Empire State vs Top of the Rock vs Edge vs Summit: NYC Decks

Prices side by side

Every figure below comes from the operator's own ticket page for its own deck, checked on 19 October 2026. All four publish "from" prices that move with the date and time you choose, so treat them as the floor, not the price of a Saturday sunset.

A few details change the arithmetic:

• Edge says its Advance Saver ticket saves up to 35% if you book at least 14 days ahead (Edge visit page). Two adults booked early pay from $68 plus $4 in fees, against $84 plus $4 for standard tickets, with tax added at checkout.
• Top of the Rock shows its add-on tickets (The Beam or SKYLIFT with admission) from $62 online against $67 "in person" on the Rockefeller Center ticket page. Buying at the counter costs more.
• SUMMIT's ticket page shows two figures for each product, $44 and $39 for the basic SUMMIT Experience, without labelling which one applies when. Its visitors guide, last modified April 2026, lists $44 for adults (13+) and $38 for ages 6–12. Expect $44 for an adult and take any lower figure at checkout as a bonus.
• Empire State lists the 86th floor from $46 on its ticket page; its FAQ says children 6–12 and seniors 62+ get discounts, without amounts.

For two adults on the cheapest basic slot, that is $84 at Top of the Rock, $88 at Edge with fees, $91 at SUMMIT with its order fee and $92 at the Empire State's 86th floor. The difference between decks is small; the difference between a midday slot and sunset on the same deck can be larger.

Height, open air and what you actually see

Edge calls its sky deck the highest outdoor deck in the Western Hemisphere, at 1,100 feet on Level 100, with a glass floor and angled glass walls (Edge visit page). It is the one to choose if standing outside at height is the whole point.

The Empire State Building's FAQ puts the open-air 86th floor at 1,050 feet and the 102nd at 1,250 feet, enclosed and temperature-controlled. The 102nd is higher, but you are behind glass; the $35 jump from $46 to $81 buys height, not fresh air. Its observatories page calls the 86th floor "New York's most famous open-air observation deck".

Top of the Rock spreads over three floors with indoor and outdoor areas (Top of the Rock page). Rockefeller Center's own 2017 planning tips describe the 70th floor as open-air and set back from the edge rather than bordered by safety glass, and point to the morning light on the Empire State Building. That is the argument for this deck: you are looking at the Empire State rather than standing on it.

SUMMIT One Vanderbilt is about the experience as much as the view: three levels of mirrored, immersive art and Ascent, an external glass elevator that climbs 12 storeys above the main deck (SUMMIT visitors guide). The guide notes that Ascent may feel intense if you are afraid of heights.

Is sunset worth the extra?

None of the four publishes a fixed sunset surcharge. What they publish instead tells you the same thing:

• Edge's FAQ says prices vary by date, time and ticket type and rise as the visit date approaches; sunset is the most popular time and sells out quickly. It suggests arriving at least an hour before sunset.
• The Empire State's ticket guide names sunsets, weekends and holidays as peak times, and its FAQ says changing a booking to a sunset slot may cost extra.
• SUMMIT's visitors guide calls sunset the most popular time, with fewer crowds in the morning.

If the budget is tight, book a weekday morning on any deck at the starting price. If you want sunset, book it as soon as your date is fixed and arrive an hour early. A night slot after the crowds thin is the middle ground: Top of the Rock admits until 11:10 p.m. and SUMMIT until 10:30 p.m., both open daily until midnight.

Which deck suits you

For families, check the free age before buying: the Empire State admits under-6s free (FAQ), SUMMIT says ages 5 and under are free, and Edge's FAQ says the same in one answer but "under the age of 5" in another, so bring proof of age for a 5-year-old. Edge also says children under 12 must stay with an adult ticket holder.

Getting in: entrances, bags and timing

• Empire State Building: visitor entrance at 20 W 34th Street, ticket office at 12 W 34th Street; reservations for a specific time are required. Hours change through the season: 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. from 16 October to 1 November 2026, then 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. from 2 to 5 November (hours page). Allow at least an hour for the 86th floor, 1.5 to 2 hours for both decks.
• Top of the Rock: entrance on 50th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues (50 West 50th Street), open daily 8 a.m. to midnight. Food and drink are not permitted and there is a security checkpoint.
• Edge: entrance on Level 4 of The Shops & Restaurants at Hudson Yards; the 7 train to 34 St–Hudson Yards is closest. Arrive 10–15 minutes before your time; tickets stay valid 30 minutes after it. Allow 60–90 minutes.
• SUMMIT: entrance on the Main Concourse of Grand Central Terminal (45 E 42nd St), not through One Vanderbilt's main lobby. Open daily 8 a.m. to midnight (SUMMIT home page).

None of these decks is a place for a suitcase. The Empire State prohibits suitcases and carry-on luggage and has no lockers, and Edge has no luggage storage. If you are heading to a deck on arrival or checkout day, see luggage storage before hotel check-in. Subway fares to all four are paid by tap; check OMNY with a foreign card first.

Downtown, One World Observatory sits on the World Trade Center site, next to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, whose discounts page sells a package that includes it. If an evening deck slot runs into a show, the TKTS discount booth in Times Square stays open until 8 p.m.