Upcoming US Open Tennis Championships dates
Dates and live ticket listings appear here as soon as they are on sale. The guide below covers what to know before you buy.
Pick the ticket type before the seat
The first decision at the US Open is which door your ticket opens, because the entry-level option does not reach the biggest court. A grounds pass never admits you to Arthur Ashe Stadium, where the top seeds and the marquee night matches usually play. If seeing those players is the goal, buy an Ashe ticket; it also lets you roam the rest of the grounds. If you want the most tennis for the least money, a first-week grounds pass is hard to beat.
Once you are in Ashe, the best seat for most fans is behind the baseline in the Loge (the lower bowl), on the south end for shade during day sessions. The tournament runs about two weeks around Labor Day at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens; in 2026 the main draw ran August 30 to September 13.
What each ticket unlocks
Per the 2026 ticket descriptions:
- Grounds pass: first-come general admission to Louis Armstrong Stadium's general admission areas, the Grandstand, the field courts and the grounds. No Ashe.
- Arthur Ashe Stadium: your reserved Ashe seat for the session, plus general admission everywhere else.
- Louis Armstrong Stadium: a reserved Armstrong seat, plus general admission to the Grandstand and field courts.
- Grandstand: a reserved Grandstand seat, plus general admission to Armstrong and the field courts. Sold for day sessions only.
Armstrong's upper deck was long the general admission refuge for grounds-pass holders, but starting in 2024 several upper sections became reserved, so there is less of it than before.
Ashe tier by tier, with the shade map
- Courtside (sections 1–7, 14–24 and 60–67): court level. The closest view on site.
- Loge (101–136): the lower bowl and the sweet spot for most buyers.
- West mid level (47–58): between the Loge and the upper deck on the west sideline.
- Promenade (301–340): the upper level, the easiest way into Ashe and a long way from the court.
Baseline or sideline
Sit behind a baseline if you can. From there you read depth, spin and court position the way the TV feed shows them. Sideline seats near the net bring you close to the players' chairs but make you swivel on every rally.
Where the sun falls
Day play starts in late morning. A 2026 shade guide puts the south baseline Loge (126–136 and 101–103) in shade all day, along with Promenade 329–340 and 301–303. The west sideline (47–58) turns shady after about 2 p.m. Sections 108–122 and courtside 14–24 sit in direct sun. The roof is there for rain, not shade, so its open panels do little for the lower bowl, and late August in New York is often hot and humid.
Is the Promenade worth it?
It gets you into Ashe and its back rows are shaded by the fixed roof, but players look small; plan on binoculars or the video boards. If closeness matters more than the venue, a lower Armstrong seat often beats a high Ashe one.
Seats to think twice about
For a hot day session, the sun-exposed Loge run from 108 to 122 and courtside 14 to 24 can be draining by mid-afternoon; bring a hat or pick the south end. For a night session, sun is irrelevant, so sideline-versus-baseline and distance become the only questions, and the Promenade loses its shade advantage.
Armstrong, the Grandstand and Court 17
The smaller stadiums are where a grounds pass pays off.
- Louis Armstrong Stadium: about 14,000 seats (sources give 14,053 and 14,061), opened in 2018 with its own retractable roof. Its upper level is far closer to the court than Ashe's Promenade, and top seeds play here often in week one. West-side seats begin the first match in sun and move into shade a few sets in.
- The Grandstand: 8,125 seats, opened in 2016, with strong early-round matches in an intimate bowl.
- Court 17: a sunken 2,800-seat court nicknamed "The Pit."
- Field courts: you sit a few feet from the players.
General admission seats at Armstrong and the Grandstand can fill long before a big match, so arrive early. On a stormy forecast, remember that rain halts play on the open courts but not in Ashe or Armstrong, whose roofs close.
Day vs. night, week one vs. week two
- Day sessions: from opening to about 6 p.m., first matches between 11 a.m. and noon, in all three stadiums.
- Night sessions: from about 6 p.m. to close, play around 7 p.m., in Ashe and Armstrong only.
Week one gives you the most matches per ticket, with play on dozens of courts. Night sessions in Ashe stay in demand all fortnight because they showcase the biggest names in prime time. Demand rises sharply in week two as the draw shrinks to quarterfinals, semifinals and finals, and the singles finals on the closing weekend are the hardest seats to get. Resale prices can sit above or below face value and react to the draw: a star advancing can lift a session overnight, and an early upset can cool one.
The week before the main draw is Fan Week. As of 2026, entry was free with a Fan Access Pass and included the qualifying tournament.
Travel to Queens and gate tips
Take the train. The Mets–Willets Point station, on the 7 subway line and the LIRR Port Washington Branch, is a short walk from the gates. Driving on a busy day is slow, and Citi Field shares the neighborhood.
- Load mobile tickets before you reach the gate.
- Bag rules are strict and change year to year; check the permitted-items list on usopen.org before you go.
- For day sessions, bring sun protection and water. For night sessions, expect a late finish and crowded trains.
Reserved Seat orders are backed by a 100% guarantee.
How Newport led to Flushing Meadows
The championship began in August 1881 in Newport, Rhode Island, moved to the West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, Queens, in 1915, and settled in Flushing Meadows in 1978. It was the first major to adopt the tiebreak, in 1970, and in 1973 the first Grand Slam to pay men and women equally. Arthur Ashe, the stadium's namesake, won the first open-era US Open in 1968. His stadium opened in 1997 and added its roof in 2016; the Grandstand arrived the same year, and a rebuilt Louis Armstrong Stadium followed in 2018. Attendance topped 1.1 million in 2025, when Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka took the singles titles.
Frequently asked questions
Can a grounds pass get me into Arthur Ashe Stadium?
No. A grounds pass covers general admission at Louis Armstrong Stadium, the Grandstand and the field courts. Ashe requires a ticket for that stadium and session.
Which Arthur Ashe seats are best for a day session?
The south baseline Loge sections, 126 to 136 and 101 to 103, combine a baseline view with all-day shade according to a 2026 shade guide.
Are Promenade seats at Ashe too far away?
They are distant and players look small, but they get you into the main stadium and the back rows are shaded. A lower seat at Louis Armstrong often feels closer to the tennis.
Do night sessions use every stadium?
No. Night sessions, starting around 7 p.m., are held only in Arthur Ashe and Louis Armstrong stadiums.
What happens to my ticket if it rains?
Ashe and Armstrong have retractable roofs that close for rain, so play continues there. Matches on the open courts stop until the weather clears.
Is the qualifying week free?
As of 2026, Fan Week entry was free with a Fan Access Pass and included the qualifying tournament.