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.












Where is an easy to find place to meet my friend who is coming to join me at the matches?
Hi Ilene, the Octagon shop is one possibility – pretty easy for anyone to find and before the area of Ashe that can get really congested (see my map under Tip #1). Ideas from anyone else reading? P.J.
I had zero problems meeting at the bar on the South Plaza (the Big Plaza in front of Ashe) closest to court 11 (bar furthest East). There is another bar to the West closer to court 7.
I have a really high promenade seat for Ashe at 7 tonight, but where is the best place to watch on a big screen outside the stadium if I wanted to relax and have a snack? Thank you!
Hey Tisha, there are monitors all over the grounds – including right above the entrance… I’d probably just grab something to go from the food village then sit in the fountain area in front of Ashe (or on the small lawn across), or if you want to sit down longer you could go to Mojitos next to Ashe as there are several monitors there. Have fun! P.J.
PJ – I feel like I’ve won the lottery! Bought tickets a week or so ago to take my 13 year old daughter to NYC for our first Open experience over Labor Day. Got Ashe tickets for Sat. night and Sunday day. Just saw the Sat. schedule will give us Osaka/Coco AND Kyrgios! Thanks for all of the advice and suggestions here. It’s made the planning so much easier. Incoming from Oklahoma!
Hey Brad, that is awesome!! So great when it works out. That Osaka/Coco match is going to be incredible. And Kyrgios is amazing to see in person. And Sunday you’ll likely get Nole if he wins tonight (and stays healthy, fingers and all other body parts crossed). Have a great time!!! P.J.
So guys If Federer makes the QFs he would play in Tuesday or Wednesday ? And in day session or evening session?
Hi Jose, Fed would play Tues in QF if he advances (see my chart under FAQ #1). No way to know if Day or Night if Djokovic also advances (see my explanation for why under FAQ #1)… If Djokovic does not advance, then in all probability they would put Federer night. P.J.
Thank you P.J. Any update please let us know, I’m really trying to watch Federer this year
Would be happy to, Jose, but don’t anticipate having any more info before the TUes schedule is announced on Monday. And a heads-up: I will be at the Open myself with friends and family all day Monday and won’t be able to post or respond that day… So I would recommend planning to refresh the schedule page frequently on Monday and be prepared to pull the trigger on tickets immediately after it’s announced (if you decide to wait until then). P.J.
If FED is playing Tuesday USTA/TV network will want to schedule him at night not day. FED is a massively bigger draw than Novak.
It’s unlikely he will be night because Nishikori just lost… but we’ll never know
Hey Eddie, not sure I follow the logic — are you thinking because Fed facing either de Minaur or Dimitrov/Majchrzak winner wouldn’t be an attractive match to put on evening? I still think that it’s a 50/50 call if Djokovic makes QF, but otherwise they would almost certainly put Fed at night given his overwhelming popularity regardless of who he plays. PJ
I think Djokovic will play Medvedev & Daniil is red-hot lately. I can’t see how they don’t play at night if the matchup is happening. Ofc if one of them drops out that’s a different story
I like that logic! And if I were scheduling, that would be my call. There’s also the very real possibility that, somewhat cynically, they would schedule a Federer match during the Day session to create demand for tickets (that Day QF session is historically under-sold). But for anyone else reading, as long as Federer and Nole are both in the tournament for QF I’d caution against any sure bets as to who gets scheduled for which slot.
They can’t change when Labor Day falls and consequently when kids go back to school and adults to work so good luck with creating that Tuesday demand. Tuesday historically weak was given a death blow when they changed the men’s semis to Friday and the ripple effect on the earlier days.
I see big difference in prize Day $40 and night $125, do you think that’s mean something?
No – just a function of the fact that most tourists have left town, it’s no longer a holiday weekend, and tougher for people to take time off work. So there is always more demand for evening session. Which is why they tend to put the biggest names/ most popular players on at night (during quarterfinals only). Again, if Novak and Fed both remain through quarters, there is zero way of predicting with accuracy what they will do – we can only speculate. Eddie’s guess is Federer day in that scenario because Novak’s match would be more interesting, but guessing… Read more »
So I have tickets for QFs next Wednesday at Arthur Ashe for the day session. But due to my schedule lately I’m not sure I can make it and I’m hoping to sell them but I’m not familiar with that process so I was wondering where I could sell them? And how likely it is they will be sold?
Hi Usha, sorry to hear it. The best place to post is Ticket Exchange (see under Box #2 above) because that’s the official reseller and the most-visited site for those seeking tickets – but there are several others you could try as well including Stubhub (also under Box #2). Likelihood depends on so many factors – where your seats are, how much you list for, how matches are shaping up (in terms of who might play)… Evening QF sessions are easier to resell than Day sessions, and unfortunately some of the biggest names (Novak, Federer, and Serena) are all in… Read more »
Okay, thank you! So I had purchased my tickets on working advantage, a site for certain employees basically. And I went on Ticket Exchange to try seeking then but it asks for a barcode so I’m assuming I won’t get the barcode until the day right before the day my tickets are scheduled for? Because I do not see a barcode anywhere as of now.
Have you created a Ticketmaster account and accepted the tickets (and downloaded the Ticketmaster App)? They should display there with barcode by this point (under “My Events”). You will need that barcode for the Exchange. You could post on other resale platforms without it, with promise for e-delivery by a certain date – but most buyers will want instant transfer (as you can imagine, much more appealing to know there will be zero hassle…).
When I purchased tickets on Friday night for Tuesday day, the barcodes appeared in my Ticketmaster account as soon as I paid for them.
You should have received an email confirming your purchase.
Ticketmaster is the official ticket vendor so everything comes from them even if you purchased on WorkingAdvantage.com .
I suggest reading the email confirmation of your purchase carefully and seeing what it says about getting your tickets.
I just read over the confirmation email and it said I would get my tickets on 9/3, so the day before I have the tickets for. In that case, I would probably have to wait until then to sell them?
Hey Usha, there are several sites where you can post your tickets without a barcode and set the delivery option as “e-delivery promised by 9/3” yourself (wording differs on each site, but you’ll see an option along those lines). I don’t know if the Exchange allows that option this year – I’d check again there, and look at terms for other sites I list under Box 2.
Okay, got it. I’ll look through those options then. Thank you so much, this was very helpful!
Since I only have basic broadcast TV cable — no ESPN or ESPN2 — I have just signed up for SlingTV.
They are running a special for $15 for the first month after the free 7-day trial.
I am desperate to view the Osaka-Gauff match.
And I get the Gauff+McNally doubles match today
🙂
Great!
Hi PJ – Love your blog and read it every year! I am lucky enough to have a ticket to the President’s Suite at Ashe for the evening session on Labor Day. Does that ticket get me into the grounds during the day, or do I need to purchase a separate grounds pass or other ticket to get into the grounds prior to 6pm?
Hey Pam! OMG you are in for a serious TREAT. It’s such a special experience, both inside on the way to the actual suite, the dining option, and the box itself which doesn’t get any better in terms of viewing location (and you’ll definitely have some star power in the box that night). I believe Prez Suite tickets give early access at 4:00pm or 5:00pm if memory serves – it would be printed on the ticket they give you (I can’t confirm for sure). If you want to go earlier, I’m 99% sure you need a day ticket. FYI, to… Read more »
PS – I’ll be sitting courtside that evening in section 26… Maybe we can wave to each other 🙂
Hi PJ. Question on practice schedule. For today, the app is not showing Fed on a practice court before his noon match. Glitch in the app or is there something else we should know? THANKS!!
Hi Liz, because Federer’s match is on Ashe first today, he’ll be practicing on Ashe this morning – but that won’t be open to the public. He might still be on court as ticketholders start entering the stadium, but not sure… P.J.
Gotcha. Thanks for that insider info!! You (and this site) really are the best!
My pleasure – THANKS Liz!!
PJ – my son and I are huge Grigor Dimitrov fans, never been to US Open, yesterday was our first time and we followed your tips exactly! Your website is amazing! Daniel
Daniel, that makes me so happy to hear, thank you so much for taking time to let me know!! P.J.
Hey PJ, thanks for the tips. I am following US-Open closely online. One thing I noticed (to everyone). When I google US open, the search returns, at the top, this famous “live results” table, where the matches for the previous and next few days could be seen through tabs. When you hit the day that Cori Gauff will play, her match is never listed among others. At the time of this writing, all the women’s Saturday Round 3 matches are shown, except for Osaka-Gauff match up. This was the case for Gauff in Wimbledon as well. Does everyone also experience/notice… Read more »
Hey Burak, funny you should mention – last night I was in a car driving upstate in an area with bad internet during the Coco match… I was dying to watch but signal was too weak, and couldn’t even get the App to show live scores. I googled for the same reason and was so frustrated they didn’t list the match. Didn’t realize that’s been the case for other tournaments, which is really troubling. I know someone who works at Google and loves tennis – will let them know and see if they can do anything about it. P.J
I noticed the same thing for the first or second round Gauff match too!
It is so weird and disturbing. Working on it…!
Yes! I’ve had trouble with Coco as well, googling, and she’s the only player I’ve had trouble with (and I’ve tried them all). When I put ‘coco us open 2019’ in the search engine, her results don’t come up like ALL the others do. I was wondering if it was just something on my end, but it appears to be a larger problem. Strange!!
Thx for tip about noise in upper rows of west-side reserved seats in Armstrong… Would you say the GA west sections are also noisy? (I think I noticed the loudness even watching on TV!)
Hey Kevin, I actually haven’t been up there when it’s packed, but I don’t think it’s as bad – the main issue with the courtside level is that those seats are right next to the food concourse and under an overhang that amplifies all the noise… There’s an overhang in GA seats too, but no concourse right behind. Overall, the stadium is noisy because the constant “white noise” background (generator combined with chatter on concourse) make those in seats feel more permission to talk… and it creates a vicious cycle that just feeds on more chatter. But the only places… Read more »
Ohhh…I hope our seats are okay, we’re in section 5, just right where the overhang begins, about 2/3 way up. Maybe I’ll take my ear plugs so I can cut out the distraction of the noise. Will let you know how it works out!
Hopefully it’s a situation like when you see a movie that didn’t get good reviews and you see it and think, “that wasn’t bad at all!” It’s not that bad, I just feel like it really detracts from the sense of connection one CAN feel with players in other seats– and I actually think you’ll be in a row that’s just fine (you’ll probably notice a few rows back is when it’s more egregious). Eager to hear what you think! P.J.
What happens if novak retires 1-2hours before the match? Will be roger go play on night session?
Plus, Can I refund my ticket If somene calls retirement in the middle of the match?
Hey Daniel, in such a scenario they would likely move the scheduled night match on Armstrong to Ashe – Federer would have already played. No refunds in such that situation, or if there were a retirement in the middle of a match – just bad luck. (Last year I was bummed to have that happen to me during David Ferrer’s last match against Rafa in Ashe). P.J.
Hey PJ — are Osaka & Coco playing Saturday DAY match or Evening? What about Rafa? Can’t wait to attend! Thanks for your help
Osaka and Coco on are on Ashe in the evening; first match. Rafa is during the day and the second match.
Thanks. Still debating what to do. Wanted to see Osaka and Coco but don’t want to go for just the evening. Any ideas?
P.J. how early should we get to the venue on the day we have tickets? I know gates open at 9:30, but do people start to line up before that?
Hey Gigi, depends on your goal and which stadium you’re headed to… If you’re going to your reserved seats in Ashe (where matches begin at Noon), no need to get there so early. If headed to reserved seats in Armstrong or Grandstand (where matches start at 11am) and you want to see warm-ups and not miss a second, getting there at 10:15am should be more than enough time even during peak crowds. If you have Grounds Admission and want to score a GA seat in a stadium where you don’t have a reserved seat, then getting there at 8:30am or… Read more »
As for the side entrance into Ashe, would section 42 be part of that (aka worth the effort)?
Thank you!
Hey Tim, yes you can totally use that entrance. Super easy to use and find – just walk past Mojitos and look for the guards by the ramp… P.J.
Hey P.J.! Thanks again for this amazing blog! I know there’s no definite answer for this, but in your experience, could you please tell me what price would be considered a good deal for courtside tickets on Ashe? Maybe a range?
Hey Santosh, thanks for the very kind words! Depends entirely on the session… Which are you looking at? Lowest possible in earlier sessions during first week around $350… upper end of best courtside seats during men’s semis and finals, well over $5K. P.J.
I see! I’m actually planning to see Federer play his R16 match on Sunday (assuming he wins, of course). I’m assuming it’ll be scheduled for the evening session since he’ll now have 2 consecutive day sessions.
Hey Santosh, there’s a strong probability he’ll be on Sunday night if he wins, but just no certainty — they have been known to schedule players 3 consecutive days or nights in the past (but it’s unusual). P.J.
Hey P.J., yes, that’s true. So, I’m contemplating on whether to buy now (if I see a really good deal), or wait till the schedule is announced on Saturday. What would you call a good deal for courtside tickets to a Sunday evening session on Ashe? Thanks again for all your replies!
Hey Santosh, prices are through the roof for Sunday evening – tremendous speculation that Federer will be scheduled evening after two consecutive day matches. Anything under $1,200 at this point would seemingly be a good deal for courtside given the context (anything under $1K an exceptional one). It’s a tough situation: if you wait until they announce schedule Sat and turns out Federer is indeed scheduled evening as expected, prices will likely only go up; if you buy now, however, and they surprise us by putting him Day, prices for evening will likely go way down. P.J.
That’s the dilemma indeed! However, I just realized that we might have Djokovic vs Wawrinka play in R16 on Sunday too, and that definitely has a high chance of being a night session match! So I guess I’ll just wait for the schedule 🙂
Yes, I’m sorry it’s all such a guessing game! P.J.
Just to let you know how fast tickets change or sell out. Last night during Coco’s first set, I saw some standard (not resale) courtside seats for $450-600 dotted around. Ticketmaster was not being my friend and was arguing with me about my password and threatening to lock me out. Those seats increased or sold out so that by the time the third set started the cheapest courtsides were over $800. Then by end of match over $1000. I didn’t even look today when schedule was finally announced…but can only guess.
Hello P.J. Do you think Naomi vs. Coco will be at night on Ashe? Any way to tell now?
Hey Mei, I hesitate to speculate and steer you wrong… No way to know for sure due to reasons I outline in FAQ 1. But my gut: I can’t imagine them not putting it on Saturday night. P.J.
Thanks P.J. I went ahead and got tickets on Ashe for both sessions.
Sounds great, Mel – enjoy!!
If I am thinking of getting tix for Armstrong on monday day session, how many matches will I get to see?
Also, I notice there is not a night session for Armstrong on monday. Is that right?
Hi Keith, correct – no separate night session Mon for Armstrong. You’ll see 2 men’s R16 singles matches, 1 women’s R16 match, and 1 men’s doubles 3d round. See last year’s schedule for that particular day to get a sense of how it works. PJ
Thanks PJ. But when I look at that link you sent Armstrong has both a day and an evening session. 3 matches in the day session and 2 in the night session. But still I get your answer and I appreciate it.
Thanks for your great web page. Soooo useful!!
Hey Keith, so sorry I guess I copied and pasted the wrong date! But if you click on Day 8, you’ll see the Monday schedule that is illustrative of what to expect. Try this one. You can also click on any day from that link to compare. And thanks for your kind thanks! P.J>
Awesome. Thanks!!!
I am sorry if this is a dumb question… but at this point (late Sat night) can you tell who will be on Armstrong during the day session Monday? The USOpen site only has Sunday at this point. But I was wondering if you can deduce who will be the mostly likely players on Armstrong monday based on who won today, and who is more popular to likely be on Ashe… (no guarantees of course)…. thanks!!
Hi Keith, not dumb at all. We know today who will play whom on Monday, but not at what time or on which stadium. E.g, we know Nadal will play Cilic and Osaka will play Bencic, and those will definitely be on Ashe, but no idea whether Day or Night yet. See the Draws page, last 4 boxes for Men (bottom half of Draw) and top 4 boxes for women. Tomorrow’s Daly Schedule of Play will be out sometime this afternoon, usually around 2pm (sometimes earlier sometimes later). I have no clue what they’ll do for scheduling besides Rafa and… Read more »
So PJ, they pulled the ol’ switcheroo and put Roger on during day and Nole at night. I scrambled to get a day ticket, listed my night ticket and now seeing if I can ‘pay it forward’ to any SERENA fan who wants to get onto Ashe to see her play during the day session (she is on after Roger). SO – Any SERENA fans going tomorrow day, do you want my Ashe ticket once Roger is done? We would have to swap for whatever day ticket you have (even grounds pass) so that I can stay at the tournament… Read more »
Hey! Are you still looking to swap?
Hi Derrick !
just seeing your message now At 11:43. Hope you will see this. Not sure if pj has time to connect us and I don’t want to put my phone # or email here.
I don’t mind posting my Instagram handle. If you have IG message me at @nywalkabouts
If not let’s try to connect if pj has time to facilitate a swap of our contact info.
Thanks 🙂
Hey guys, I’ll connect you now…
Hi, Courtney,
Speaking as someone with 9 email addresses,
you may want to consider getting a throwaway email address for future occasions.
🙂
I wish I could have taken you up on your generous offer.
I have a few for different purposes but not for this. I woke never post any of my emails online thanx for the advice though!
Your two cats are adorable.
Hi P.J.! So Friday schedule is out and Federer got Day and Novak got night session. Does this mean there’s a high change Federer will get Night session on Sunday if he advances? It’s highly unlikely they would schedule him for 3 Day session in a row right?
Hey Eddie! Yes, I’d say it’s highly they’d put Fed Sun evening after two consecutive day sessions if he advances – but last year they put Serena three nights in a row, so there’s never certainty… But yes, high odds on evening Sun. PJ
Eddie, I took the gamble on what I thought the likely schedule would be (Roger for PM tomorrow), and I got burned today! I had bought a ticket already for tomorrow night, expecting (with some caution) that Roger would be scheduled and ….at 5:30 pm today, I was in for a surprise. I quickly got an AM ticket within minutes of the schedule going live, and so the prices hadn’t gone through the roof yet. But now having trouble getting rid of PM session. So LET THE BUYER BEWARE: if you gamble, be prepared to end up with tickets for… Read more »
Yeah with gambling you win and you lose. Sorry for your loss 🙁 I actually bought multiple tickets and am preparing to sell them once the schedule comes out
In my case I had ticket (low Ashe row C) for Saturday night up for sale for small profit and was going to remove the listing to keep as soon as schedule was announced to be sure that Coco and Naomi would be Ashe evening. I expected the schedule after 3, and more likely 4-5 as it’s been. But suddenly at 2:10pm, I get an email my ticket was sold! 🙁 and I didn’t see the email until sometime after 3 so I scramble to see what tickets are going for…luckily I found a Loge row B for a decent… Read more »
PJ, thank you very much for the great, informative page. I’ll be attending my first live sport event next week on Friday and Saturday so I’m very much excited. Some quick questions: 1. The water bottle you bring in, does it have to be empty or can be it filled? 2. Any particular food that stood out at the stadium? The men semi final day will have three matches for me to watch so I’ll have to eat at the stadium due to lack of time. Actually, how long are breaks between matches? 3. Rain shouldn’t affect Arthur Ash stadium,… Read more »
Hey Len, you’re very welcome! 1. I believe it needs to be empty (and clear and plastic), because I saw a bunch of confiscated Gatorades, Powerades, etc that were half-full on the table the other day. But I’m not sure. You can always just pour it out if need be. 2. I have tried (and really liked) from the following stands in Food Court: bowls from “Fieldtrip,” “Poke Yachty,” “Korilla BBQ,” and Farm2Fork… And the Lobster Roll from the Fish Shack (expensive at around $22 but really good). I usually grab and go or eat quickly — I love food,… Read more »
My clear bottle had filtered water from home.
And my mom’s was opaque also with filtered water from home.
Neither were confiscated.
Maybe we were lucky.
Super helpful confirmation, Linda, thank you!
Another data point: I have been multiple times in previous years with my unsealed plastic bottles filled with water or gatorade and had no problem. A few years ago, i had a metal bottle bc I didn’t realize the rule, and that wasn’t allowed in at all so have stuck with plastic since. This year, I have been on the grounds 3 times (Qual Day 5, Day 2, and Day 4) so far and had 2 plastic bottles in my bag each time – one was half filled with water that was frozen, and the other almost full with iced… Read more »
Super helpful, thank you!! I suspect it’s more that a small number of people got unlucky with overly zealous security personnel. And thanks so much for the kind words, means a lot from an Open veteran like yourself! P.J.
The water bottle can be full, but factory sealed.
Hi PJ – thank you for this awesome site – it is incredibly helpful!! I am taking my son on September 2nd to our first U.S. Open (and tennis match). We have reserved day seats at Louis Armstrong. We plan to get there early. I know you generally recommend stopping by some of the smaller courts, where you can get even closer to the action. But I assume we should watch all of the reserved day matches at LA. What do you suggest? Watch all of the featured games there and then stop by some of the other courts at… Read more »
Hey Ari, you’re most welcome! Monday Sep 2 is a great day to choose Armstrong. There will be Doubles matches (and one women’s singles match) on other courts that day, and depending on who’s playing you might want to check some out… But we should have a very exciting lineup on L.A. (2 men’s singles, 1 women’s singles, and 1 men’s doubles) so you will likely want to just stay (it’s all one session starting at 11am, no separate evening session) and perhaps check out some juniors matches finishing up afterwards that evening if still going on. Enjoy! P.J.
I am being picked up by a car service and have evening Ashe tickets. What time should I schedule the car?
Hi Bev, so tough to say. I personally would probably put in 12:15am pickup to start because sessions usually go until at least 1130 and then you aren’t rushed if it ends at a decent hour and are less likely to have to change the time if matches are especially competitive and go long. If it looks like it will run later I will get on the car service app or call around 11pm and tell them I’m delayed and need to move it back. P.J.
Hi PJ – thank you so much for all of this information, it has helped me immensely. I am surprising my Dad for his birthday with tickets to Day and Night sessions on Labor Day and do not know much about tennis or the event in general, so this has all been extremely helpful. If I could ask you one question – we decided we are going to buy reserved tickets for Louie Armstrong for the day session on Day 8 (Sep. 2nd). I have been watching Ticketmaster daily and there are still hundreds if not thousands of tickets available,… Read more »
Hey Matt, that’s awesome about your dad – good on you! He will be thrilled. To be honest, LA courtside is a little bit of a Wild West situation because it’s so big. Frustratingly so sometimes, as people come and go at the wrong times (Kyrgios the other night rightfully made a big fuss about it to the chair ump). So yes, always possible – with the caveat of course that you’re not supposed to, and if you do you should be ready to move on a dime if ticketholders show up. However, I would strongly recommend going for the… Read more »
Awesome, thank you! I am a huge hockey fan so I certainly understand the importance and courtesy to others of picking the right time to get up to leave your seat, just wasn’t sure how it worked in the tennis world, especially with so many face value seats still available to buy. My dad has said previously if he could choose, he’d like to sit directly behind the players for that vantage point as opposed to seats in the middle, so I am mainly looking at seats in sections 1, 18, 9, or 10 in LA. Any quick tips or… Read more »
Hey! It’s a great vantage point for sure. I’d go with 1 first, then 9, then 18, then 10. 1 probably gets most shade soonest and longest. The prices for the standard seats won’t drop, and hard to say on the resales – Mon is one of the highest-demand sessions for Armstrong, so always a gamble. Behind the server sections like those will be in highest demand, and those reselling will probably be able to command a premium. So if it were me in this case, I’d probably pull the trigger on standard seats now. But I always hesitate to… Read more »
Good points, I think I’ll do just that. Thanks again for all your help!
Sitting in the beautiful sun watching a great match. Medvedev vs. Dellien. Medvedev has a big game (tall!) but Dellien is putting together some great points with drop shots, lobs and volleys and it’s giving Medvedev some trouble as it seems he was always prepared to win on long groundstroke rallies. I wonder if Medvedev’s height is a bit of a disadvantage with speed covering the court. After this, I think I’ll head to watch the Rublev-Simon match or possibly try to catch Shapovalov. I have a reserved seat at Grandstand which is honestly not all that close but the… Read more »
Nice! (Just saw footage of Medvedev breaking his racquet…) Can’t go wrong with that next choice. Enjoy! I am having an impossible time getting any “real” work done right now and so envious of everyone out there today.
Medvedev started cramping and lost the third set. Still here watching the fourth ! I moved up to the second row! Reserved seats well worth it !
Phew I am so glad he won! I couldn’t bare watching him limping around 🙁
Hi! Amazing article, very helpful! Do you know if kids also need a grounds pass? Mine is 4 years old. TIA
Hi Gayatri, thank you! Yes, every child over 24 months needs a ticket. P.J.
PJ – Thanks as always for the great info!
A question – Do you know if it’s still ridiculously hot inside Ashe? We went last year to a night match when the roof was open and though it was cool and breezy on the grounds, it felt like a sauna inside the stadium (we were in Loge if that matters). No wind at all, just stale warm air that made us quite uncomfortably and sweaty. Would love to go again this year but a bit hesitant because of our experience last year.
Hey Jake, you’re most welcome! It totally depends on the night — not just a function of outside temperature, but also very importantly of wind and humidity levels. If there’s zero breeze and high humidity and outdoor temps are warm, you might find a situation like you had last year. I was there last night and it felt perfect (external temps in low 70s and no breeze). P.J.
Great, thanks! The temps at the beginning of this week were almost Autumn like, it must have been really nice to watch in those conditions. Think we’ll bite and try to go tonight!
Should be awesome. FYI just noticed some really good deals on courtside seats including some standard ones for tonight on TM… They’re last row, but there are always some empty seats you can try to move up to as the night advances. May be wildly out of your budget range, but some of the Loge prices are really high, so if the math adds up and isn’t financially reckless for you, something to consider. I was in seventh heaven last night watching Nole and Serena down there. P.J.
Even though Nadal is my favorite, Djokovic is possibly even more entertaining to watch up close. Dying that I can’t go to more matches since my vacation starts Friday!
Hi PJ…Thanks a lot for all your valuable inputs!! My 8 year old daughter & I had a blast last night watching Barty Vs Davis and Opelka Vs Koepfer. This is our first time and will be a summer family tradition for years to come. I wouldn’t have pulled it off without your website. Stopped by to say Thanks a ton!!!! you rock sir.
Cheers,
Chanakya
Chankaya, you are so kind to take the time to write this super nice note, thank you! I’m so glad it worked out!!! P.J.
Important update from my friend Jimmy: “Only Armstrong Courtside Reserved ticket holders are allowed on the lower Armstrong concourse (concessions and bathrooms). It is creating one hell of a bottleneck at the top of the Armstrong escalators/stairs to the lower Armstrong concourse.”
Darn, last year that lower Armstrong concourse was awesome if you didn’t have courtside reserved tickets. The concourse is super-low. I was looking forward to watching some matches from there (going tomorrow, Friday).
Yeah… The consolation is that there is an upper concourse level for GA. I get why they do it – noise levels are already so high due to that concourse area, and the courtside section is now so huge that if it’s heavily sold then would be really unfair to those who paid for seats.
Hi PJ, I wish I would have read your post before I purchased my tickets! So informative! Another first timer, I’m bringing my 6 yr old daughter all the way from Louisiana and we have some lower loge seats on Sunday day session. I know trying to guess when people play is impossible. If Federer and Djokovic win on Friday, will one of them most likely play during day session and the other most likely in the evening session? Also, once again I knows it’s impossible to say for sure, but it seems like I was reading that those scheduling… Read more »
Hey Stephen, thanks for your kind words – totally get the question! So yes, absolutely they would put Fed in one and Nole in the other – it’s guessing which will be which is the challenge. They TEND to alternate — so yes, more likely they will switch— but every year throw curve balls (examples in FAQ #1) so i hesitate to make confident predictions! PJ
Hey P.J., My Dad and I are attending the tournament on Monday 9/2 and Tuesday 9/3. So far we have 1 pair of tickets for the evening QF on Ashe, Section 101 row C, given to us by someone involved with the USTA. My understanding is that those seats are quite good, and certainly a jackpot to score for free, but still don’t give that intimate feeling that courtside does. Super excited about the potential of seeing Serena, Roger, Novak etc during that session! Our generous friend also told us to “text him when we arrive in nyc”, with the… Read more »
Hey Ray! Those Tues night QF seats are indeed a gift and will be really good! If Novak or Fed make it through, you will certainly see one or the the other that night and definitely Serena if she makes it. For Monday R16, Armstrong is a great choice indeed. Given the prospect of Nadal and Zverev making it through, I would venture to guess their matches will be placed on Ashe (100% on Nadal’s), and if Monfils and Nick make it through then their matches would be on Armstrong (now that Thiem is out). For me, yes, it’s insanely… Read more »
PJ, Your coverage of the US Open is just awesome! I was about to buy our two tickets yesterday when I stumbled on to your site. I have gone thru it twice – a cursory skim followed by a detailed read. I have learned so much. Thank you so very much. We reach NY this Sunday afternoon and leave for DC Tues afternoon. Our options are to buy a) Armstrong Day and Ashe Night on Monday, which means we have a chance of seeing Nadal or b) Monday – Armstrong Day and Sunday Night Ashe, which might net us Nadal,… Read more »
Hi Madhu, thank you!! So either of the two options you identified are excellent options. Your assessment is almost 100%: Sunday you would either see Federer or Djokovic in Ashe if they advance; Monday you could see Nadal— but only if you buy an Ashe ticket (they won’t put him on Armstrong). Sunday evening is a great bet, because you’d get either Fed or Nole – and less expensive than Sunday Day. Monday Armstrong you would get two Men’s Round of 16 matches, 1 women’s R16, and 1 Men’s 3D round Doubles – a great value and closer to players… Read more »
Thanks, PJ, for your detailed responses. You are amazing! If I may follow up: 1. I would like to buy three pairs of tickets – Sun night and Mon day and night, while my wife is not so keen on three. She is okay with two – the two Mon sessions. Besides Djokovic, Federer and Nadal, I forgot to mention Serena; if we get to see two of these four in action, we would consider us to be blessed. a) If my wife has her way and we are there just Monday for both sessions, how would you advise us… Read more »
Hi Madhu, you’re very welcome. 1. To be clear, if you go only on Monday, you will NOT have a chance of seeing Fed, Novak, or Serena — only Nadal (who will be on Ashe if he advances, but don’t know whether day or night). So if seeing the first three is a priority, you should consider Sunday. Federer will very likely be scheduled Sunday night if he wins tomorrow because he has now been scheduled 2 consecutive day sessions (but can’t stress enough: no certainties!). My advice really depends a lot on your budget and priorities. If seeing the… Read more »
Thanks, PJ, for the prompt and thorough response.
Sure thing, Madhu!
For people who don’t have AmEx cards, and want the radios, if they are going on multiple days, a lot of people leave their radios for recycling at the AmEx booths when they leave. Usually the booths aren’t staffed so just grab ’em. I took 3 the other night for some friends who don’t have AmEx cards and were coming to join me. And they turned them back in for recycling when they left.
Madhu, I have been to at least 2 late night sessions where they have officially announced that people could go down to the lower levels. I went from Promenade to first row courtside! There wasn’t much time left in the match by that point, but it was still pretty exciting!
Roy, that is awesome. Can you give a sense of which sessions and which players and what times that happened? I know it happens occasionally, but my sense is that it’s pretty rare (and as you say, usually very late). P.J.
I am pretty sure that one of them was a second week session with Federer! The last Open that I attended was 2016, so it was either that year or before. (The other was so long ago that I can’t remember.) I’ve been to about 8 US Opens with multiple evening sessions, so like you say, 2 out of 24 (?) night sessions is not a great percentage, but still… !
I so wish the Open had a system like Wimbledon that systematically enables people leaving great seats early to put them back into a pool such that others who would love the experience can benefit… Will keep pushing 🙂
Hi PJ, to piggy back further on Madhu’s question-
We have tickets to Labor Day Monday night Ashe tickets which sounds like we’ll get to see Nadal.
We arrive in NYC that Monday at noon and leave by bus Tuesday 4pm, so we’d like to pick either Monday or Tuesday for a day session (at Ashe?) for a chance to see Federer. He is our ultimate wanna-see person. Which of those two days do you think we have a shot at seeing him during the day, if any?
Thank you!
Hi Oyuku, Yes you have a good chance of seeing Nadal on Monday evening – but it really is a 50/50 chance for reasons I mention in FAQ #1 above. There is zero chance you would see Federer on Monday (see chart under FAQ #1 for which players would be scheduled for which days if they advance). For Tuesday, if Federer advances, you have a 50/50 shot of seeing Federer during the Day IF Djokovic also advances (because they would have a tough time choosing which player to put on night; chances are they would alternate from whichever pattern they… Read more »
It looks like we can change our bus ticket to one that leaves much later for only a few bucks. We’ll keep an eye out, and if it looks like Fed will play Tuesday Day session, we’ll make it work! Thank you so much for the tip. I’m counting on (fingers crossed) Djokovic to advance to at least the QF – he needs to come through for us 😀
Super! Tues QF Day session is a great deal relatively speaking, and always thrilling to be there for QF regardless of who is playing. Also have everything crossed for Nole – so worried about his shoulder. P.J.
I feel like they aren’t doing it as much as they used to. It tends to be after 11 pm, if not more around midnight (yes, I’ve been at Ashe until after 1am more than once :)!) I sometimes just went down and asked various ushers just to see which might let me in and took note of which gate (in case they worked there at other match). I’ve also just stood outside the courtside exit and asked people if they were leaving, could I have their ticket. Sometimes it works (and sometimes people are rude jerks!) — but you’ll… Read more »
Back in 2010 for my first US open ever – had two tickets to lower lodge level for women’s semifinals. This was preceded by men’s doubles finals. Most people will arrive on time for singles semis and they allowed people to sit at the court level. Watch the doubles final from right behind the server – first raw Courtside. It was pretty awesome. Have been going to the open every single year since then but that has only happened once or twice again, very late at night.
Ten days down and eleven to go !
Today sucked. A few outside matches finished ONE GAME ! About 9 hours until they called it. I can’t leave until they call it because I’m A SERIOUS FAN. I had to sit in Ashe and watch Roger. Ashe is extra horrible with the roof closed.
You should come out tomorrow. It will be action packed.
Yeah, bummer of a day, especially for players. I was actually here today and in Ashe tonight for a spectacular couple of matches. Was also here yesterday to catch Khachanov Pospisil and Shapo Felix (disappointing to see Felix never find his rhythm) then the Armstrong night matches. Glad you should have great weather in days ahead, forecast looks awesome. Have. A great time.
Thanks. It sounds like you had a great day Tuesday and made the best of yesterday. Tuesday was fun. That was a very bad loss for FAA and I don’t simply mean from the obvious score line. He’s made a huge jump up the rankings since last year when he came through the qualies. He is getting huge hype (e.g., New Yorker article). This was a rematch against a player he should not be dominated by. He has to at least make a match of it. It was just awful. I hope he can let it go but I have… Read more »
Yeah it was so tough to see him underperform. But that’s also tennis- there are just some days… And Shapo was just completely on. The two of them are such good friends and know each other’s games so well, and he’s so young… I was really impressed by how he handled his emotions during the match, and I’m hopeful too he bounces right back and learns a lot from the L.
P.J., thank you, thank you, thank you for this site! It was a huge help as I planned my trip to see Federer today. I splurged and got a courtside seat. Way beyond what I would pay to see any other player, but he is the GOAT after all, so I went for it. Two things I discovered: 1. The bag check outside the gates has lockers (and you take the key with you, which is reassuring if you have valuables). And 2., I went to the very far right line, which wasn’t even a line, at the East gate,… Read more »
Hey Jim, THANKS for your thanks and for the great reporting!! Much appreciated! PJ
Hi P.J. Thank you so much for providing such a wonderful guide. I’m from India and watching US open live was a dream for me from my Childhood. Finally I have a chance now. I’m coming from Boston on Sunday. I have booked a single seat for the 7pm match – Arthur Ashe Stadium. I’m planning to come back to Boston after the match. I have one question. I see, there will be both Women’s and Men’s singles match on the night. Which one will happen first? Is it always the Men’s match, then the Women’s? I know it is… Read more »
Hi Prasanna, thank you very much for your thanks! Yes there will be one of each. For the past two years, they have put the women’s match on first followed by the men’s – though the past isn’t always a reliable guide. Evening sessions tend to wrap up by midnight, but worst case scenario… well, you don’t want to know. If it’s a 3-setter for the women and a 5-setter for the men, it can go until 1:30am or later (albeit this is the exception). Many people often do leave early in such cases. The last LIRR train to Penn… Read more »
PJ! This is a weird situation that you might have an answer for. Grounds Admissions tickets for Thursday’s matches are currently around $70. Do you know if one were to show up around 3-4pm if the prices go down significantly at the gate? I’m specifically targeting the Monfils match in the afternoon on Court 17.
Thank you, your guide is an incredible asset to navigating the us open!
Hey Matt, thanks so much!! Not a weird question at all. Online sales usually close 1 hour after a session begins (though sometimes they keep open longer if many remain) –and some resale ticket prices may go down in price after session begins. The Box Office on site may sell you a Grounds Admission ticket that late, but would not lower the price. I personally would not risk it if I really wanted to see a specific match. P.J.
Hi P.J. Thanks for running your great website! Have you ever bought resell tickets after the games have started to save money? I wanted to buy some Armstrong seats for Thurs night but hesitated on the price. When I checked tonight’s (Wed night) match I noticed the prices have fallen a lot 30 minutes into the game. Thanks!
Hey Wendy, I totally have and it’s a great strategy for scenarios where it’s clear there will be plenty of tickets! PJ
Hey , I have courtside tickets tomorrow .. I also made a reservation at champions club for dinner .. will I be admitted for dinner ? They re not court side box .. thx
Hi Stephanie, Courtside is Courtside— there’s no “box” version that differentiates — so you will be fine! PJ
Hi P.J., First of all, thank you so much for providing this incredible guide. I became an accidental tennis fan just a few years ago and was totally overwhelmed by trying to figure out how the whole process worked, but you broke it down perfectly. This Sunday will be my first time attending a tennis match ever! Thanks to your guide, I narrowed my options down to lower loge seating in Ashe and pretty good seats in one of the smaller stadiums, based on my budget. Ultimately, I decided on Ashe. So here’s my question: I’m going to be attending… Read more »
Hey Eva, thank you!! With the caveat that I can only give you best guesses and I often get it wrong myself… in your case I would hold off. First, Federer could be eliminated on Friday (heresy, I know! But there is that possibility). Right now Sunday prices are sky high in part because Fed is still in. They will likely fall significantly if he is out (or if he’s scheduled for the evening session). So I would wait at least until he finishes his Friday match. If he wins, prices will probably hover around where they are, in which… Read more »
Thank you, P.J.! I should clarify that I was actually looking at the Ashe night session – I don’t know if that makes a difference? I would love to see Serena just as much as Roger, and the way I figured it was that if both of them make it to Sunday, it’s unlikely they’d both be in the day session, making night a better bet to see at least one. But if neither of them make it, I’d rather buy good seats to a smaller stadium in the day. My concern is that if I wait until Serena or… Read more »
Hey Eva, you’re so welcome! When I replied earlier this evening, I hadn’t had a chance to check the current situation for Sun tix for either day or night (was at the open about to enter Ashe…). I just did, and I’m frankly I don’t recall seeing such high average prices for Sunday round of 16 – ever. It’s a bit nuts, resembling costs of Men’s Semis— clearly the result of having Fed, Nole and Serena all in the halves that would play on that day. Just 7 days ago average prices were literally half what they are now. Normally… Read more »
Oh man, now wish I’d discovered this post and bought tickets 7 days ago. But no worries at all – in a way it just helps to know that there’s no way to know, even for someone like you who’s experienced in this. And please, no apologies for not answering a post when you had much more important things to do 🙂 Either way, it looks like for the moment the decision has been made for me…those $400-500 tickets are long gone, and $1,000+ is simply not something I can afford. So I guess I’ll wait for now and keep… Read more »
Eva, I am looking now (Friday evening) and there’s 129L for 500 (probably ~$580 with fees); there’s also the first row 336A for $388.
Just another data point: I was looking at last minute tix for tonight’s session — there were single tickets available in Loge and Courtside until after 8 PM.
Thanks Crystal!
Thanks, Crystal! It wouldn’t be as much of a problem if I could afford those courtside seats 😉 But you’ve actually given me an idea…although I don’t think I can wait ’til the last minute on Sunday night (because at that point, if I can’t afford what’s available, there’s no plan B – and right now there are only two single seats in the entire Loge section posted on the exchange), I am technically free on Friday night as well. While Friday isn’t ideal for me, if it could mean the difference between me seeing Serena or Roger and not… Read more »
Just noticed Nadal will play in the night session tomorrow (8/29), which follows yesterday’s night session. Now really concerned which sessions he will play on Sat and Mon(Labor day). I got a pair of tickets of day session on Monday, hopefully that’s a good guess since that’s much more expensive than the Mon night session.
Hey Felipe, yes this kind of thing happens every year… There is just no way to predict (see my FAQ #1). Fingers crossed!
Thanks PJ. Btw your post is super helpful! It’s just amazing!
THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!
Hi. Can a tablet be used for displaying tickets instead of a phone? My dad doesn’t have a smartphone, but he has an iPad!
Yes!
If I am looking to get a grounds pass, what day would be better, this Saturday or Sunday
Hi Stephen, probably Sat – more matches. PJ
Hi PJ, We have tickets for 7 PM Armstrong and just noticed that Coric is out and they replaced the game with R. Opelka (USA) vs. D. Koepfer (GER). I hope it will be a good game. I know you mentioned that Armstrong has a roof as well. So we shouldn’t be having any weather delays right ? Also is snack food allowed inside the stadium ? My 8 year old and I will hardly make it to the stadium by 7 PM. I just don’t want to miss any action. Will we be able to purchase food outside and… Read more »
Opelka is awesome and a great guy!
Yes on snack food and there are several options IN the stadium, very easy to take a break from your seats and grab.
Hi PJ – Weather question. If things get a bit behind today with the rain, so you think they will find a way to make that up so that the round of 16 happens as scheduled on Sun/Mon? What does your previous experience tell you? Nervous about it… Thanks.
Hi Elizabeth, based on forecast today (intermittent not constant) and clear skies rest of week, I am nearly certain they will be able to finish up any games tomorrow that aren’t finished or played today and be back completely on schedule by end of day tomorrow. Won’t affect R16. P.J.
Well the weather delay the release of tomorrow’s schedule?
Hi Carissa, yes absolutely. Ashe Day ticketholders will likely benefit with at least one extra match. Stay tuned…
Schedule is up for Ashe & Armstrong only.
Do you know why they didn’t add anyone on Ashe for either session during the rain? The day session ended with enough time to have at least a women’s match on, if not the men’s. I don’t think they added any to Armstrong either. Seemed strange to then just bulk them all up on Thursday then (but made my Thursday more fun!)
Hey Maura, don’t know – they have occasionally in the past… Perhaps thinking about fairness across the board to other players whose matches were delayed (and to be 100% sure things would stay on schedule in Ashe and Armstrong). It certainly did make Thurs more exciting for fans, though!
I have tickets for Friday’s day session. For parking, I understand that we’ll be directed to the Citi Field lot where parking will cost $25. Should I try to buy a lot pass instead? I just checked StubHub and the cheapest passes appear to be Lot F. Currently for session 9, I see a pass for $10. But… 1) Can I actually get a pass at this point? The delivery options are “pickup” and “UPS” which I assume means the pass is a physical pass and can’t be transferred electronically. 2) How much closer is the Citi Field lot versus… Read more »
I forgot the fees! After fees, that cheap pass is $17.55. Not sure it’s worth the hassle at that point.
Hey David, I’d just drive and pay there if I were you because no Mets game this Friday and parking at Citi should be (fingers crossed) fairly easy. PJ
Thanks, PJ! And thanks for putting together this amazing site! Our first time going and I feel much less stressed having all this information beforehand.
Sure thing, thank you for saying that!!
do they sell general admission tickets? How much?
Hi Ana, only for first 8 days of the tournament. Prices and availability differ by day. Available on Ticketmaster, both standard if available and resale. PJ
Hi! Great guide! First timer, but going with a seasoned attender. Curious about re-entry: can you leave (say, for lunch with a friend who lives elsewhere in Queens) and come back? Thanks!
Thanks! Yes, reentry allowed until 6pm, not after.
I’m looking for seats in the upper sections, would you recommend mid-court view (331, 311), or corner view?
Hey Marvin, strongly recommend lowest row possible in any section – it’s so high up anyway it really doesn’t matter. In light of maximum shade, aim for South, Southwest, or West seats. Avoid east-side seats in lower rows that may get a lot of sun. PJ
If i buy GA for 4th round (sep 1), can I get access to Louis Armstrong for all day?
Hi Hardik, GA tickets are only sold first 8 days of the tournament; and there won’t be anything on LA that day, just Grandstand. Only option for that day is an Ashe Day session ticket. Note: the following day (Thurs Sep 5) is free grounds admission beginning at 11am. This still hasn’t been advertised, but I got confirmation from USTA that it will indeed be free grounds admission that will include Doubles Semis on Armstrong. P.J.
Sunday September 1 will have 2 R16 Men’s matches, a woman’s R16 match and one doubles match.
So I can go with GA tickets for that day and what time would you suggest for reaching there? Gates open at 9.30?
Sorry not to be more clear: Sep 4 is the 10th day of the tournament and GA tickets are not sold that day. Your only option is an Ashe Day ticket. Gates will open at 9:30am. PJ
Hi P.J. I am planning on Sep 1 (Sunday).
Hardik, I am SO sorry – trying to juggle work today and responses and read your initial note too quickly! YES for Sep 1, you can access GA seating anywhere but Ashe that day. Just expect big crowds. PJ
Not a problem. What would be best time to reach there for getting better seats in LA. Also how is general access seating in LA?
Thanks for being so gracious 🙂 I’d definitely try to enter as close to 9:30 as you can. If you can stomach it, getting there by 8:30am to get in line at East Gate should probably be fine to get a really good seat, especially if you will be in the “no bag” line. Just can’t say with certainty, every year crowds get bigger and there are a lot of die-hards out there! Most GA seating in LA is very good, but it’s on a steep incline and I personally would not be happy about being in the upper seats.… Read more »
Hi PJ,
I’m looking at going to the Open this Sunday, and going with your advice to go the “better seats” route at Armstrong rather than nosebleeds in Ashe. I’m looking for tickets now, but I’m not seeing an option for Armstrong evening session for Sunday, do they just not have night matches on Sunday?
Thanks!
Hey Bogdan! Sunday/Mon Labor Day weekend Armstrong is a much better option than any other because there is no night session – so you get 2 men’s and 1 women’s round of 16 matches (plus 1 men’s doubles round 3 match) for the price of one. After being there again last night for several hours, stroonnnngly advise avoiding the top 1/3 of seats due to excessive noise levels (especially on the West side, where I would find anything about half-way up really annoying due to constant “white noise” sound from generator outside on that side combined with concourse-level chatter). Otherwise,… Read more »