New York observation decks compared

The short answer

Choose the deck by the view you want and the extras you will pay for. Five SkyGate products admit to a Manhattan observation deck: the Empire State Building, Top of the Rock (sold as two products), SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, Edge at Hudson Yards and One World Observatory. Three more are viewing attractions rather than tower decks: Vessel, the Times Square Skywalk and RiseNY. The Rockefeller Center Tour is a guided walk at street level and admits to no deck.[18]

In XTOUR's reading the decks fall into three areas: Midtown (Empire State Building, Top of the Rock, SUMMIT), the West Side at Hudson Yards (Edge and Vessel) and Lower Manhattan (One World Observatory). Each ticket below covers one venue; none of them is included in another.

Empire State Building: 86th floor, or 86th plus 102nd

The Empire State Building Admission Ticket has four options: General Admission for 86th Floor Main Deck, 86th and 102nd Floors General Admission Combo Ticket, and a Skip-the-Line Express version of each. SkyGate's listing describes the 86th floor as an open-air main deck and the 102nd as a circular floor with floor-to-ceiling windows, and says all ticket holders get the exhibits on the 2nd and 80th floors.[1] The operator names the same two observation levels and says all visits require a timed reservation.[2]

There is one address discrepancy. SkyGate's vouchers give 20 W. 34th St., while the operator gives the observatory address as 12 W 34th Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues.[2][1] XTOUR has not verified which door the voucher is scanned at. See the Empire State Building page on XTOUR.

Top of the Rock: two products, one deck

The Top of the Rock Observation Deck Ticket at Rockefeller Center has five options: Timed Admission, Timed Admission + SKYLIFT, Timed Admission + The Beam Experience, the All-inclusive Pass with both, and the VIP Pass. SkyGate describes SKYLIFT as a revolving open-air platform that rises three stories above the 70th-floor deck, and The Beam as a ride that lifts you 12 feet above the deck to recreate the 1932 Lunch Atop A Skyscraper photo. The Beam options state a minimum height of 132 cm, and SKYLIFT and The Beam a maximum weight of 136 kg. Options 1 to 4 redeem at the main entrance on 50th Street between 5th and 6th Avenues.[3]

The Top of the Rock Observation Deck at Rockefeller Center - VIP Pass is a separate product with one option, the guided VIP visit. SkyGate lists expedited entry, priority elevator access, a private experience on The Beam and SKYLIFT, the Photo Pass and a gift-shop discount, with check-in at the VIP Lounge, 52 West 50th Street.[4] In XTOUR's reading it matches the main product's fifth option. The operator's site refused automated reading, so this guide states no hours; Wikidata records Top of the Rock as the deck at 30 Rockefeller Plaza.[5] See the Top of the Rock page on XTOUR.

SUMMIT One Vanderbilt: art rooms and the Ascent elevator

Choose SUMMIT if you want the deck to be an art experience as much as a view. The SUMMIT One Vanderbilt Ticket admits to the deck that the operator describes as three floors of immersive art plus Ascent, an all-glass elevator that rises 12 stories higher, with the entrance on the Main Concourse of Grand Central Terminal.[7] SkyGate's three options are SUMMIT Experience - General Admission, SUMMIT Ascent - General Admission + Ascent, and SUMMIT Premium Experience, a 90-minute small-group guided visit with skip-the-line access. SkyGate's listing warns of reflective floors, recommends trousers, shorts or tights with non-marking shoes, and bars stiletto heels.[6] See the SUMMIT One Vanderbilt page on XTOUR.

Edge: the glass floor at Hudson Yards

The Edge Observation Deck at Hudson Yards Ticket admits to the outdoor sky deck that the operator places on the 100th floor of 30 Hudson Yards, about 1,100 feet up, with a glass floor.[9] The options are General Admission (timed), a Flex Pass for any time during opening hours on your date, and Priority Access with priority lanes and elevators. All three redeem at the main entrance on the 4th floor of The Shops and Restaurants at Hudson Yards. SkyGate's options differ on infants: ages 0 to 5 can be booked on the Flex Pass and Priority Access, not on General Admission.[8] See the Edge page on XTOUR.

One World Observatory: the Lower Manhattan view

The One World Observatory ticket is the only deck here in Lower Manhattan; the operator places it at One World Trade Center, at the corner of West and Vesey Streets.[11] Its single option, Skip The Line Admission, covers levels 100, 101 and 102, a Sky Pod elevator ride and a theatre. SkyGate's listing says all visitors pass security screening, that food, drinks and large bags are not allowed because there are no lockers, and that children under 17 must be with a paying adult.[10] If you are already downtown for the 9/11 Memorial, this is the deck that fits that day in XTOUR's reading. See the One World Observatory page on XTOUR.

Not a tower deck: Vessel, the Skywalk and RiseNY

The Vessel at Hudson Yards Ticket is for climbing Vessel, which the Hudson Yards website describes as a structure by Thomas Heatherwick and Heatherwick Studio, designed to be entered and explored, in the Public Square and Gardens.[13] SkyGate's options are General Admission with a reserved time, or Flex Admission for any time on your date. SkyGate's listing says Vessel is outdoors and may close in severe weather, and that strollers, bikes, tripods and selfie sticks are not permitted. It stands beside Edge, but neither ticket includes the other.[8][12] See the Vessel page on XTOUR.

The One Times Square: Times Square Skywalk Ticket looks down on Times Square rather than across the skyline. SkyGate places the Skywalk 19 floors up, reached by a glass elevator, and the operator calls it open-air and says timed-entry tickets are required with no on-site box office.[15] The two options differ only by day: Mondays to Thursdays, or Fridays to Sundays.[14] See the One Times Square page on XTOUR.

The RiseNY Ticket swaps a deck for a ride. The operator describes it as "Part Ride. Part Exhibition. All New York." at 160 West 45th Street, with a 40-inch (1 m) height requirement for the ride.[17] SkyGate's single Admission option includes the galleries, a film and a 4D flying-theatre ride, and its listing says phones and cameras are not permitted on the ride.[16] See the RiseNY page on XTOUR.

Rockefeller Center from street level

The Rockefeller Center Tour is a guided walk, not a view from above. SkyGate's options are the standard one-hour guided walking tour and the Rockefeller Center Tour, Jr., a family tour with two guides recommended for children 6 to 12, which SkyGate says runs on most Saturdays and Sundays. Both check in at the main Top of the Rock entrance on 50th Street, but the listing says only that stops "may include" buildings such as 30 Rockefeller Plaza and the Channel Gardens, and that NBC Studios and Radio City Music Hall are not part of it.[18] See the Rockefeller Center page on XTOUR.

How to choose

• For the Midtown skyline with the option of a higher indoor floor, the Empire State Building Admission Ticket; choose an option with or without the 102nd floor.[1]
• For a view that includes the Empire State Building, Top of the Rock; use the main ticket for SKYLIFT or The Beam, or the VIP Pass product for a guided visit.[4][3]
• For art installations and a glass elevator, the SUMMIT One Vanderbilt Ticket.[6]
• For a glass floor on the West Side, Edge; add Vessel as a separate ticket.[12][8]
• For Lower Manhattan, One World Observatory.[11]
• For Times Square itself, the Skywalk; for a simulated flight over the city, RiseNY.[16][14]

Before you book

• Check the option name: the Empire State Building, Top of the Rock, SUMMIT and Edge products each sell different access under one title.[8][6][3][1]
• The Beam at Top of the Rock has a 132 cm minimum height and RiseNY's ride a 1 m minimum.[17][3]
• SUMMIT's mirrored floors come with a footwear rule.[6]
• The Times Square Skywalk options are split by day of the week; pick the one for your date.[14]