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Photo: Dylan Freedom
There's something special about watching a Grand Slam in person, and the US Open has to be one of the best atmospheres in tennis. But if you've never been before, the ticketing system alone can feel like it needs its own rulebook, and prices swing massively depending on when and what you buy. Here's everything you need to know about dates, how the tickets actually work, what you should realistically expect to pay, and how to have a great day at Flushing Meadows without overspending.
Mark your calendar for Sunday 23 August through Sunday 13 September 2026. The opening week, running from 23–27 August, is Fan Week, when qualifying matches take place and the grounds have a more relaxed, festival-like feel. The real action of the main draw kicks off on Sunday 30 August with the first round of the men's and women's singles, and from there it's three straight weeks of knockout tennis. The women's singles final lands on Saturday 12 September, with the men's final closing things out the next day, Sunday 13 September.
Every match is played at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, tucked inside Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens, New York City. It's named after Billie Jean King, the tennis legend who spent much of her career fighting for equal pay and fair treatment for women in sport, which feels fitting given the venue's public-park roots. The good news for anyone staying in Manhattan is that it's a pretty easy trip out, especially by train.
General public sale for the 2026 US Open has already been and gone, so if you're only starting to plan now, you're most likely looking at resale rather than the initial ticket release. That's not a problem, but it does mean being a bit more careful about where you buy.
Your safest bet is Ticketmaster Verified Resale, which is the official resale marketplace for sold-out sessions and lets fans who can no longer attend list their tickets securely. It's still run through USOpen.org and Ticketmaster, so you get the same protections as a standard purchase. Another route worth looking at is official hospitality packages, offered through partners like On Location, which typically bundle premium seating with extras like lounge access or dining.
Whichever route you go, tickets still come in the same tiers depending on where you'll be sitting:
You'll also need to choose your session. Day sessions open the gates at 9:30am and run through the daytime schedule, while evening sessions start at 6pm and are sold as a completely separate ticket – buying one doesn't get you into the other. And a practical heads-up: entry is entirely digital, managed through the official US Open app, so a screenshot or printout of your ticket won't work at the gate.
If you're hoping to buy from official channels for future tournaments, it's worth setting up an account on USOpen.org ahead of time, since presales and initial releases are only open to registered users.
This is one of those "it depends" answers, and it's even more true now that public sale has closed and resale is the main way in. Grounds passes and outer-court tickets from that first week of the main draw are still the most wallet-friendly option relative to a stadium seat, but expect resale prices to run higher than the original face value, since you're now paying whatever the market will bear rather than the initial release price. Reserved seats inside Arthur Ashe Stadium sit at the top end, and prices only climb further as the tournament progresses, peaking around the quarterfinals, semifinals and finals.
If you're keeping an eye on your budget, Ticketmaster Verified Resale is worth checking regularly, as prices can fluctuate and sometimes drop closer to the date. Just steer clear of unauthorised resale sites promising a bargain – if a price looks too good to be true on a marketplace outside USOpen.org or Ticketmaster, it usually is.
If this is your first US Open, do yourself a favour and lean towards week one of the main draw. A single grounds ticket lets you wander between dozens of matches happening at the same time across the outer courts, often including some genuinely top-seeded players in their early rounds – it's a brilliant way to soak up a lot of tennis for one ticket price. Compare that to the quarterfinal or semifinal sessions later on, which are really built around one or two headline matches in a single stadium. Great if you have your heart set on seeing a specific player, but less exciting if you just want to experience as much of the tournament's energy as possible.
Not making it out to Queens this year? No problem. ESPN is the exclusive domestic broadcast partner in the US, covering the tournament wire-to-wire from the very first match to championship point. If you're watching from outside the US, coverage is handled by regional partners around the world, including Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland and Eurosport across much of the rest of Europe, alongside broadcasters covering Asia-Pacific, Latin America and other regions. There's also a World Feed produced for global partners, offering ball-by-ball coverage across the singles, doubles, junior and wheelchair draws.
A Grand Slam is very much a once-a-year splurge for most people, but that doesn't mean live sport has to stay out of reach the rest of the time. Tickets for Good is a year-round platform built for healthcare workers, teachers and non-profit staff, offering free and heavily discounted tickets (+ booking fees) to live sports, music and entertainment across the US. So if the US Open doesn't quite fit the budget this year, it's worth taking a look at what's happening closer to home in the meantime.
Once you've decided on your session and ticket tier, don't sit on it too long, especially around the Labor Day weekend, which tends to be the busiest and priciest time to be in New York. Sort your travel and accommodation early, think about whether grounds access or a proper stadium seat suits the way you like to watch tennis, and you'll be in great shape for a smooth, enjoyable trip to Flushing Meadows!