Empire State Building Observatory: Open-Air 86th, Enclosed 102nd
Ride to an open-air deck 86 floors over Midtown, then decide whether the sealed 102nd floor earns the upgrade.
The ticket covers two rooms at two heights. The 86th floor opens to the air on all four sides for a full 360-degree turn around Midtown. The 102nd floor sits sealed behind floor-to-ceiling windows one level under the spire, where visibility reaches up to 80 miles on a clear day.
Before either deck, the second floor holds immersive galleries on the building's construction, its Art Deco design, and its long run through pop culture. Every tier includes them, and the visit starts there rather than at the elevator bank.
Four tiers sit behind the same entrance: general admission to the 86th floor, general admission to the 86th and 102nd, and Express Pass versions of each that move you ahead of the line. The listing rates 4.4 across 7,489 reviews, covering all four tiers together rather than any single one.
Booking confirms instantly. The voucher scans at the turnstile, with no ticket window to visit.
NYC Empire State Building Observation Deck TicketAdmission to the 86th floor deck, with a 102nd floor upgrade availablewww.viator.comThe 86th Floor, Outdoors
This is the deck most people picture. It opens to the air on all four sides, reaching from Central Park in the north to the Brooklyn Bridge in the south.
Every area and surface is wheelchair accessible, and the visit suits all fitness levels. Service animals are allowed. Cameras and camcorders come up with you; tripods do not.
The Galleries Below the Decks
The second-floor exhibits come with every tier, running from the 1930s construction through the Art Deco design language and into the building's career on screen.
Budget the extra time deliberately. The 45 to 90 minutes quoted for this ticket covers the whole visit, galleries included, not the decks on their own.
Choosing a Tier and a Time
The operator's own timing advice is specific: arrive two hours after opening for the smoothest visit. Booking stays open right up to the start time, which leaves room for a same-day decision.
- General Admission 86th Floor: the open-air deck and the galleries
- General Admission 86th & 102nd: adds the enclosed top deck
- Express Pass 86th Main Deck: priority access to the open-air deck
- Express Pass 86 & 102 Top Deck: priority access to both
Infants aged 0 to 5 enter free, with tickets collected at the ticket office on arrival. Child pricing runs ages 6 to 12, adult 13 to 61, and senior 62 and over.
Getting In
📍 Observation deck visitors enter through the visitors' center at 20 W. 34th Street. The Fifth Avenue, 34th Street, and 33rd Street doors are reserved for building tenants and their guests. That one address is the only one to aim for.
Everyone passes a security check on the way in. Public transit reaches the building, and those transit options are wheelchair accessible.
Cancellation is straightforward: a full refund when you cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled entry time. Weather, line length, and wait times are not refundable, which matters on an open-air deck.
A few things that change what you carry:
- Only carry-on-size bags and backpacks are allowed
- No glass or bottles go up to the Observatory
- There is no coat, package, or luggage check on site
- Free Wi-Fi is available on site
Tickets are issued one per traveler and scan straight from a phone.