US Open drawing criticism for price of ground passes, tickets

The US Open has long been one of New York’s hottest late-summer attractions. Unfortunately, attending this year’s tennis tournament could require a much bigger budget. As excitement builds for tennis’s final Grand Slam of 2026, soaring ticket prices are threatening to leave many fans on the outside.

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Ticket prices for the 2026 US Open are running well ahead of last year. Fans are pushing back on social media as the tournament approaches. The average get-in price sits at $311, compared to $262 at the same point in 2025.

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The presale for the 2026 tournament opened through the American Express window. One fan posted a screenshot on social media showing more than 430,000 people ahead of them in the queue for the men’s singles final at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Another fan said tickets for the same seats he bought last year jumped from $600 to $2,400. Fans in the queue called the prices “insane” on social media. Many pointed out that only resale tickets were left even though the sale had just started.

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The frustration is not limited to premium seats. The USTA raised its grounds pass face value from $60 to $65 this year. High demand has pushed resale prices on the secondary market to nearly $400. More than 1 million fans passed through the gates of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center last year. That made the event one of the most attended in the world. Rising secondary-market costs are making it harder for casual fans to attend.

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Fans compare US Open costs to other majors

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Several fans online have compared the US Open’s pricing to other Grand Slam events. One fan wrote that a Wimbledon grounds pass cost $40 last year. A US Open grounds pass is going for around $350 on resale markets this year. The current Wimbledon grounds pass sits between roughly $26 and $42, a price the All England Club has kept steady. A commenter in one thread also pointed out that the Australian Open charges about $49 for a grounds pass. A full week pass there costs less than a single day at the US Open.

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Some fans and commentators argue the tournament’s business model is part of the issue. The USTA reported $623.8 million in revenue in 2024, with most of it coming from the US Open. Rather than address the criticism directly, the USTA’s fan guidance points ticket buyers toward the resale market. They tell fans they can always secure a verified resale ticket through Ticketmaster since prices fluctuate with demand.

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Not everyone agrees the outrage is fully warranted. One fan pointed out that a day session pass to Arthur Ashe technically grants access to watch any match on the grounds. Meaning, the sticker price does not tell the whole story. A ticket reseller added that he had listed several Ashe sessions well below the average price and had not sold any.

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