--- title: "Empire State Building Tickets: Options and Price Ranges" date: 2026-10-28 canonical: https://ticketstopoftherock.com/top-of-the-rock-vs-empire-state-building/empire-state-building-tickets/ --- **Empire State Building tickets** are sold directly through the attraction's own site, typically split between a main observatory tier on the 86th floor and a higher tier that adds the enclosed 102nd floor deck. If you are comparing this against Top of the Rock, the ticket structure itself is one of the clearer differences between the two. Here is what I would actually do: decide first whether height and standing on the landmark itself matters more to you than having that landmark in your photo. If the photo matters more, [see Top of the Rock's own ticket prices](/) before you commit to the Empire State Building's tiers, since that is the comparison most readers are actually trying to make. ## What Ticket Tiers Does the Empire State Building Sell? The standard tier covers the 86th floor open-air observatory, the building's original and most visited viewing level. A higher tier adds access to the fully enclosed 102nd floor deck, which sits considerably higher and gives an even more expansive view, for an additional cost on top of the main ticket. My honest take is that most first-time visitors do not need the 102nd floor tier. The 86th floor already gives you the open-air experience and a genuinely commanding view, and the extra height on the 102nd floor is a marginal upgrade rather than a transformative one. ## How Much Do Empire State Building Tickets Cost? Pricing is set and updated directly by the attraction, and I would check its official site for the current figure rather than rely on a number that may already be out of date. Top of the Rock's own standard admission, for comparison, starts from $45.73 per person, checked on 2026-10-27, which gives you a known reference point while you weigh the two. I would not decide between the two attractions on price alone. Both sit in a broadly comparable range for their base tier, and the real decision driver is the view and experience each one gives you once you are up there. ## What's Included Beyond the View Itself? Empire State Building admission typically includes access to exhibits covering the building's construction and history within the observatory experience, which adds context beyond the view alone. Top of the Rock, by comparison, includes its Welcome Gallery and a short orientation film as part of standard admission, so both attractions build in some narrative content before you reach the deck. My honest opinion is that the Empire State Building's historical exhibits run a bit deeper, given the building's own storied construction history, while Top of the Rock's content leans more toward orienting you for the view itself. Neither one is a reason alone to pick one over the other. ## How Does the View Compare to Top of the Rock? The Empire State Building's 86th floor gives you a wide, unbroken Midtown and beyond skyline without any rival landmark breaking up the frame, since you are standing on the landmark itself. Top of the Rock's terraces, by contrast, put the Empire State Building directly in your photo, along with Central Park and both rivers. I would pick the Empire State Building if standing on a globally recognized icon is the actual goal. I would pick Top of the Rock if you want that same icon visible in your shot instead. My [full head-to-head comparison](/top-of-the-rock-vs-empire-state-building/) goes through this exact decision in more depth than I can cover here. ## Is the 102nd Floor Upgrade Worth It? Only if extra height specifically matters to you, since the view from the 86th floor is already extensive and the 102nd floor's incremental gain, while real, is not a dramatic transformation of the experience. The enclosed format of the 102nd floor also changes the feel compared to the open-air 86th level. My honest advice is to skip this upgrade on a first visit unless setting a personal height record is part of why you are going. I would rather spend that difference on a sunset slot timing upgrade, if one is offered, than on the extra floor alone. ![Simple infographic comparing empire state building ticket tiers with generic labels for main deck and top deck, no prices or statistics](/images/blog/new-york-empire-state-building-tickets-2.webp) ## How Far Ahead Should You Book? Timed entry is standard for the Empire State Building, the same as Top of the Rock, so I would not expect to walk up without a reservation. Sunset and evening slots tend to be the most requested windows at either attraction, and I would book those as early as your travel dates allow. My honest take is that the booking discipline required here is identical to Top of the Rock: lock in your preferred time slot the moment your dates are confirmed, rather than treating either ticket as something you can casually buy at the door. ## How Does This Fit Into a Broader NYC Deck Comparison? Beyond Top of the Rock, two other decks come up often in this exact conversation. [One World Observatory](/top-of-the-rock-vs-empire-state-building/one-world-observatory-tickets/) sits downtown with a harbor and Statue of Liberty view instead of a Midtown one, and [Summit One Vanderbilt](/top-of-the-rock-vs-empire-state-building/summit-one-vanderbilt-tickets/) trades a traditional deck format for mirrored art installations above Grand Central. I would not try to compare all three against the Empire State Building at once. Settle the Top of the Rock question first, since that is the most common comparison, then weigh the other two only if your trip has room for a second or third deck. My [Top of the Rock vs One World Observatory guide](/top-of-the-rock-vs-empire-state-building/top-of-the-rock-vs-one-world-observatory/) is a good next stop if the downtown option interests you. ## Is It Good for Photographers? The 86th floor's open-air setting gives you a wide, largely unobstructed horizon, since no building of comparable height sits close enough to interrupt the skyline. The tradeoff is that the Empire State Building itself cannot appear in its own photos, which is the one thing it will never offer no matter which tier you book. I would bring this deck for anyone chasing a clean, wide skyline shot, and I would bring Top of the Rock for anyone who specifically wants a famous landmark anchoring their composition. Both reward an early morning or sunset slot over the flatter light of midday. ## What Should You Expect on the Day? Security screening similar to other major New York attractions is standard practice here, so I would build a few extra minutes into your morning before your scheduled entry time. The exhibits covering the building's construction history add real context before you reach the deck itself, and I would not rush through them purely to get to the view faster. My honest tip is to treat the historical exhibits as part of the experience rather than an obstacle, since the building's own construction story is genuinely one of the more interesting ones among New York's major landmarks. ## How Does Night Viewing Compare to Daytime? A night visit to the Empire State Building trades landmark detail for a fully lit skyline, with the surrounding towers lit from street level up rather than visible in sharp daylight clarity. Top of the Rock's own night view follows a similar pattern, with the added detail of the Empire State Building itself glowing as a focal point across the park. My honest opinion is that both decks reward a night slot if a dramatic, lit-up photo matters more to you than seeing landmarks in full daylight detail. I would pick whichever deck's daytime view you prefer less and book that one for a night slot instead, since the after-dark experience tends to even out some of the differences between them. ## Is It a Good Pick for a First New York Trip? Yes, it is one of the two classic, dependable choices for a first observation deck visit, alongside Top of the Rock itself. I would not hesitate to make it your only deck if standing on the landmark, rather than photographing it, is what matters most to you. My honest sequencing advice for a longer trip is to pair this with Top of the Rock rather than choosing only one, since the two views complement each other more than they compete. Save something like [Summit One Vanderbilt](/top-of-the-rock-vs-empire-state-building/summit-one-vanderbilt-tickets/) for a return visit once you have the two classic decks covered. ## My Recommendation I would book the Empire State Building's standard 86th floor tier if height and standing on the landmark itself is your priority, and skip the 102nd floor upgrade unless the extra elevation specifically matters to you. For most first-time visitors who want that landmark visible in their own photo instead, [Top of the Rock tickets](/top-of-the-rock-tickets/) remain the more fitting choice, and I would check the [Empire State Building's official site](https://www.esbnyc.com/) directly for its current tiered pricing before you decide between the two. ## Frequently asked questions ### How much are Empire State Building tickets? Pricing is set directly by the attraction across a standard 86th floor tier and a higher tier adding the 102nd floor. Check the official site for the current figure before booking. ### Is the Empire State Building or Top of the Rock cheaper? Top of the Rock's standard ticket starts from $45.73, checked on 2026-10-27. The Empire State Building prices its own tiers directly, so I would compare the live figure before deciding on price alone. ### Do I need the 102nd floor ticket, or is the 86th floor enough? The 86th floor alone gives you a genuinely extensive open-air view, and I would skip the 102nd floor upgrade on a first visit unless extra height specifically matters to you. ### Do Empire State Building tickets require a timed reservation? Yes, timed entry is standard, the same as Top of the Rock, so I would book your preferred slot as soon as your travel dates are confirmed. [See Top of the Rock tickets](/top-of-the-rock-tickets/) if having the Empire State Building itself in your photo matters more than standing on it.