Purpose of the Grounds Pass
Historically, the Grounds Pass was a way to allow fans to fill spare capacity at the US Open. It was designed for the first 10 days only. If buying tickets in August and Ashe seats were out of reach (too pricy), the grounds pass offered fans a way to get in at slightly less than the full price.
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| US Open Grounds Pass Don't pay more than ~$200 for week 1 |
General Seating = Great Value
The main tradeoff was that you would not have a "reserved seat". So this excluded you from Ashe Stadium and the reserved lower bowls of the Armstrong and Grandstand Stadiums.
There are plenty of "non-reserved" seats higher up and open. Generally ideal for those who weren't picky, these were a great value to roam the 20+ courts throughout the day.
Demand and Price Inflation
About 10 years ago, prices were only about $60-70 for the grounds.
For 2024-2025, the median price for the Grounds Pass is around $150-$180. Yet, the US Open still managed to set attendance records each of the last 3 years in a row.
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August 27 and August 28 will offer discount codes for tickets.
Best Seat Prices by Type
- Ground Passes Only (10 sessions)
- Armstrong Reserved (16 sessions)
- Grandstand Reserved (7 sessions)
- Ashe - All Access (20+ Day or Night)
My first US Open ticket ever was a grounds pass
I attended my first US Open ever with a grounds pass. I sat next to a friend with a 3rd row seat on the old Grandstand baseline watching a 3rd round match. I paid less than $80 and returned for many years.
Whenever a tennis fan comes back each year, I know they have great stories and memories to share. If they only remember the high prices or overcrowded lines, then the reputation of tennis as a sport is damaged. To grow the game, the avid fans are customers for life.
Re-sell Mania Market
A year ago, they began only showing the lowest-priced resale grounds passes. So, I would ignore the $250+ prices, because they simply are prematurely priced.
They are unreasonably high and scare away new tennis fans. The patient shopper will find more inventory in late July and August. When more tickets are introduced, the prices will come down.
Our advice for folks who just want to get in is to buy the cheapest ticket available!
This might be Ashe, Armstrong, Grandstand, or Grounds.
This might be Ashe, Armstrong, Grandstand, or Grounds.
US Open Standard Tickets (non-resell) will be available this Summer
We predicted 2 rounds of new ticket releases last year for 2024. We expect those ticket batches will arrive with many more Grounds Passes by August for 2025.
Sign up for our alerts to US Open passes and discount promos - https://jc10s.com/fans
Many fans and NYC locals can't take a whole day off work. Or can't spend $200+ for Ashe tickets.
*New for 2024*: The Evening Grounds Pass
In 2024, the US Open introduced evening ground passes. They allowed fans to enter after 6pm for as low as $28 during week 2. They were first released on Aug 23, 2024.
