How to Get US Open Tennis Tickets: Prices, Free Days & Buying Guide

The 2026 US Open runs a record 22 days at Flushing Meadows, and ticket prices vary enormously depending on the venue, the session, and how close to the date you're buying. Here's how the pricing actually breaks down, the free way in most people overlook, and how to avoid getting burned on resale.

Key Dates

The tournament runs from Sunday, August 23 through Sunday, September 13, 2026, split into Fan Week (Aug 23-29, qualifying and open practice) and the main draw (Aug 30 - Sep 13). The women's final is Saturday, September 12, and the men's final is Sunday, September 13. Official ticket sales followed the usual pattern for a Grand Slam: an American Express cardholder presale in late May, followed by general public on-sale on Ticketmaster. Both have already passed for 2026, so if you haven't bought yet, resale is now your main route in.

Ticket Prices by Venue

Pricing at the US Open is set per session rather than as a flat rate, and varies by day and how far a match is into the tournament. As a baseline, official starting prices by venue look like this:

Note that starting prices for early-round sessions can range noticeably depending on the source and specific day, with some reports citing entry prices as high as $115-$366 for premium early sessions. Treat the numbers above as a floor, not a guarantee; marquee night sessions and the final weekend cost significantly more, and resale prices climb further as sessions approach sellout.

The Free Way In: Fan Week

This is the detail most ticket guides skip. Grounds admission is completely free for all seven days of Fan Week, August 23-29. That covers the singles and mixed doubles qualifying tournament, Arthur Ashe Kids' Day, and open practice sessions where players train on outer courts. It's real competitive tennis, just without the big-name main draw matches, and with far smaller crowds than the main event. If budget is the priority, this is genuinely the best value at the entire tournament.

Reserved Seating vs. Grounds Pass

• Arthur Ashe Stadium — the main stadium, reserved seating required, hosts the top matches and has a retractable roof.
• Louis Armstrong Stadium — smaller than Ashe but still hosts high-profile matches, with a mix of reserved and general seating.
• Grandstand — mid-sized venue, reserved and general seating.
• Grounds Pass — access to every outer court, no reserved seat, first-come-first-served. In the first week, this is generally considered the best value ticket at the tournament.

Buying Resale Safely

With most official inventory gone, resale is where most late buyers end up. Tickets bought through Ticketmaster's Verified Resale, or established platforms like StubHub and Vivid Seats, come with buyer guarantees covering invalid or undelivered tickets. Tickets bought privately through social media marketplaces carry no such protection, and that's where most tennis ticket scams happen. Compare the same seat across two or three platforms before buying; prices for identical seats can vary noticeably between resale sites.

Getting There & Parking

The number 7 subway line runs directly to Mets-Willets Point station next to the tennis center, and the Long Island Rail Road also serves the area with special US Open schedules from Penn Station and Grand Central. If you're driving, limited parking is available at nearby Citi Field lots, typically running $30-40 per day, with heavy traffic common around night sessions.

Who's In the Draw

Carlos Alcaraz enters as defending men's champion after beating Jannik Sinner in an epic 2025 final; the two remain one of tennis's biggest current rivalries following Sinner's Wimbledon title defense in July 2026. On the women's side, Aryna Sabalenka defends her title after beating Amanda Anisimova in last year's final, with Coco Gauff, Iga Świątek, and 2026 Wimbledon champion Linda Nosková among the contenders expected to challenge for the title.

For what you're allowed to bring into the grounds, see our separate US Open bag policy guide, and if you can't make it to Flushing Meadows in person, check our guide on how to watch the US Open without cable.

Frequently Asked Questions