How to sit front row at the US Open - 10 best free perks

Free Chase Reserve Seating - exclusive front-row view at the US Open with Matteo Berrettini

  • American Express Presale - May 30 @ 9AM EST
Read our ticket-buying tips, articles, and credit card discount codes
  • Public Ticket Sales - June 5 @ 9AM EST
  • Buying early is most useful for securing round 1 tickets or being fully committed to a certain date.
  • We suggest waiting until July if you want the buy one, get one free (b1g1) promo tickets.

Or safer is in August when you know who's likely playing when and who's injured. Planning to go at least 2 consecutive days and nights in a row puts you at the best possible position. You will see most of the players because they alternate rest days.

US Open Fan Week - Week 1 Scouting Report

Tennis-Bargains has returned from NYC after spending the first 8 days of the US Open scouting and sharing with readers our real photos, seat shade maps, and impressions on the grounds for all the best goodies to experience.

Secret shoppers helped us this year to sample all the food and shops, along with their honest feedback.


During Fan Week, the Chase DNCE Soundcheck offered users an in-person experience at this sold out concert.

We were among the first to sign up and tell the public about it. The entire DNCE concert venue was completely sold out in a matter of hours!

Sold-out 8/26 DNCE and Joe Jonas - Chase Sound Check concert tickets.
Our 4 lucky winners all got to go. Sent via Ticketmaster seat transfer emails!


Disclosure:
We are not sponsored by the US Open, USTA, JP Morgan, Amex, or any of their paid advertisers.
All the opinions I share below are my own as a "Tennis super fan" for over 15 years.

I will not endorse any perks I haven't personally tested, and even then, only if I would use it myself.

To support USA Tennis:
We dedicate a small percentage of our ticket profits back to growing the game whenever fans buy tickets directly from our links. You help us continue to operate independently and contribute to charity work each year.

US Tennis is funded with each ticket you buy. Along with Humanitarian and Hurricane relief we donate each year. We also collect dollars from the ticket fees to put them back to support worthy causes responsibly in 2022 such as: "Tennis Plays for Peace", "The American Red Cross",  "Aceing Autism," and "USTA with Tennis United"


Tennis travel fans can also follow us on Instagram, or join our "US Open Fans and Friends" Facebook group

US Open Freebies: some luck, some skill - all good!

US Open Fans and Friends - advance info for savvy fans

Arriving at 9:30 each morning, I discovered some lesser-known perks that even US Open ushers and their supervisors needed to learn.

Our email VIP subscribers (a VIP is anyone who regularly opens and clicks our links) will get priority access to our previews.

Last month, we revealed this fantastic, all-new 2022 feature called "Chase Pass" which offers only 100 daily bracelets for exclusive access and reserve seating.

US Open Faceoff: Chase vs. Amex Perks - Chase Wins

  1. Chase Pass gets you into Grandstand Reserve Seating @ Section 2, Rows M-O (front baseline seats with Chase Logos). Great area for shade after 4pm! I brought fans and fellow tennis coaches.

    Each day, I invited friends (new and old) to join me in watching players like Felix.
    These seats were so good that one guy even suggested I shouldn't tell anyone else!

  2. Chase Lounge (daily RSVP required ) gets you A/C, Fruit Cups, Ice Cream, and more. You can bring a guest too :) Enjoy! A waitlist sign-up is available at the door each morning at 10AM.

    Chase Lounge: Free fruit cups, Kind Bars, popcorn, refreshments, ice cream, hat, and A/C!!

  3. Chase Reserve Seating at Grandstand
    I often sat here watching players like Matteo Berrettini from the baseline. For Day 1, I had paid over $180 total for a seat just a few rows away when I discovered the specially-branded Chase logo seats in Section 2! There were 4 single matches played per day here during week 1.

    After some investigative research and asking around several US Open ushers and supervisors, I discovered the special Chase Pass (limit 100 per day) grants you a bracelet that allows you to sit in the first 3 rows (M-O) of the baseline at the Grandstand court for free! It is outlined on the usher's papers, but many of them still needed to learn, and neither did most fans...

    No Chase reserve seating sections at Armstong nor Ashe. I went to the JP Morgan club level just to confirm, and the official word is that privilege is limited to Grandstand only. Also, if anytime a fan buy your seat number, you will need to move - however, with 30+ Chase seats, that usually was fine.

  4. What to Skip: the Amex Centurion and Cadillac traps?! After spending so much effort reserving a Resy spot, I had high hopes. Inside the Amex Centurion, the appetizers were modest but nothing amazing. It was basically a bar with very small portions of samplers and pretzels to munch on. The free Honey Deuce and sweet deserts were the highlights with a 4/5.

    The free gift in the black to-go bag was a large bottle of sunscreen. You can also pick one of 3 travel keys (JFK, LAX, DEN), and each gives you something unique (travel pillow, candle, or board game).

    The Cadillac Laser Display was the biggest disappointment of all - after getting you to fill out your entire life history on endless survey forms while only moving 10-15 people inside the square room with a mirror in the back, you realize it is just a 10-minute fancy advertisement. There's nothing interactive, and they ask you to complete another post-experience survey at the end! Skip

    Note: one fan claims she received a $20 voucher card after the 2nd survey, but I did not. YMMV.

  5. Lounge Guests and Waitlists - Chase wins hands down.
    After many false reservation availability teaser emails sent via Resy, most fans gave up. I already had an RSVP for Day 2. At first, I was told I could bring 2 friends as a Platinum member, and then later told that I could not. With the Chase Lounge, at least each morning, you have a waitlist to sign up for starting around 10AM.

    At the JFK Centurion lounge at Terminal 4, there was almost a 30 min security line plus another 15-30 min wait just to get into the lounge for even 1 single person. Even worse was the AirTrain was single tracking. There were travelers on a wait list stretching out the door, so I decided I had to skip it to avoid missing my flight. What good is a perk that you can never enjoy?!

    Is the Amex Business Platinum worth the $695 annual fee?
    Nope. Unless I get a great retention offer from Amex, I will not plan to renew next year. I was supposed to spend $100 to get a $20 credit, but it turns out I end up out about 1 meal short!

    Instead, get a Chase no annual fee Flex Freedom card with 5% off US Open and Ticketmaster purchases after activation! Even get $200 off $500 spent with our guide when using our sign-up bonus.

  6. Mobile Chargers - Tie?
    Amex chargers are smaller, but they need to supply you with the right cable (I received a lightning cable and had to swap it for a USB-C). However, they give you a return confirmation message right away. Amex chargers are available on the 2nd floor of the Amex Member Lounge (not the Centurion).

    Chase chargers are distributed in large booths throughout the US Open grounds.
    To eject a charger, text the booth's Two-Digit number (ex: '02' not '2') to +1-424-416-0216.

    This was confusing because I initially texted "2" instead of "02" which returned an invalid message. But once you receive it, you can charge up using any of the 3 built-in cables and return them to any charging station or large box return bins scattered around the grounds.

  7. Chase Terrace
    Outdoor seating with views of Courts 8, 9, and 10 with free refreshments and snacks. Ice cream is served at noon each day. I also received a $10 food discount card (see below, but they ran out quickly by the end of day 2).

  8. Freebies:
    1. IHG Hotels - free 5 min shoulder massage
      Rumor is you also can get a free drink coupon if you show them your email sign-up.
    2. Free Sunscreen from La Roche-Posay
    3. Emirate Airlines - Round, Red Seat Cushion (1 in 6 chance daily spin)
    4. Amex Radios - listen to what is happening inside the US Open Ashe Stadium.
      Hear commentary while watching other matches outside.

    5. Chase: ATM Slot Machine
      Win a random gift: pair of sunglasses, a cup holder, etc. (use PIN code #7890)

  9. Amex Free Indoor Tennis Courts - No special cards are needed at the back of the Amex Members Lounge. Any kid or adult can sign the waiver and get an Amex white bracelet to hit some tennis balls on an indoor court next to the Billy Jean King tennis center. Wilson has also partnered with them to provide free demo rackets (105 frames and Wilson Hammer frames being the most popular), coaches, and several different drills each hour during the day.

  10. US Open Meal Allowance Cards ($$ to use for food) @ Chase Terrace
Chase also handed out $10 meal allowance cards.
They ran out after the first 2 days. This was the last one.

Since I have one unused meal card, I gave it to one VIP Fan as part of our Finals Weekend giveaway. Two pairs of US Open tickets for the Women's Saturday and Men's Sunday Final.

Our fans are automatically entered to win our extra US Open and NYC event tickets!

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