Mets-Willets Point” (near the 7 train, then walk the footbridge to the East Gate). After a night session, be ready for long waits and heavy surge pricing — thousands of people will be trying to do the same. Alternatives: reserve a car service in advance (I’ve used Riverside), take the LIRR or 7 into Manhattan and hail a cab there, or hail under the 7 train on Roosevelt Ave (or use the Curb app).
Consider staying nearby in Queens and walking or biking.
Fellow fan Mark stayed at an Airbnb on Queens Boulevard about 2 miles away: flat terrain, good bike lanes, and bike racks across from the South Gate — “a fun and hassle-free way to make the commute.”
Coming directly from Laguardia?
It’s only a 9-minute cab ride — or take the Q48 public bus to the “Roosevelt Av/Willets Pt” stop (around 30 minutes). You can check your bag at the US Open before you enter the grounds.
More Common Questions - Good to Know Before You Go
▸ What can I bring — and what’s not allowed? (No backpacks!)
Be sure to review this official complete list of prohibited items before going! To help clarify some common confusions:
- You CAN bring a drawstring bag (click here for example) but NOT a backpack with two straps
- You CAN bring a digital camera with video capabilities (however they do NOT allow “Video cameras or recording devices”, which includes GoPros)
- You CAN bring a plastic or metal water bottle 24 oz or less to refill on site (but NOT anything glass!)
- You CAN bring a fanny pack: but if you do you’ll still need to go through the “with bag” security line
- You CAN bring sunscreen in lotion form only, NOT aerosol cans
- According to the US Open bot on the website: “Outside food or beverages (excluding alcohol) CAN be brought into the US Open grounds, but must fit into one sized bag. There are no exceptions.”
- There is storage outside both East and South Gate entrances if you need it: (in 2025 it was $10 per locker, $20 for large items including suitcases). Bag check for American Express cardholders is discounted (1 bag per card).
Be prepared to wait in a potentially long security line if you have any bag at all (i.e. an enclosed object that doesn’t fit in your clothes), whereas you can breeze through a separate express line for those without bags.
Before Leaving, Don’t Forget…
- Download your mobile tickets to your mobile wallet (e.g. Apple Wallet or something like WalletPasses on Android)
- Sunglasses and sunscreen (lotion not spray)! If you forget, La Roche offers free samples just inside the EAST gate entrance.
- A backup phone charger (e.g. a Mophie) if you have one – although there are Chase-sponsored free chargers on site.
- A lightweight white towel (and/or lightweight neck gaiter) to protect exposed skin from sun or to sit on when in unreserved seats, which can get hot and uncomfortable.
- Reusable plastic water bottle (to refill using any of the many water fountains).
- A small umbrella if rain may be in the forecast
- Dress in layers as it can get hot during the day and occasionally chilly at night
- Contacts wearers: A very small bottle of contact lens solution in case you get something in your eye
- FYI: There are two entrances to the grounds: (1) the main entrance, the “East Gate,” located near the Subway/LIRR; and (2) the “South Gate” entrance near the iconic World’s Fair “Unisphere” (globe) – see map above. While lines tend to be shorter by the South Gate, the wait may end up being about the same because there are fewer attendants and metal detectors.
▸ Can I exit and re-enter the US Open grounds?
DAY SESSION ENTRY TO US OPEN GROUNDS (Gates open usually 9:30 most days, 11:00am Finals weekend)
- With either a Grounds Pass (Day) or a DAY-session reserved ticket in Ashe, Armstrong, or Grandstand), you can enter the US Open grounds as soon as gates open (usually 9:30am, 11am on Finals weekend)
- Enter the US Open Grounds through security with your ticket scanned at the East Gate or South Gate; if you have a reserved stadium seat, your ticket is re-checked entering that stadium. Once you enter the US Open grounds with any ticket, you can stay as late as you want until closing.
- Note: DAY-session reserved tickets for Ashe or Armstrong only entitles you to that seat for the Day-session matches — after which you will have to leave your seat but can remain on the US Open grounds and access general unreserved seating on every court except Ashe (which has no unreserved seating).
- You can exit the grounds and re-enter as much as you’d like before 6:00pm (you can’t re-enter the Grounds after 6:00pm).
EVENING SESSION ENTRY (6:00pm)
- If you only have an Evening session ticket, you have to wait until 6:00pm to enter the grounds.
- If you are already in the grounds and also hold an Evening reserved tickets (for Ashe or Armstrong) for the same day, you do NOT need to exit and re-enter the grounds.
- If you’re in Armstrong for the Day session (courtside or GA), you’ll leave your seat between sessions while they clean, but you can stay in the Armstrong concourse.
▸ What if it rains?
The good news: since both Arthur Ashe and the new Louis Armstrong have roofs, far more fans can keep watching even
if it rains.
The bad news: if you’ve invested in Grandstand seats or just a Grounds Pass, there’s less consolation. Keep in mind weather forecasts are notoriously unreliable and change by the hour — there’s always hope showers pass quickly.
In the rare event of an all-day rainout (or under 60 minutes of play), the session may be rescheduled to the next day and your ticket honored then — or, if you bought directly from Ticketmaster, you may be able to trade tickets for another session this year or next (see the US Open’s somewhat complicated 2026 Inclement Weather Policy).
Worst case, look for the silver lining: you’ll be among thousands of fans you can grab a specialty cocktail with, huddle under shelter, and watch an Ashe match together on the big screen.
▸ Is grounds admission free on the second Thursday (Sep 10)?
One of the best-kept secrets: for years the US Open has quietly offered free grounds admission on the second Thursday of the main tournament (gates usually open 11am or noon; you must arrive before 5pm) — a chance to see the Men’s Doubles Semifinals plus all-star wheelchair players, the world’s top juniors, and standout collegiate players.
If you’re a serious fan — especially a doubles player — this is a day not to be missed.
▸ Food
FOOD: There are a bunch of options on site, but they aren’t cheap! See my chart outlining examples of the food stands by area on the grounds.
- This PDF includes several menus from past Food Village stands. Every year there are some new additions and substitutions, but many of these will still be around in 2026.
- Korilla BBQ is one of my favorites, but lines are usually among the longest.
- Poke Yachty is absolutely delicious and lines move quickly because they’ve nailed their system.
- Oyster Bar behind Grandstand has killer ceviches and lobster rolls.
- Hill Country BBQ, Curry Kitchen, Fish Shack and Fly Fish are also delicious.
- Restaurants in Queens not on the grounds
▸ What are perks for cardholders?
- AMERICAN EXPRESS CARDHOLDERS: Bring your Amex card if you have one! See full Amex Benefits at US Open here. Perks from 2025 likely to be repeated in 2026:
- (1) Amex Card Member Lounge on the 2d Level of the Amex “Fan Experience” (where anyone can also play a “Glow Tennis” mixed reality interactive game and get a complimentary manicure with tennis themed nail art).
- (2) Centurion Suite in Armstrong (Exclusive to Platinum and Centurion Members). Book in advance on Resy
- (3) Book complimentary court time in NYC area at over 500 tennis and pickleball courts and unlock special access to peak reservation times when using your Amex.
- (4) Check your bag for a reduced fee at East or South Gate
- (5) Get a one-time $20 statement credit when you spend $100 with your enrolled card at participating US Open merchants
- (6) Get a free earpiece/radio to hear ESPN match commentary
- (7) Skip lines and grab concession items quickly (checkout-free shopping) at the Amex Shop in South Plaza .
- CHASE CUSTOMERS? Check this Chase site for updates on perks for 2026.
- Click here to make a reservation to access the “Chase Lounge”
- Other past perks have included offering cool video+mobile “Chase Charge & Watch” chargers
▸ Recommended places to stay?
This is not an area of expertise for me, but I trust fellow tennis fanatic Melissa, who maintains a great list of hotels appealing to all budgets here.
Fellow fan Mark recommends staying in Queens and biking, based on his experience: “We packed our bikes and stayed at a nice AirB&B on Queens Boulevard, a little over 2 miles from the stadium. Queens has a great network of dedicated bike lanes and a friendly attitude toward bikers, and best of all – the terrain is flat! Once at the grounds, there are bike racks across from the South Gate entrance and in front of the security tent that handles baggage claim. It is a fun and hassle-free way to make the commute for anyone that so inclined!”
▸ Grounds access on Finals Weekend?
Grounds Admission tickets usually get issued at some point over the summer for Finals Weekend (Fri-Sun Sep 11-13) on Ticketmaster.
You can’t access Ashe with these tickets, but you can walk the grounds, see juniors and wheelchair finals, and watch Ashe matches on the big screens.
Final Tip: Pay It Forward When You Can
If you have the opportunity, consider a random act of kindness for fellow fans during the tournament. Our tennis community is big, but in a way it’s small — and our passion is infectious; do something kind for someone today, and they’re likely to pay it forward.
For instance, if you’re leaving your great Ashe (or Armstrong or Grandstand) seat for the day/night while matches are still going, as you exit consider consider gifting it to a fan who’s waiting outside the entrance hoping someone like you might offer. Giving someone on grounds your seat when you’re done isn’t as easy as it used to be, given tightened Ticketmaster restrictions preventing transferring after the ticket is scanned and preventing screenshots from within the Ticketmaster app… But with a little creativity and effort you can pretty easily make it happen, and the gesture might create a lifelong memory for someone else. Here’s how:
- Take a screenshot of your ticket in your phone’s WALLET (Ticketmaster will block screenshots from within the app).
- For Armstrong or Grandstand, simply text someone else the screenshot and it should hopefully suffice.
- For Ashe:
- If gifting to someone already IN the stadium, a screenshot from your wallet should suffice — including if you’re leaving the Courtside/Club level area entrance and you want someone already in Ashe to benefit from your seat (from Loge or Promenade.
- If gifting to someone already in the Open grounds but not in Ashe already: You’d need to walk with them to the Ashe entrance, re-scan your ticket (telling the ticket scanner that you’re letting your friend go to your seat) AND give them a screenshot (which they’ll need to show to ushers or for entry to Club level); OR you’d need to walk with the friend(s) as if you were going to re-enter with them, hand the friend your phone to get scanned, then have the friend discreetly pass the phone back after they are “in” (then just turn around as though you changed your mind about entering themselves at this time).
I’ve gifted a lot of tickets over the years, and it always feels wonderful.












Hi PJ, Awesome information. I’m planning on making my first trip to the Open this year. My main reason is to see Federer live for the first time. Your video of him from up close is incredible. How did you manage that for $450? I’m trying to figure out the best way to find tickets, preferably later in the tournament, and everything in the 100 level looks to be $800-$1000 per ticket. Do you have any advice there? I’d like to come to the men’s semi-finals, slightly rolling the dice that Federer will not run into a day like he… Read more »
Hey Ryan, thank you! So that was back in 2011, and I haven’t seen a similar courtside seat that close offered under $550 for the past couple years — however I did manage to get some seats last year for the same night (Labor Day evening) in first row of section 60 for about $560 a piece including fees… Just took regular monitoring throughout the summer last year of the various sites to find them. For Men’s semis, prices are always incredibly high (usually about the same as the Men’s Final) because you get two of the best matches of… Read more »
HI PJ thanks and sorry to bother you again. Stubhub and Tickpick are selling GA tickets for LA and GS, for instance GA6 or GA9. Is that a thing and does it secure a seat or is it still a gamble and queuing? II like the idea of GS tickets as they are more like what I’m used to 🙂 any thoughts on how many games will be scheduled and so on for first week GS? Which stadiums allow entering and leaving during play and which don’t? I am a bit scared about Ash promenade as evrybody seems to think… Read more »
Hi Stefan, not a bother at all! First, I absolutely would not purchase any ticket labeled “GA.” I have seen nothing official from USTA indicating that there will be reserved seats within the GA sections (there were some in the old Armstrong, but they were on sale just like all other courtside reserved tickets – and that is NOT the case this year). So while the seller may indeed have some kind of ticket to give the buyer in this case, they have the upper hand by giving you whatever they feel like because they haven’t specified a particular seat.… Read more »
Hey PJ,
This is our first time to New York and The Open. Your blog has been fantastic, and very helpful to a first timer. I just picked up two tickets in 103 row A for $210.00 plus fees for opening day session in Ashe, hoping for Fed or Nadal. It’s hard to tell from the virtual pictures how close it is to the court, Since you’ve been there can you tell me about my seats.
And Thanks again for all your info
Dan
Hey Dan, so glad it’s been helpful! That is absolutely one of the best places you could sit in Loge. First row in a behind-the-server/corner seat. Beneath the Loge section is two levels of luxury suites then the courtside seats – so in other words, you are directly above a luxury seat with great vantage point. Moreover, if you have for Day session you chose perfectly with regard to maximum shade. Enjoy!! P.J.
I need your help! My family and I will be in NY the opening week. I have read many blogs about the best places to view matches. I’m ready to purchase tix in the grandstand but am hesitant due to the risk of rain. What sections do you recommend as an alternative in the two covered venues? I am budgeting about $150 per ticket. Thanks!!!
Hey Kat! It’s really hard to go wrong in Grandstand. It’s a very intimate stadium and all the seats are great. My favorite sections to sit in Grandstand are: (1) Sections 2 and 22 (behind the server, South side); and corners 3 and 21 (section 1 not usually available, camera + VIP box) – best area from shade perspective (2) Sections 11-13 (behind the server, North side); and corners around them Sections 10 and 14 (3) Corner baseline area sections 4, 9, 15, 20 — all great, but maximum shade will be on West side 4 and 9) You should… Read more »
PJ, thanks for all the great information. I am making my first trip to the Open and want to experience all the courts. I have good seats on Armstrong day 1 and Ashe in 103D day 2. I thought I had gotten great seats at GS day 3, until I read this post. I have Sec5 row A! Should I try to sell these? These are near baseline, so I thought watching the player on that side would be great. You said “umpire chair on that side will be a slight impediment” is the line judge also an impediment in… Read more »
Hey Renae, you can sleep easy!! Those are AWESOME seats. I should be more clear in my post — the biggest issue is sitting super close in the sections right behind the umpire chair. You’re far enough to the side that it’ll be fine. And the sun will be at your back most of the afternoon. And you’re going to be spectacularly close to the players. My one big piece of advice is to look at my other post on tips for watching pro tennis (linked above) and consider some points watching the player only on your side of the… Read more »
Thanks PJ for all that you do for us newbies. I am really excited that I found these seats.
My pleasure, Renae, thank you for your thanks!
Hey,
I’m trying to buy some tickets for the Men’s Finals through resale. Any advice on that? When to buy? Is it a good time now or better to wait a little?
Thanks!
Hi Rahman, the “When” question is always the toughest to answer. There are no clear rules. Men’s Finals are notoriously difficult and right now prices are crazy high. Last year they stayed very high until Federer lost in the Quarters (the Wed of the second week). After that, the lowest resale Promenade seat was priced at $167 (+fees), which was about the same as the lowest face-value $200 seat. It’s helpful to keep in mind that lowest face-value Promenade seat this year was $200 (none remain) and lowest Loge face-value seat was $650 (none remain). So if you see anything… Read more »
Love your blog! My children love Monfils (top 50) and Dustin Brown (maybe ranked near or above 100). They enjoy their skill and their ability to keep the game fun! How can I tell if they will be playing or if they will be at the Open? Do both have to do qualifying rounds? Honestly my boys want those autographs over Nadal As my son says “Monfils and Brown have sick shots” (ie adult translation; exciting). We could only budget for Monday but plan to take in a lot of the qualifying rounds and view the practice schedules. By the… Read more »
Hey Andrew, thank you! It’s so cool that your kids love Monfils and Brown so much – they are absolutely awesome athletes (did you see Monfils do that crazy one-handed backhand thing in his Wimbledon match yesterday against Andesrson?) I took this photo of Monfils from the front row at Grandstand a couple years ago – was amazing. Monfils won’t need to play qualifiers – he will get a spot because of his high ATP ranking. Don’t know how Dustin Brown is doing lately – his ranking has fallen to 209 as of late June… so he would have to… Read more »
Hi PJ, thank you so much for such a detailed post! This will be my first time attending the US open and I’m still a little confused. I will only be in NY for about 1.5 days and the only option I have is to watch the 3rd round in the evening on Sept 1 or day/evening session Round of 16 on Sept 2. For now I’m thinking I really want to experience Ashe in the day as that will allow me to see the most action, is that right? Does having Ashe tickets mean I can watch not only… Read more »
Hi Demmi, so that Sunday Round of 16 is a great day to attend because all the matches will be competitive. And yes, an Ashe Day session ticket means you not only have a reserved seat in Ashe (Day session only) but can also access unreserved seats on any other court. They will definitely put the biggest stars on Ashe. And it has a roof, so you’re safe in case of rain. The only heads-up is that lines will be quite long to access Armstrong and Grandstand – but with patience you should have no problem getting in. ANY seat… Read more »
Hi P.J thank you so much for your quick response! One more question, how early would you suggest I get there on the day (ie: to get through the lines and still trying to see some practice matches beforehand)?
Hi Demmi, if you can possibly do it, I’d say around 8:30am arrival to get in the line for security. Gates usually don’t open till 9:30am, but even at 8:30 that Sunday there will be people lining up (Sat/Sun/Mon Labor Day weekend draw big crowds). This isn’t necessary, but if you get there that early you’ll have a much much better chance of grabbing a reserved seat without a long wait at your outer court of choice (particularly relevant for Armstrong and Grandstand). Be sure to look at the schedule this night before as I suggest above (Tips #7 and… Read more »
Thanks so much for your detailed post, it has helped a lot in my decision-making for buying tickets! I’m very excited about my Loge tickets for the first two evening sessions (Aug 27 & 28), and I will be getting some cheap Promenade day session tickets to supplement them. I would love to be able to take some photos during the day and was wondering if I would be allowed to bring in a Lowepro Passport Sling III camera bag (17″ x 6″ x 16″).The US Open site says that bags larger than 12″ x 12″ x 16″ are prohibited,… Read more »
Hey Peter, truthfully I can’t say for sure… The reality is that it’s always at the discretion of those working security. You have a very good chance of them allowing it given that (1) it doesn’t look like a backpack and (2) that one of the dimensions is substantially under the limit. I’d say optimally would be better if you could find a well-padded bag that you make due with just for the day. Or, you can risk it (again, I’m optimistic but can’t be sure) and bring along an empty small lightweight tote bag that, if you absolutely had… Read more »
Thanks so much for the quick and thorough response! I think I may get the Lowepro Toploader 55 AW II Bag, which would hold the camera body and the attached 70-200mm lens. It measures 8″ x 7″ x 13″ and doesn’t look like a backpack, so there shouldn’t be any question of them allowing it. And thanks for the photography tips, I’ll definitely keep those in mind! 🙂
My pleasure – and sounds like a great plan! PJ
Is the US Open Ticket Exchange website a legitimate website? The prices seem too good to be true since so many people are selling their tickets through the Ticketmaster website as verified resale tickets. Just wondering if you have personal experience. PS thanks for all the great info – this is our first year going and it’s been so helpful!
Emma, yes indeed. Ticketmaster’s US Open Ticket Exchange is actually the tournament’s official reseller. While the main Ticketmaster site does include many resale tickets, the only ones listed are those available for immediate mobile delivery– whereas the Ticket Exchange includes those AND tickets that have been verified as legitimate but have a promised-by date sometime before the event. And thanks for your kind words! P.J.
Hi,
These seem like good seats on Stubhub. I have never purchased tickets on Stubhub before. Is there anything tricky I should know?
Hi Tamara, great question. A few thoughts: (1) StubHub, just like all resellers (including red-dot resale seats on Ticketmaster and all seats on Ticketmaster Exchange), charges a service fee on resale tickets. In the case of StubHub, you have to click on “Checkout” and enter your information first before fees are displayed. Be sure to see that total before making a decision. This is the case for most reseller sites, however a couple I mention above actually include any fees in the first price you see. In short: make sure you’ve evaluated total cost as you compare options. (2) Stubhub… Read more »
Thank you so much for this awesome info. Like many of your followers I am going to the US Open for Aug 30-31 for my 50th. I have tx for Thursday night at Armstrong, Sec 4 Row D. Debating what to do for Friday day session (we fly home Friday night). I plan to explore the outer courts but should I still get good seats for Armstrong day session and if so would you do baseline (section 1 or 18) of Section 3 or 4 again? Not sure if its worth the money if I plan to explore a bit… Read more »
Hey Kim, thanks for your thanks! You are going to LOVE those seats… That is literally my favorite place to sit: way up close in one of the corner baseline area sections. Consider spending some time just watching the player on your side of the net for an entire point every once in a while (you might be interested in my other post on different ways I watch pro tennis to improve my game along those lines). The answer depends entirely on your budget. I always encourage people to take the time to get the best seats for their budget,… Read more »
Hi PJ,
Thanks very much for this very helpful article. It really provides a lot of useful insight and advice! Quick question, back in November my boyfriend bought me US Open tickets for my birthday. His confirmation email says, “ARTHUR ASHE EVENING PROMENADE- GENERAL.” Does this mean we have reserved seats or no? Is this ticket like general admission first come first serve or is all of Arthur Ashe reserved seats?
Thanks!!
Hi Liz, you’re most welcome! Sounds like the seller has promised a reserved seat in the Promenade section of Ashe for that evening session but didn’t give a section or seat number… Which means you will have a reserved seat but won’t know where until they transfer the ticket. Where did he buy it, and did the email promise a “deliver by” date? If not, I would definitely contact the seller and ask for more details. P.J.
Hi, P.J.
Lucas from Brazil again. =)
One question:
What section would you prefer to watch the Men´s semifinals in the Lower Promenade: 318 (baseline corner) or 320 (baseline).
What are the advantages and disadvantages of each?
Thank you a lot!
Oi Lucas! So from up there is doesn’t matter too much — I would absolutely choose whichever section you can get closest to the front row. P.J.
PJ — great article full of useful advice. THANK YOU for taking the time to write this. I go every year (always 2nd/3rd round right before labor day) and always try to strategize best way to find cheap Armstrong tickets. I noticed that, this year, Armstrong tix still haven’t sold out. For Aug 31 (Friday), they are pricing Armstrong upper-level East/West (Secs 4, 14-15) at $300 each, face value (as opposed to resale). This feels like a significant increase from last year — am I remembering right? I think these seats might end up reselling for less than face value… Read more »
Hey Zack, thanks!! So yes, it’s a very different situation than ever before with the new Armstrong stadium – and it’s still playing out. This is an entirely new stadium and seating chart, with much greater expanded courtside seating than ever before (and more General Admission seats on second level too). Previously, it was extremely rare for any face-value Armstrong courtside tickets to be available because all of them went to subscribers; the only face-value tickets we generally ever saw previously were seats around $150-180 in the reserved GA sections behind the server. So what we’re seeing is a different… Read more »
Thanks PJ. Super helpful, and you confirmed my instincts. Gonna wait it out and see if I can pick up some armstrong tix for under face value on a resale site. Definitely think its possible they overpriced these tickets, since they didnt have any exact historical data to base their pricing on for this first year in new stadium. From their perspective, better to overcharge than undercharge, so they probably erred on the higher side. Thanks again!
My pleasure! Let me know how it goes.
P.J.:
Thanks for that list of the face-value prices. I was working on my own such list last night!
Glad it’s helpful! Let me know if you gain any insight into any of the ones where detailed data is missing. PJ
P.J.:
Do lower-level loge tickets ever go on the market at face value? I see recently-added loge tickets for some of the Ashe sessions, but all in the last 2-3 rows of loge. Is there any hope for lower rows at face value, ever?
Hi Tom, if history is a guide, I’m sorry to report that the odds are slim to none. Every year there are some surprise, so I never say never… But I have looked for years for myself and always been disappointed. And as I mention in my post, no one should feel as though they “missed” anything in this regard if they didn’t log on to buy tickets during the initial minutes of the public sale on June 11 (or the pre-sale), because they weren’t available even then. I do anticipate that at least some of the Loge (and courtside)… Read more »
Thanks again for all the information PJ. I may not be looking at this right, but doesn’t the artist rendering show that the east side will be in the shade on Armstrong (e.g. Section 14, 15, etc.)? I am looking here – https://www.stubhub.com/us-open-tennis-tickets-us-open-tennis-flushing-louis-armstrong-stadium-at-the-billie-jean-king-tennis-center-8-27-2018/event/103616033 and the view from section 15 shows all shade in that section, and no shade across the way on the west side. It’s probably all guessing but wanted to try and be in the shade and was hoping 15 was in the shade based on those renderings.
Hey Nik, my pleasure. You are looking at that rendering correctly – but my take (and I could be wrong!) is that the rendering is misleading at best, and potentially very wrong. I’m basing this on my understanding that the orientation of the court is exactly the same as all the other courts, including Ashe (see, e.g., the view from above on this US Open page of all courts). Assuming that’s the case, then the shade situation should mirror what happens on Ashe (see my Ashe Shade guide here, using a photo I took myself). So in short, my view… Read more »
Hey P.J. Howdy from Texas. Making my first trip to the U.S. Open this year and I’m super excited. I came across your blog and this is all great information! I plan on attending during the first week…looking at loge seats for the evening session at Ashe. I know resale prices are going to fluctuate (been checking ticketmaster daily) but just curious what you think about sections 129 and 104 (looks like 104 is in the corner behind the baseline?). I’m seeing a resale single for the 30th evening session at Ashe – Section 129 Row C for $362 which… Read more »
Hey Adam, excited for you to have your first Open experience! You’ll love it. So most people would much prefer 104 to 129 because the vantage point requires no movement of your head to track the ball. Just looked on Ticketmaster and saw a single ticket in row D for $349 including fees, didn’t see one in C; and saw a single available in Row A same section on Stubhub for $366 including fees… I think $360 is a great deal for that night/section in first row — but if that’s pushing your budget there are others for closer to… Read more »
Hey P.J. Thanks for the reply! From the virtual seating chart 104 looks pretty good. Probably will pull the trigger on that row A seat! Just to clarify the new Armstrong will have GA seating? Still trying to figure out my daytime strategy!
This will actually be my first major tennis tournament. Thinking I’ll make the trip next summer to Wimbledon. How did you go about getting tickets? Seems like your only option is to queue unless there’s a way for us non Brits to get tickets in advance.
Hey Adam, sounds good! Yes, there will be way more GA seats in Armstrong than ever before, so hopefully will relieve a hit of the pressure. For Wimbledon, lottery, resale, or queuing are the only options. I went with a company called Wimbledon Debenture Holders — was not cheap, but that was before StubHub and some others began being able to post resale tix. I suspect that’s probably a more transparent and cost-effective route. I have a ton of friends who went this year and I know some had very good success with queueing. I’ll be compiling recs from friends… Read more »
Hey P.J. quick question- decided I’m going to splurge on a reserved seat at LA for the day session on the 31st. Preferably something in the first 3 or 4 rows. Have you had any luck finding anything out there that close to the court? Looks like face value higher up is like 300ish- so I’m willing to spend a little bit more if I can get closer. Thanks!
Hey Adam, Just looked quickly at several sites and best I could find on a quick search along those lines was Section 4 Row E $400 on Ticketmaster Exchange (sold in quantities of 1 or 3, assuming you want 1?). That’s one of my favorite places to sit (most people prefer behind server, but I like sitting close up around baseline to be super close to players and see them from the side as well), and also on West side which theoretically should be better with sun at your back for most of afternoon. Also check Section 9 Row F… Read more »
Thanks P.J.!
Sure thing, let me know how you make out! PJ
Hey P.J. again thanks for all the effort you put into this website! This has been my go to the last month. Ended up snagging a court side seat for Ash day session on the 30th (Sec 46 Row J)…and Armstrong day session on the 31st (Sec 15 Row F) for face value. Wasn’t planning on going out there for the 3rd round on Saturday….but now I’m tempted especially if Fed is playing. I see a single available for the Ashe evening session Sec 12 Row H for $550 face. What do you think about that price for that particular… Read more »
Hey Adam, thanks and so happy to hear it’s been helpful! That seat is a GREAT deal. The only issue is that there’s no way to know if Fed will be Day or Night that day. He’s night Tues, so they may do day Thurs then night again Sat… but there’s really no way to predict. The consolation would almost certainly be a Djokovic match, assuming he makes it through… P.J.
Hi P.J.
great work , can you buy evening sessions Arther Ashe and get in at noon on grounds courts ?
Thanks
Hi Luc, thanks very much. Unfortunately not: Evening session tickets only enable entry at/around 6:00pm. You would need either an Ashe/Armstrong Day session ticket or Grandstand ticket or Grounds ticket to enter in the morning. P.J.
Thanks for the reply P.J.! Enjoy the Open!
Hey P.J. – First of all, thank you SO much for sharing all of this incredible info with the world wide web. It’s greatly appreciated. Attending the US Open is a bucket list item for many fans and your blog has truly helped me figure out how to make it happen this year!
My question – how many matches will be played on Grandstand during the day day session on Saturday, Sept 1st?
Hello Yael, thank you very very much for your kind thanks!! While there’s always a chance for exceptions (due to weather or other unusual circumstances), it’s almost certain there will be two Men’s 3d round singles matches, one Women’s 3d round singles match, and one men’s Doubles match. P.J.
Hello! Thank you for this interesting blog! I’m coming to Us Open this year (first experience), I’ll be there for the first week and I have few questions: 1) Can I go on Louis Armstrong Stadium and Grandstand and follow EVENING session if I have a ticket for the Arthur Ashe Stadium for the DAY session ? 2) Will tickets for EVENING session on Arthur Ashe Stadium still be available if I plan to buy them when I will be at Us Open ? Or do I risk they will be sold out ? 3) I noticed that the price… Read more »
Ciao Valentina! (1) Yes, any DAY session ticket (including Ashe) enables you to stay within the grounds as late as you like and to access general (non-reserved) seating at all the outer courts except Ashe (Ashe doesn’t have any unreserved seating). (2) Yes, there will almost certainly be evening session tickets still available until the match begins – however they will almost certainly be resale tickets and the average prices could be far above or below average prices now depending on who is scheduled (or predicted) to play. So you don’t risk not getting a ticket if you wait –… Read more »
Thanks a lot for your kind answer and congratulations again for this fantastic blog!
Prego! And grazie mille 🙂 P.J.
Hi PJ, I’ve attended the US Open for a few sessions each of the past two years. I went on a whim and its really sparked my interest in following tennis year-round. Even having attended in person, I have to say this site is comprehensive enough to have really given me some new ideas on shaping my experience. Specifically, I think Im going to go the Grandstand route for the first week rather than the Ashe 300s. Bringing the wife for the first time and want her to have a fun experience. My question is this: Im looking at Grandstand… Read more »
Hey Jay, thank you so much – that’s awesome to hear. Those are both excellent places to sit. 14 is preferable to 21A from a proximity perspective (the “A” seats are just a big higher up, but still excellent seats). 14 also preferable from shade perspective — sun will be at your back sooner. But either great! PJ
This will be first time attending event. We are thinking of buying 4 tickets in Sec 28 row H. What do you think? This will be for the Women’s semi finals on Thurs Sept 6. Your help on this page has been awesome. thanks
Hey Kevin, that corner section is great (and in fact is right near where many players’ coaches and families sit). Whether or not to pull the trigger depends on cost. If you’ve looked at all the sites I mention above and have compared (including service fees) and are confident it’s a good price relative to others, then I’d say go for it. But if it feels high for your budget then stay patient and keep checking until you spot the next good deal. P.J.
Such a great resource! Thanks for sharing all your experience. We are coming two days before the match and staying for Monday and Tuesday We want to do Ashe AM on Tuesday. I am so frustrated with the prices for good seats (louge), but going to wait and see. Two questions: 1. We air flying into town so it makes a difference if we can get somewhat affordable tickets for Ashe (300 or preferably less). If we can’t we will leave one day earlier. Trying to juggle air flight prices and ticket prices has been CRAZY! Choices I see- 1.Buy… Read more »
Hey, thank you!! So first thing, I know this sounds crazy but I really think you should make your travel plans and assume you will go Tuesday even if you don’t have tickets. The reason: you will always have the fall-back option of cheap Promenade seats if you don’t get the Loge ones within your budget. Autographs will be impossible in Ashe unless you’re seated in courtside around section 47-48. Autographs are more potentially possible with reserved seats in Armstrong (sections 4-6 probably have highest odds). Also, going to free practices on Sun before tournament starts might offer some autograph… Read more »
Hi P.J., WOW! What an amazing and helpful site. I can’t imagine how long this would’ve taken you? THANK YOU!! My wifey Andy I are celebrating my 50th in the big apple. We arrive Monday Aug 27 (@4pm) and leave Friday Aug 31st. Wondering what you think the best plan of attack would be… Monday – Cheap Promenade Night tix in Ashe for Opening Ceremonies Tuesday – Armstrong Day session Reserved, so we can take in All the courts, atmosphere & start all night? Wednesday – Courtside Night session in Ashe. Hopefully $400-$600 (For the ultimate experience) Thursday – Grandstand… Read more »
Hi Duey, THANK YOU so much! And Happy 50th!! I turned 50 last year and treating myself at the US Open was a big part of the celebration too :). Overall, I think your plan sounds like an absolutely fantastic progression. For opening night, there are a ton of standard (non-resale face value) tix in Promenade for $60 or less on Ticketmaster (section 302 would be a good choice). For Tues Armstrong, be sure to check all the sites I list above and comparison shop; you may be able to find a resale ticket that’s ultimately cheaper than standard price… Read more »
Hi PJ,
Thanks so much for your advice! And happy belated 50th.
We’re staying in Corona (11368) near La Guardia airport.
If you have a recommendation, I would appreciate any help. Otherwise I was looking at MyTennisLessons.com
Thanks again
Duey
Hey Duey, you’re so welcome (and thanks)! Yeah I think your best bet is searching for individual coaches in the area who can arrange a court or meet you at one. You might also check https://www.playyourcourt.com run by my friend Scott Baxter — similar idea but there may be even more pros listed. Let me know how it all goes! PJ
Thanks PJ!
Hi P.J.! Thank you so much for all the info – I’m even more impressed and respect how you’ve replied to all these comments! I wanted to get your insight on my plan. When thinking about this, I assumed that prices would only increase after the schedules are released, and that Nadal and Federer would be the top 2 seeds in the US Open this year. Please correct me if these assumptions are wrong or are uncertain! But for my situation, I’m a college student who has never been to a tennis event before, and I wanted to go with… Read more »
Hi William, you’re so welcome – really appreciate your heartfelt kind words! As for seeding going into US Open, it’s almost certain Nadal and Federer will be #1 and #2 seeds as they are both 3000 points ahead of the current ATP #3… However, besides Wimbledon there are some other ATP events before US Open — so theoretically, if things went terribly for either one of them (and amazingly for Zverev, DelPo, Cilic) then one of them might be displaced. But unlikely. If they are #1 and #2, that would be awesome for fans – because it would mean that… Read more »
Hi P.J. – thanks for the response!
So since you said that prices to see Federer will almost certainly go up once the Day 1 schedule is announced, would you recommend purchasing tickets for both nights now, or perhaps later in July/early August?
Hey William, sure thing! I think if you see standard face-value tickets for those sessions now that are seats you’d be happy with (esp lower 1/3 of Promenade or Loge), now would be a good time. I would strongly encourage Loge v Promenade if they are available and you can afford for at least one of them. While I can never predict prices, I would be surprised if you found anything on the resale market later in the summer that was a better deal than those. P.J.
Thanks for all your good info. We are doing the first Monday Armstrong section 3 row L-280.00 stubhub and leave Tuesday. To extend the experience we were thinking about coming for Fan Week (maybe Wednesday before). We are coming out of town so the cost of hotel, travel increases the expense.
Question- is fan week worth it? What about Arthur Ashe day (I have an 8 and 11 year old). Is there enough to do to occupy active boys if we come into town early?
Thanks
Hi Michelle, my pleasure. USTA has promised an “expanded fan week” this year – but I still haven’t seen any specifics (what’s in this article is about the info there is so far). This will occur during the qualifying tournament, so regardless of what’s offered it’s a great free opportunity to see outstanding world-class players. For Kid’s Day (also free), people with kids who’ve attended have shared mixed reactions. Most say they’ve had a good time, but the kids’ activities have very long lines… The highlight for most seems to be (1) seeing pros practicing on P1-P5 courts and Armstrong… Read more »
Thanks so much for your reply! As it is unlikely to see top players on the first day, do you think its worth doing the courtside seats for Ashe day (cost is pricey 90-100)? If my kids can see Nadal and Federer it may be worth it.
My boys will not care about the face painting etc…. I am hoping on Sunday we can see some top players practicing so paying high price on Ashe day may not be worth it.
Your thoughts?
Hey Michelle, sure thing! So just to clarify, it’s actually almost certain you would see very famous players on Day 1 if with an Ashe ticket (for day or evening session), and you will certainly see some other top players with your Armstrong tix (albeit definitely not Fed or Nadal). And you’ll have great seats! Take a look at last year’s schedule of play (see my link above to 2017 Schedule of Play) for Day 1 and Day 2 to have a sense – both are round 1. There’s no question that taking them to sit courtside on Kids Day… Read more »
Ok… last question I promise. I am considering making my flight on Tuesday (Aug 28), after 5pm or the latest 9pm. Would it be wise to get a cheap Ashe seat noon or General admission, and make it to the airport (LGA)? . I realize if I do the 5pm flight I would probably have to leave early. I would like my kids see a “top” player (is that possible for day2?) and it seems Ashe seat is the way to go. As it stands now we are doing fan week/qualifying week and plan to watch practice sessions. Currently, we… Read more »
Hey, no worries – I totally get how overwhelming the choices are, love the passion. No worries if you have other questions! So Day 1 and 2 are exactly the same in terms of quality of the matches. Who you might see is completely a function of luck of the draw – literally (see my FAQ #1 for why this is the case). To be guaranteed to see “top” player compete, I’d say either (1) buy an evening session ticket for Ashe on Mon — though that’s potentially a long day for your kids, it also has benefit for being… Read more »
Hey, thanks for the great info. Can you advise us on what time to arrive at the main gate? I realize there will be security checks. We have clear bags, so hopefully that speeds things up. Sessions begin at 11:00 or noon, but can you get in earlier to watch practice? Matches on grounds courts? We’d be cool with arriving at an hour or two before the ticketed time, if there’s something to see / do — besides buy merch, of course! Also, about the Chase Lounge, do you know if I can get in simply by having a Chase… Read more »
Hey Catherine, my pleasure. Depends on the day, but during the first week I do think it’s worth getting there to line up by 9am so that you can enter as soon as gates open or shortly thereafter, which is usually at/around 9:30am. First matches on outer courts usually start at 11, Ashe first matches at Noon. And yes, there’s usually practices scheduled too – so lots to take in and the grounds are really big. Definitely check the match and practice schedule the night before so you have a plan of where you’d like to go in mind already.… Read more »
Thanks so much PJ. This is all great advice. Another random question…we are flying into LGA and it looks like it is a 5 min bus ride to the tennis center from the airport. I am trying to figure out if there are any guidelines about the storage facilities at the East and South gates? We will likely have carry-ons but am interested if there size restrictions, etc.. as I certainly do not want to get stuck. Of course we will be aware of all of the obvious restrictions. Since you are local you may not know the answer, but… Read more »
Hi Louise, not a random question at all. As far as I know, there aren’t any size restrictions for those facilities (can’t find any form documentation on this, but they are trailers and I’ve seen people check luggage). Lines can be fairly long for bag check facilities so just be prepared… PJ
This article was unbelievably helpful for a newbie like me. Thank you VERY much!
Elsie, thanks so much for letting me know – really appreciate it! P.J.
Thanks for all this great info! For an out of Towner, do you think it’s necessary/preferred to work with a tour company that packages tickets/hotel/transfers? Pretty pricey. This is for a 50-something couple that’s well-traveled but not super familiar with NYC. Looking at staying at Intercontinental Barclay. Last 3 days of tournament. loge tix, row M. Too far away? Thanks so much!!!
Nicki
Hey Nicki! There’s a lot too be said for package deals: no need for any planning, no surprises, you meet fellow fans to share the experience with, and some have other perks with intangible value. The question is: is the premium worth it to you — the answer to which can vary significantly depending on your priorities and adventurousness. If you’re seasoned travelers, you have no doubt experienced the rewards of planning and discovering on your own (as well as the pitfalls when things don’t turn out as you expect). For the US Open, I would take a look at… Read more »
Thank you again for all your work.
I currently have tickets to: Round of 16 Men’s/Women’s, Monday Sep 3, 2018 @ 11:00 AM at Grandstand Stadium. May I ask — how many hours of tennis is that and what time can I expect it to be over?
I’m trying to figure if I should be shopping for Ashe Stadium Monday evening tickets or if I should try to find Sunday evening Ashe tickets in case there is some overlap.
Thank you!
Hey Jason, you’re so welcome, thanks. Grandstand matches that Monday will probably go until at least 6pm but could go later if matches are particularly competitive and depending on weather. Last year, Delpo and Thiem played Monday on Grandstand and that was a 5-setter that went on until around 830pm if memory serves (I was on Ashe and could hear the crowd roaring). However that was pretty rare… I think getting an evening Ashe ticket if you can would be a great addition: it’s round of 16, so there will be some great player on Ashe that evening for sure.… Read more »
Hi PJ!
If I was looking for a set of three tickets for Sunday or Monday PM tickets for Ashe (Labor Day Weekend), would you recommend buying sooner rather than later? It would be good to sit together and I know odd numbers (3 tickets especially) may be hard to come by in later months. As of late June and early July, I’m seeing sets of 3 in the $650-850 each range but that seems really high based on your comments/observations.
Thank you!
Hey Jason! You actually never know about availability – I have been able to find 1 ticket for myself on several occasions as we got closer (keep in mind from the resellers’ perspective, they would rather sell one than neither so may remove the condition of needing to sell a pair together if the tickets aren’t being sold). Are you looking for Loge? If so, no way should you pay anywhere near that range for those tickets. You should be able to get courtside seats for $650 for both those nights if you’re patient. When you search, try also searching… Read more »
apologies for being unclear, i actually was referring to courtside seats near baseline — row D-ish. my goal was to get under 550-600 each but perhaps that’s too low to be realistic. thanks!
Hey Jason, that is absolutely realistic – especially for Monday (Labor Day) night, which tends to be a bit cheaper on average than Sunday because so many tourists leave town Monday afternoon. But you’ll have to do the hard work of continuing to monitor throughout July and even potentially August and be ready to act on a good deal when you see one. Keep checking all the sites I mention above, because some sellers only post on one. The worst that will happen is that you’ll have to settle for Loge seats if no good deals emerge (there will be… Read more »
I just picked up a couple of tickets from stubhub and the ‘delivery by’ date is Aug 27th via UPS! That won’t work! 🙁
Any insight here or do I just refund?
Hey TJ, are you concerned you won’t be around to receive, or that it’s too close to the match date? If the latter, know that the deliver-by dates are usually very conservative and sellers usually send sooner. PJ
We are traveling and will be out of town so if the tickets ship by then we will not be around to receive them. Is there anyway to contact the sellers on StubHub? I haven’t found any method thus far 🙁
The only other option I could consider is shipping the tickets to the hotel(s) we are staying at while in the NYC area.
Hey TJ, aha, got it. I don’t believe StubHub (or any other) would contact the seller on your behalf… Worth an email to Customer Service to ask, but they have the following language on their site: Important: We’re not able to ask sellers to deliver tickets sooner than the date in your order details. As your expected delivery date approaches, there’s no need to contact us – we monitor all orders to guarantee delivery no later than end of day on the date shown in your account. If it were me, I’d probably change the delivery address to the hotel,… Read more »
Thanks PJ! Appreciate all your insight, help and responsiveness here!
Hey TJ, you’re so welcome – thanks for your thanks! PJ
Thanks so much for all this wonderful and helpful information! First time going to the US Open and couldn’t be more excited. Just wanted to say thanks again and wanted to let people know that Stubhub is having a 10% off sale (use coupon code MEMORIES10) that ends tonight (6/29) in case they haven’t seen it so can make for some good discounts on tickets. I just got Session 1 (8/27 11 AM) Armstrong Courstide 15, Row E for around $207 each. Seemed like a good deal having looked for a bit – can you confirm if that’s a decent… Read more »
Hey Nik, thanks so much and thanks for this tip! And yes absolutely that Armstrong seat is a very good deal. There are less expensive seats available in higher rows for that session, but in row E opposite umpire you’ll be very happy. P.J.
Great info, thanks. I plan on taking my 16 year old (big tennis fan) son for his b-day. We both prefer singles matches, and I am coming from the north. A few things: 1) this is a first for me and I am nervous about the travel. Sounds like driving is not a great option, or Uber. What about Metro North? 2) I can afford about $150 TOPS per ticket and obviously hope to get best match possible and best experience I can for my son. Suggestions on best way/place to get tickets, which arena to aim for, etc?
Hi Tara, if you’re coming from outside the city just for the event and not staying overnight in the city or nearby, driving is probably your best option. Check out all the options here. For that budget, I would consider taking your son to the Ashe Stadium Evening session on either opening night (Monday Aug 27) or the second night (Tues Aug 28)– whichever night you can get a better seat for $150 or less in the LOGE section. This is during 1st round of play, so matches may not be very competitive – however you’ll be sure to see… Read more »
P.J., finally after a real nightmare because Ticketmaster webpage is really complicated when buying tickets from outside USA, I was able today to buy ours. I found the same row & seats for Aug 31 morning & Sept 01 night @ Arthur Ashe . $ 235 plus fees for day session and $ 215 plus fees for the night session, just 100 dlls above my original budget for our party of 4. They are @ Sec 104, row H. Tickets will be ready after 7 pm on Aug 24, as it says on the e-mail I got. I hope so.… Read more »
Hey Sergio, I’m so glad to hear it — but sorry to hear it was such a hassle buying from outside the US :(. Those are great seats and I’m excited to hear how your experience is! Look forward to staying in touch. P.J.
Hi Pj! Like you, I am a HUGE tennisaholic. With that said, I am also a HUGE Serena Williams fan. One thing on my bucket list, is to see her play. I don’t care if it’s in a park (ha), practicing, or during a match. I just want to see her play live. I am planning on going to the US open this year. I would like to catch her during the early rounds. How do you think I should go about this to make sure I see her play? Will she for sure play round 1, does everyone? Please… Read more »
Hi Candace! Great to be in touch with another tennis fanatic ? Most of my advice on that is in FAQ #1 above. I also think checking the practice schedule on the app during the few days during qualifiers (ie. starting around August 23) the day before or morning of would be smart – she may well be practicing those few days before the tourney opens (there are many big names practicing Sunday Aug 26) and admission to the grounds is free then. Yes, everyone plays during round 1, so as long as she’s healthy she would definitely play on… Read more »
Hi, Thank you so much for this amazing blog, it really helped when it came down to booking tickets for my first US Open! I’m coming from the UK with my boyfriend who is a tennis coach, so ideally we’de like to see as much tennis as can. I managed to get Arthur Ashe reserved seating tickets for the day session on the Mens/Womens first round on day 2, from reading the blog, I am under the impression that with the tickets I have bought, I can stay on the grounds for the night sessions too…please correct me if I’m… Read more »
Hi Jade, wow US Open and Hamilton – that’s fantastic! (Hamilton is absolutely as amazing as everyone says it is). Yes indeed, once you’re “in” the grounds you’re in. After the Day session in Ashe ends, you simply can’t re-enter Ashe for the Night session – but you can go to literally any other stadium on the grounds for non-reserved seating on first-come basis. And that early in the tournament there will be plenty to see on the outer courts! P.J.
Hi P.J. Thank you for this informative, detailed post! I am so grateful I stumbled across this while google searching about the US Open… you really break it down and honestly would’ve wasted a lot of time and money if I haven’t had read this prior to looking at ticket prices. This will be mine and my boyfriend’s first time going… We’ll be in New York during the second week of the Open and will most likely go 9/4 and 9/5… Since the schedule won’t be out until August and prices will most likely increase once the schedule is posted,… Read more »
Hi Char, thanks so much! A few thoughts: 1) There’s no ironclad rule about resale ticket prices going up or down as we get closer – they can skyrocket if a marquee player (especially Federer) is scheduled (or predicted to be scheduled) or plummet if a lackluster lineup is announced. Last year, when it became clear after the draw that Federer and Nadal would play on the same day throughout, QF prices on average went down a week earlier for the QF day everyone knew there was no chance they’d play (Tues QF) and went very high for the other… Read more »
Hi PJ, Thank you so much for all of your guidance on this blog. I have a milestone birthday in October and my son is turning 18 so we are going to the US Open 2018! I purchased the pre-holiday weekend package with four matches at Ashe ranging from Wed night-Friday day sessions. Our seats at Ashe are nosebleed and $205 each for all four matches, but we are hoping we can move up once we get there. I am interested to hear your thoughts on “first come- first serve” for Louis Armstrong, Grandstand, etc… What is the best strategy… Read more »
Hi Louise, my pleasure – and what a great gift for your son! He’s going to be so excited. You should be able to sneak up to empty seats within your section in Promenade during those days (although not into Loge) – just be prepared to move on a dime if folks come to claim their seats. Thursday should be a bit easier thank Friday to access general admission seating in Armstrong and Grandstand (and Friday will be easier than Sat-Mon). Timing of when to try to line up and grab seats depends a lot on who is scheduled to… Read more »
Thanks so much PJ. This is all great advice. Another random question…we are flying into LGA and it looks like it is a 5 min bus ride to the tennis center from the airport. I am trying to figure out if there are any guidelines about the storage facilities at the East and South gates? We will likely have carry-ons but am interested if there size restrictions, etc.. as I certainly do not want to get stuck. Of course we will be aware of all of the obvious restrictions. Since you are local you may not know the answer, but… Read more »
P.J.,
I want to see matches at Armstrong during the first week before Labour Day weekend. Do you advise I buy a reserved seat at Armstrong (around $300), or should I just buy a cheap Ashe seat (around $50), and just sit in the upper level General Admission section at Armstrong?
I am a first-timer so I’m trying to pick your brain for ideas. I read on your blog above that the crowds are not that bad during the first week.
Thanks!
Hey Tom, depends on your budget and priorities… You will almost certainly be able to access Armstrong GA seats without too long a wait Mon-Thurs that first week; and the benefits of cheap Promenade Ashe seat are that you save money, can enter Ashe if a famous player you love is playing (albeit sitting far away), and you have rain insurance. The benefits of a courtside reserved seat in Armstrong are that you will be much closer to great players than you would be than even an Ashe lower Loge seat, you won’t have to wait in a line to… Read more »
It appears that prices have already come down in Armstrong off of the face value ticket. I am very surprised. Do you suspect why this is? For example, I am looking at Round of 16 play on Labour Day (11am) session at Armstrong. All remaining face value tickets are $300 or $320. Meanwhile, resale tickets on Ticketmaster can be found in comparable seating locations for $225-250. I am very surprised to see this as the prices at Ashe have the opposite effect. There are no courtside or Loge tickets at Ashe available so everything is resale (excluding Promenade) and those… Read more »
Hi Tom, a few things: 1) The resale price displayed usually doesn’t include fees. When you add them in, they may end up being the same or more than the price of the face-value ticket. 2) Many resellers (mainly subscribers who purchased seats for the entire tournament) are simply trying to cover the actual cost they paid for a ticket, not trying to make a profit. If their tickets remain unsold for a while, some get nervous and lower prices. In this particular case, where resellers see that face-value tickets are still available, they realize they can’t charge more for… Read more »
Hi P.J. First off, thank you for this awesome post! I’ve learned so much from your work, and would have been utterly lost without it. Anyway, I’m planning to buy tickets for my boyfriend’s birthday (he planted the passion for tennis in me and it’s always been a dream of his to go to the Open). We’re planning to be in New York over the holiday weekend (Aug 31 – Sept 3) and I wanted to buy day and night session tickets to Arthur Ashe for Saturday (9/1). So far I’ve found that the night session at Ashe is WAY… Read more »
Hi Otyllia, thank you very much for the very kind words! It always makes me nervous to recommend whether people buy or don’t buy specific tickets, because it really is all speculative — but the night session $204 ones are definitely in the ballpark for a very good deal. Probably quite unlikely you’ll find anything in Loge much cheaper in months ahead, however you might find something comparable in lower rows as time goes on. Also check 114 J on the Exchange. For Day session, I remember paying about that price last year myself for that particular session, but managed… Read more »
Hello PJ, This is are first trip to the Open and we really appreciate your blog. We are also serious tennis fans and players both kid played on Tennis teams in high school and our daughter is still playing in College. So this is going a family trip to take the most and the best tennis in a very short time. As we are arriving late Friday August 31st and leaving Tuesday Sep 4th what sessions would you recommend to get the most for our limited time on Sat Sep 1, Sunday Sep 2, and Labor day Sep 3….Thanks again… Read more »
Hey Marc, thank you very much! Can you give me a sense of what your budget is and how many of you need tickets? P.J.
As first timers who have no clue about prices for this event its been a bit hard to pick a price range….we will have a party of four. We want to get the most out of our experience. Our kids are now both over 18 and have been hearing us say next year we are going to US open for at least 10 years. So the price is not as important as the family getting to go. Watching the top players from the nose bleed seats on the big screen. (is not an option) So I understand it will cost… Read more »
Hey Marc, so I’ve thought about this from perspective of a dream itinerary for myself, and considering a large but not unlimited budget… Below is probably how I’d approach it. I actually would start by making Ashe Courtside Mon evening a priority – but only if you can find tickets under $600 a piece, which will require waiting. Right now, very few folks have their tickets listed for resale and average ticket prices are really high for that evening (when typically prices are lower than Sat and Sun of the same weekend). More will definitely get listed throughout the summer,… Read more »
Hi, P.J.,
This post, and your blog, is very helpful to me, as well.
Just a follow-up question: is there a reason you’re recommending Armstrong matches over Grandstand matches? Is it because there will be more marquee match-ups at Armstrong or solely for the purpose of “rain insurance”?
Thanks!
Hey Tom, great question – I should have expanded on that in my initial response. It was a bit of both. I absolutely love the New Grandstand, which combines intimacy with electricity. Last year, anyone who had tickets during Sunday round of 16 saw Delpo v Thiem in an epic duel that went 5 sets and sounded like a World Cup match (I was in Ashe that night in courtside seats watching Federer and wished I could have been in both places at once). However, I think that Delpo/Thiem match got scheduled on Grandstand last year because it was much,… Read more »
Any idea the timeframe when LIRR begins selling tickets/opens up schedule for trains to the Open? Currently showing no availability. Thank you for such comprehensive info! Going to the quarterfinals on 9/4 7pm Arthur Ashe. 1st time, Beyond excited!
Hey Kimberly, you’re most welcome! They run a special schedule for the Open and usually post that about 1 week prior. I’ll keep checking and add the link when they do. PJ
I had written a novel of a comment last night but my phone froze right when I hit submit so I don’t it went through. So, I’ll try again☺ You weren’t kidding about it being a gamble to buy a match ticket! I think that this will end up being a “live and learn” experience and I will definitely plan better if I ever do it again, lol. I had decided to do a crazy whirlwind weekend to NYC, partly for a church convention but then thought it would be fun to go to the US Open too. The only… Read more »
Hey LaDonna, so sorry about that! It’s happened to me so many times after writing long responses too – I feel your pain 🙂 Section 105 row D is a great seat – and that is a great night to go to the Open! I will be there that night too for sure, it’s one of my favorite times to go. I’ve certainly had my share of experiences over the years of pressing “buy” either too early (because a better deal came later) or too late (when a better deal never showed up). Buying tickets is always a speculative affair,… Read more »
Patience paid off and I found a courtside (section 46) for $550 today! I’ve been checking daily and that was the first time I’ve seen one that low. I put my other ticket up for sale, placing it higher than I think it will sell for but would allow for just a little below being able to break even on it. I will probably keep it there until the draw is announced to see if I will need to further lower the price in order to sell. So far, this has been an adventure and it’s still 2 months out,… Read more »
LaDonna, so happy to hear it. You will be absolutely thrilled when you sit courtside. It truly is one of my favorite things to do – and while outrageously expensive it is something I am willing to make other sacrifices to make happen. And 46 is a great section. Get there early, check out the really good food options on courtside level, get yourself a great drink(s), and enjoy every minute! PJ
Great blog, thank you!!
Thanks so much Teri, much appreciated! P.J.
Fantastic Post! Couldn’t find a better place to get all this info. I do have a question. I’m an American Express Member and I’m getting Loge Section 123/122 for $125 (Row L). Is that a good price or do you suggest I wait?
Hi Abhi, thank you! Yes indeed. Not sure which session you’re looking at (assume during first few days based on the price), but that is a standard ticket (non-resale) price – and standard seats in Loge are hard to come by, so it’s always advisable to get them when they are available unless you want to try to sit in lower rows. I rarely see resale tickets in Loge go for less than face value. Additional ones sometimes get released (at random times) throughout the summer, but usually in the upper 1/3 of Loge. That’s also a pretty good section… Read more »
Hi P.J.. Sorry, I was looking at First Day night session at Arthur Ashe stadium.
Got it! So yes, good deal for that session. You may want to consider paying an extra $50-75 per ticket to try to move closer down in loge with a resale seat… But that is definitely a good deal. P.J.
Awesome! Thank you!
P.J., here I am again. I already bought flight tickets and booked & paid the hotel (The Roosevelt), it seems to be very close to Grand Central, and I guess we can departure from there and also be back there. I have been checking the Ticketmaster webpage since a week (June 11), and trying to be patient as your advise recommends, but only found RESALE tickets available, and some of them are even increasing their price. I am looking for 4 tickets for AUG 31 day session @ Arthur Ashe (your advise), as well as 4 tickets for Sept 01… Read more »
Hey Sergio! So $212 plus fees for good Loge seats for that session 8/31 is, indeed, a good deal. It’s always hard to predict exactly what will happen with ticket prices, and I hesitate to make firm recommendations. But I do think there will be other good deals that pop up like it and, yes, you should keep practicing patience. Having been through this 10+ years, June is still really early. So many more people will want to put their tickets on the market, and if you keep watching you’ll almost certainly find other tickets where sellers price them lower… Read more »
Hi PJ Just a quick question..I am looking on ticketmaster exchange for Tues 28/8 Ashe stadium, day session, at sec 336 row B and its $106 per ticket. These tickets are not on the normal ticketmaster website. It also says e-ticket (is that a “physical ticket” which gets emailed to you?) and there are no seats showing, has –, and also says “Available – Email Within 3 Business Days!” This seems like a good price for row B. Would it be okay that its not showing actual seat numbers and would the tickets be emailed to me or would I… Read more »
Hey Roseanne, yes – as long as it’s on the Exchange then it has been “verified” as legit. It just means the seller may not be able to deliver it electronically right away – they may not have the ticket yet to transfer, but do have ownership (there should be a promised “delivery by” date). You will receive an email from the seller by that date, and that should include a link that enables you to claim ownership and access in your Ticketmaster account. Note: In that Row it doesn’t matter at all which actual seat # it is –… Read more »
Hi,
We want to go to US Open on 1 & 2 Sept. Can one purchase tickets at the stadium, or is this a risk?
Many Thanks
Rudi
Hi Rudi, I wouldn’t advise it especially for those dates (or any dates during Sat-Mon Labor Day weekend). The best reason for people to use the box office is to try to upgrade seats — you can bring your ticket and see if anything better is available, and if so you can upgrade and pay the difference in price. If purchasing a new ticket, the main benefit is to avoid any service fees whatsoever– however this only applies IF there are standard tickets available for the session in question, and there’s a strong risk there will not be any of… Read more »
Hi,
Please advise which sections on the Upper Promenade will have better view to watch the match. I am tight on budget so requesting your help.
Thanks,
Praba
Hi Praba, literally any section in Promenade is fine because it’s so high up. If you sit on the side, you don’t need to worry about moving your head side to side to follow the ball, just your eyes. My main rec for Promenade: get the lowest row you can afford in ANY section. And see my shade map for sections to try to avoid if you’re going to a day match (mainly avoid the east side — although now that Ashe has a roof, upper promenade is almost entirely shaded all around the stadium, so really not a big… Read more »
Hey PJ,
Im looking for tickets for 3 people and i dont understand why when im looking for 3 i have just a few options in the stadium, many less than when Im looking for 2 people!!
Do you have any recommendation??
Many thanks!
Hi Juan, yes, it can be frustrating looking for odd numbers… Most people tend to buy (or subscribe for tickets) in pairs or even numbers, so when they sell they often want to sell as a pair. If you’re not doing it already, I would just suggest putting in “3” under the quantity of tickets in the search areas of any ticket site you’re looking at so that it only displays those options that are actually available. Wish I could help more! P.J.
Hello P.J I love your post!! Simply the best!! Im from Perú and i am big fan of Federer! Im gonna cry if i see him! hahah I only have two questions: 1. I plan to buy Artur Ashe tickets for the two nights of Round of 16 , iam praying that they put Federer in one or another night …what do you think of my strategy? or What do you recommend ? Maybe better purchase session day and night in the same day? 2. From the corners seats still look good? Like 123 or 124? I’d really appreciate the… Read more »
Hola Stephanie, muchísimas gracias por las palabras tan amables. Yo también soy gran aficionado del Fed – y, de hecho, yo lloré cuando lo vi por primera vez en vivo al US Open (en serio)! So there really is no way to predict yet whether Fed would play on Sun or Mon of Round of 16 until the first day’s schedule is announced; and there’s no way one can ever predict whether he would play day or evening session. You would have just about the same odds of seeing him (50-50) if you bought two consecutive evening sessions on Sun… Read more »
Hi! This is a wonderful site, thank you for all that you do. I just nabbed some very close courtside seats for Grandstand (section 18, row c) on Sept 3rd and they were priced suspiciously low. I just realized they are in front of the photographer dugout. Do you know if this means the view is somewhat obstructed? Either way, I’ll keep them since it’ll be my first trip and I’m taking my dad who has never been before and we are making the trip from Houston, TX. I could not have planned this trip without your information, Thank you… Read more »
Hey Jason, thank you so much, really appreciate it! If it were me, I’d be super stoked about those front-row seats. They are on the opposite side of the umpire chair (so no obstruction) and as a player I love being that close up. But I’m also a bit weird that way, in that I’d trade having to follow the ball for the opportunity to be up close and watch players — sometimes even for an entire point, without even following the ball. That said, there’s no question that if you’re treating your dad and you want the safest bet… Read more »