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NYC Pass Math

The cheapest NYC pass for couples is Go City Essentials — by $2 per person.

Empire State Building, MoMA, AMNH, and 9/11 Memorial cost $126 per person at the door, $252 for a couple. Go City Essentials covers the three priciest picks (ESB, 9/11 Memorial, MoMA) for $99, then you pay AMNH ($25) separately — totalling $124 per person, $248 for two, saving $4. CityPASS C3 costs $139 per person and CityPASS costs $192 because MoMA is not in either CityPASS pass.

TL;DR

Essentials wins at four attractions: $124 per person versus $126 individually — saving $4 as a couple. CityPASS costs $192 because MoMA is not in the pass. At six attractions, CityPASS C3 takes over at $196.

Adults 18+
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Children 3–17
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Students 13+ with ID
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Seniors 65+
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3days
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Essentials wins at four attractions — saving $2 per person, $4 for a couple

Empire State Building ($44), MoMA ($28), AMNH ($25), and 9/11 Memorial ($29) cost $126 per person at the door — $252 for a couple. Go City Essentials covers one observation deck plus two museums for $99: ESB ($44), 9/11 Memorial ($29), and MoMA ($28). You pay AMNH ($25) separately. Total: $124 per person, $248 for two — saving $4. CityPASS C3 also covers ESB, 9/11, and MoMA (leaving AMNH at $25 extra), but charges $114 for the pass instead of $99 — totalling $139. Go City Explorer's 4-pick pass costs $149. CityPASS costs $192. Essentials wins.

CityPASS costs $66 more than individual — MoMA is not in the pass

CityPASS ($164) includes ESB and AMNH as fixed attractions, plus three choice slots from Top of the Rock, 9/11 Memorial, Statue of Liberty, Circle Line, Intrepid, and Guggenheim. MoMA is not in CityPASS — it must be bought separately at $28. On this four-pick itinerary, CityPASS covers ESB, AMNH, and 9/11 Memorial (three of four picks, two slots wasted), then you pay $28 for MoMA: $164 + $28 = $192 per person — $66 more than buying all four at the door, $132 more for a couple.

Essentials keeps winning at five attractions — C3 takes over at six

Add EDGE Hudson Yards ($40) as a fifth pick: individual rises to $166, Essentials falls to $164, C3 rises to $167. Essentials still wins by $2 per person at five attractions. At six attractions (adding Top of the Rock at $38), individual rises to $204, Essentials covers ESB plus 9/11 and MoMA for $99 then pays EDGE, Top of the Rock, and AMNH at $103 extra — $202 total. CityPASS C3 covers ESB, EDGE, and Top of the Rock for $114, then pays AMNH, MoMA, and 9/11 for $82 extra — $196. C3 wins at six: $196 vs Essentials $202 vs individual $204.

§ FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Should couples buy the same pass or separate passes?
Each NYC attraction pass is priced per person. At four attractions on this preselect, both partners buy Essentials at $124 each — $248 total, saving $4 versus $252 individual. At six attractions, both buy CityPASS C3 at $196 each — $392 total. The calculator shows per-person cost; multiply by two for the couple total.
What is the cheapest NYC pass for couples on this itinerary?
Go City Essentials at $99 is the lowest pass fee. On this preselect (ESB, MoMA, AMNH, 9/11), Essentials covers ESB, 9/11 Memorial, and MoMA for $99, then you pay AMNH ($25) extra — $124 total per person. That beats individual tickets at $126 by $2 per person, $4 for a couple.
Why does CityPASS cost $192 on a four-attraction couple itinerary?
MoMA is not in CityPASS — it must be bought separately at $28. CityPASS ($164) covers ESB, AMNH, and 9/11 Memorial on this itinerary (three of four picks, two slots wasted), then adds $28 for MoMA: $192 per person — $66 more than buying all four at the door, $132 extra for a couple.