US Open 2019 TicketS Guide
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US Open Ticket FAQ- Updated
Important updates for 2019:
There is a new Ashe stadium ticket pricing structure in place for the Promenade section. Be very careful when purchasing tickets because every few rows the price increases $5-10. This is unlike prior years when there were only about 2-3 different prices overall and now there are several. It takes time and research to make sure you are getting the best value for your money. This is something I can help with. Click here to get started with a Federer Travel Plan.
Also unlike prior years, it is not possible to print out Ticketmaster tickets. The only 2 options are hard tickets (like the old fashioned ticket stubs) or mobile on your smartphone. This is really a terrible change but very important to be aware of. Most likely you will have a mobile ticket so make sure your phone is fully charged before heading out to the Open. Here is the explanation of how this works from Ticketmaster.
General ticket & seating tips
Q: What are the best sessions to get tickets for?
The best days to get tickets for, apart from the later rounds, are Thurs/Fri day sessions and Tues night of the 2nd week. On Thurs & Fri of the first week, you get a ton of competitive 3rd round matches before the Labor Day weekend crowds arrive. The best night sessions are the Tues and Wed of the 2nd week when you are seeing both a men's and women's quarterfinal which should feature some top players and competitive matches. Plus, the rowdy, crazy late night NYC crowd! For personalized help with your ticket buying and 24/7 support on-site and by text, I offer the Championship package.
Q: Should I buy tickets ahead of time or wait until the schedule comes out?
A: Depends, my suggestion is: Wait for schedule during the 1st week day & night, Labor Day weekend night sessions and Tues/Wed/Thurs day sessions of 2nd week. Buy in advance for Fri/Sat/Sun Labor Day weekend day sessions and Semis & Finals (most are already sold out).
Q: How do i get cheap or discounted us open tickets?
A: Sign up for my free ticket discount codes email with discounts for a variety of sessions including 50% off quarterfinals tickets!
Q: What sessions are a waste of money?
A: The 1st 2 night sessions are 1st round matches and will feature a top player facing someone much, much lower ranked usually leading to blowouts. The US Open offers an Opening Night Ceremony but unless you’re into that kind of thing you dollars are better spend on other sessions or other NYC restaurants/activities.
Q: Is it better to get grounds passes or stadium tickets?
A: This is often one of the hardest ticket decisions and it can be a close call. I offer more specifics as part of the Early Rounds package but since the Ashe ticket pricing has changed this year (see 2017 updates) it often makes sense to pay the extra cost for the ability to see the top stars playing in Ashe. You've come this far, it would be incredibly disappointing if there was a great match that you were unable to see.
Q: What are the best seats on Ashe and Armstrong?
A: As close to the court as you can get especially on Ashe but it will cost you! More specifically, if you want shade go for sections 337-304 on Ashe and sections 109-111 on Armstrong. The baseline view is usually the best so check out the seating charts before buying tickets. In the upper promenade, you are so high up that getting baseline sections isn't as important.
Another tip is that during the day sessions in Ashe stadium, many people just sit wherever they want (to an extent). You can’t move down to a lower ticket class (like Loge or Courtside) but if you have tickets in row X, you can likely move down 10-15 rows. It is a bit of a risk since those ticketholders may come and kick you out but you should be able to move to a nearby seat. This only works during the day when many people skip Ashe and go to the numerous other courts. At night the only matches are in Ashe so fans will be in their assigned seats.
No matter where you sit or what session you attend, the US Open offers some great matches with the best players in the world. I've had some amazing memories at this tournament over the past 27 years- read my top 10 US Open memories!
Q: What are the types of Ashe tickets and which should I get?
A: Courtside: 4-8 rows per section as close to the court as possible. Very expensive, especially for later rounds but if you want to treat yourself these are the tickets to get.
Loge: 1 level up from Courtside are the Luxury Suites and then above that is the Loge section. The views are pretty good especially compared to the Promenade. Worth the splurge especially for later rounds and night sessions.
Lower Promenade: Rows A-O in the upper deck section. At this point you are getting pretty high up and far away from the court. Unfortunately these and the Upper Promenade tickets are all that is available to fans that don’t buy full tournament subscriptions.
Upper Promenade: Rows P-Z. You get some of this in the Lower Prom but the vibe in the Upper Prom is that you don’t even feel like you are at a live tennis match. The action is so far away that rules about being quiet during points and not walking to your seat during play don’t apply. It is very distracting, loud and frankly you may as well be watching at home. There is not a huge difference between rows P-S vs say, L-O in the Lower Prom but I really wouldn’t waste the money or time sitting above row S.
What if...
Q: What happens if it rains?
A: Rain delays at the US Open are tough. Thanks to the new roof over Ashe stadium, things are not as bad as they used to be. However, all of the other courts are impacted by the weather. The official USTA policy can be found here but often you have to evaluate the situation on the spot. If you're stuck at the US Open during a rain delay and not sure what to do, wouldn't it be great to have an expert on call that you can text (included in Championship Package)? Is it worth hanging around to see if rain stops and then another hour for the courts to be dried? Or, better to cut your losses and redeem your ticket for another session or next year (can try to sell if you won't be here) and do some other fun NYC activity with your time.
Q: Tickets for the session and court I wanted tickets for are sold out. What are my best options?
A: Decide if you want to take a risk and wait to see if more seats are released or if you want to pay extra on the secondary market. Questions about whether specific tickets you’ve found online are worth it or not sure where to find trustworthy tickets? Get a Match Point Travel US Open Fan Plan.
Specific situations
Q: I can only go to 1 day of the US Open. Best suggestion?
A: If money is not an issue, buy sold out Men’s Semi tickets from a resale site. If you have a limited budget, round 3 is when the matches start getting competitive so buy an Ashe day ticket for either Fri/Sat/Sun/Mon (Fri and Mon will be less crowded)
Q: I don’t have much money to spend but want to make the most of my time at the US Open. What do you suggest?
A: Buy upper promenade Ashe tickets either Fri & Sat or Sun & Mon of Labor day weekend. That way you will see both sides of the draw when the matches are starting to get competitive. Plan to buy a few groundspasses for the 1st week...wait until the schedule the schedule for Day 1 is released. Then based on the draw you can predict what matches will be taking place on a given day and you can attend for the days that have the matches which most interest you.
Q: I’m visiting NYC for Labor Day weekend and want to see as much tennis as possible but have a limited budget. What tickets should I get?
A: Get upper promenade Ashe tickets for Sat & Sun day, lower promenade for either Sat or Sun night and Mon night and either an Armstrong ticket or upper promenade Ashe ticket for Mon day.
Q: Should I buy a mini-plan for Labor Day or Championship weekend even though I'd have to pay for tickets I don't need?
A: No, its not worth the hassle of trying to sell extra tickets. If the sessions you want are sold out, you can always find tickets on the secondary market.