The 2026 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens is less than a month away, and the gap between face-value pricing and secondary market costs has become a growing frustration for New York City tennis fans. Grounds passes increased from $60 to $65 at face value this year, but resale prices for the same tickets have climbed to nearly $400 on third-party platforms, raising questions about who can actually afford to attend the tournament.
Key Takeaways
- Face-value grounds passes rose from $60 to $65 for 2026, while Arthur Ashe Stadium tickets start at $43 for early rounds.
- Resale prices on secondary platforms have reached nearly $400 for grounds passes, driven by limited general-sale inventory.
- More than 1 million fans attended the 2025 US Open, placing it among the most-attended annual sporting events globally.
- Eight of the tournament’s 22 days offer free general admission, including seven Fan Week days (August 23 through 29) and Open for All Day on September 10.
- The main draw runs August 30 through September 13, with the women’s final on September 12 and the men’s final on September 13.
Face-Value Inventory Sold Out Within Minutes of the General Sale
General on-sale tickets went live on May 28 through Ticketmaster, the tournament’s official ticketing partner. An American Express cardholder presale ran from May 26 through 27. Face-value tickets for the most popular sessions sold out within minutes of the general sale opening, leaving the secondary market as the primary avenue for fans still looking to attend.
The USTA has acknowledged that a large share of inventory is allocated to full-series subscribers before any public sale occurs. This system works similarly to season ticket holders at major professional sports venues. Subscribers receive their allocation first, and resale of those tickets is legal under New York State law. The result is a marketplace where the majority of available inventory for individual sessions exists on resale platforms from the moment tickets become publicly visible.
The USTA has confirmed that resale listings appearing during the presale period were partly subscribers reselling their allocation. For the tournament’s organizers, the subscriber model provides predictable revenue and reliably fills the venue. For individual-session buyers, the model creates a pricing environment where market forces, rather than face-value ceilings, determine the actual cost of attendance.
The $400 Grounds Pass Represents a Roughly 500% Markup
At face value, a grounds pass offers access to outer courts, practice areas, and the general concourse for $65. The same ticket on the secondary market now trades at nearly $400 for popular sessions, a roughly 500% markup. Reserved seating in Louis Armstrong Stadium starts at $139 at face value, while Grandstand seats begin at $180. Both categories have seen comparable inflation on resale platforms.
Arthur Ashe Stadium tickets start at $43 for early-round day sessions at face value. Evening sessions and later rounds command significantly more, with women’s final tickets beginning at $320 and men’s final tickets starting at $686. On the secondary market, those figures climb further. Average prices on resale platforms for premium sessions have exceeded $500, with some finals weekend listings well above $1,000.
Resale pricing is not solely a product of scalping. Because the subscriber allocation system releases a large share of inventory into the secondary market by design, the resale ecosystem coexists with the official sale rather than operating as a purely aftermarket phenomenon. Subscribers who cannot attend specific sessions list their tickets on platforms like StubHub and Vivid Seats. For sessions outside the marquee matchups, resale listings can trend downward as sellers compete to clear inventory closer to match day.
Fan Week Offers the Strongest Value for NYC Tennis Fans
For fans priced out of main-draw sessions, Fan Week may represent the most accessible entry point to the tournament. The USTA announced that the 2026 US Open will feature eight days of free general admission across the 22-day schedule. Seven of those days fall during Fan Week (August 23 through 29), with an additional free day, Open for All Day, on Thursday, September 10 during the main draw.
Fan Week programming this year starts with Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day on August 23, which the USTA has moved to the opening day of the tournament for the first time. The week includes the singles qualifying tournament, mixed doubles qualifying, open practice sessions with the full field, a Silent Disco event, and the third annual US Open Block Party. Adults attending Fan Week are required to register for a free Fan Access Pass through the US Open app, though no ticket purchase is necessary.
Qualifying matches offer competitive, high-level tennis. Players in the qualifying draw are fighting for main-draw berths on the outer courts, with smaller crowds and closer proximity to the action than main-draw sessions provide. For fans seeking the US Open atmosphere without the cost, the qualifying tournament delivers genuinely compelling tennis in a more intimate setting than Arthur Ashe Stadium can offer.
Tournament Schedule Spans the Largest Event Calendar in US Open History
The 2026 edition features 22 days of competition and events, the most in the tournament’s nearly 150-year history. The main draw begins on Saturday, August 30, with the women’s singles final scheduled for Saturday, September 12, and the men’s singles final on Sunday, September 13. A new addition to the schedule includes a day of qualifying for the US Open Mixed Doubles Championship presented by Vital Proteins, expanding the doubles draw for the first time.
The 2025 US Open drew more than 1 million fans to the National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, placing the tournament among the most-attended annual sporting events in the world. That attendance figure has grown steadily as the USTA has expanded the event footprint with programming beyond match play. The question for 2026 is whether the accessibility challenges created by the current ticketing model will dampen that trajectory or whether free programming during Fan Week will offset the resale market’s squeeze on main-draw attendance.
FAQs
When Does the 2026 US Open Start?
Fan Week and qualifying rounds begin August 23. The main draw starts August 30. The women’s singles final is September 12, and the men’s singles final is September 13.
Are There Free Days at the 2026 US Open?
Eight days of the tournament offer free general admission: seven during Fan Week (August 23 through 29) and one during the main draw on Open for All Day (September 10). Adults must register for a free Fan Access Pass through the US Open app.
Where Can Fans Buy Official US Open Tickets?
Official tickets are sold through Ticketmaster as the USTA’s ticketing partner. Fans can also purchase tickets at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center box office in Flushing, Queens, during the tournament.
