The end of an entrepreneurial adventure
Sightseeing Pass, an American company specializing in tourist passes founded in New York in 2016, announced on June 19, 2025, the permanent suspension of its operations. This sudden decision marks the end of a company that employed around 20 people and offered passes to visit New York. The Flex Pass, the company’s flagship product, provided access to nearly 70 attractions, monuments, and tours in the city that never sleeps. Although the company mentions on its website that it hopes to resume operations, this prospect seems unrealistic given the circumstances of the shutdown.
Relentless competition proves fatal for the company
The disappearance of Sightseeing Pass illustrates the fierce competition in the New York tourist pass market. The company was unable to compete with its two main well-established rivals: CityPass, which markets the New York City Pass and the Pass C3, and the alliance formed by the Explorer Pass and the New York Pass, now united under the same banner. This fierce commercial war proved too much for Sightseeing Pass, which offered its services in around 15 cities, mainly in the United States but also in London and Paris. The closure of operations affects all of these destinations, leaving pass holders unable to use them at any of the partner attractions.
The city of New York is a coveted city for tourists, who come every year from all over the world to discover its monuments, which are usually present in all the films and series produced in the United States. New York arouses the curiosity of visitors and pushes them to always want to discover more.
That’s why for a few years now, you can find on the market companies that offer passes to save on access to various attractions but also to all the activities that New Yorkers do regularly. The unlimited PASS offers the possibility to reduce the initial budget by choosing the attractions in advance but also to avoid the numerous lines.
There are so many wonders in the city that it would be impossible to see them all, which is why the PASS will allow you to do as many things as possible in the shortest time possible. The SightSeeing DAY PASS (official website) is therefore the most suitable tool for the most curious and passionate tourists.
What is the base price of a SightSeeing PASS and how is it defined?
The SightSeeing PASS represents a certain budget that will ultimately be cheaper than paying the full price for each entry.
The factors that go into setting the price are listed below in some detail:
- The model of PASS, since there are two of them that have different prices depending on the age of the person concerned.
- The duration of validity, the more days you take a pass, the more the daily price decreases.
As for the details on the prices, you can find all the formulas available for the SightSeeing DAY PASS. You will find information about the costs below for the validity of :
$154 / adult
$129 / child
$229 / adult
$184 / child
$299 / adult
$220 / child
$339 / adult
$250 / child
$379 / adult
$264 / child
$409 / adult
$270 / child
$439 / adult
$280 / child
$489 / adult
$329 / child
Below is an example of how much you would spend on a 3 to a 4-day tour of New York City without a pass, approximately $390. If you purchase a Sightseeing pass you will pay a one-time fee of $199 for the 3-day tour.
Savings made
In this case, purchasing a Sightseeing Day Pass saves you $191.
What makes the SightSeeing PASS different from other passes?
The most important features and characteristics of the SightSeeing PASS, are quite numerous and that’s why users can benefit from several advantages whether it’s for the price, the time, or the validity.
The main details of the SightSeeing PASS will be presented in detail below:
- Several attractions are available via the PASS to make the most of the 80 or so activities.
- Hop-On Hop-Off buses allow you to visit the attractions in a bus with an audio guide.
- Save time by avoiding certain lines (Fast Track).
- The SightSeeing PASS can be used directly on your cell phone or tablet.
- Better budget management for the trip is possible thanks to the savings that the SightSeeing pass allows you to make.
- You can also choose the attractions as you go along so you don’t feel pressured at the beginning.
What are the best attractions available through the SightSeeing PASS?
The SightSeeing PASS offers you the opportunity to discover one of the most wonderful cities in the Americas and above all the possibility to do a variety of activities and visit world-famous attractions.
We have listed for you some of the most important attractions of a trip to New York, below:
- The 9/11 Memorial and Museum, to pay tribute to the victims of one of the deadliest attacks on American soil.
- The Intrepid Air & Space Museum is undoubtedly one of the most interesting places for aviation enthusiasts to discover the evolution of American aeronautics throughout history.
- The Top of The Rock, where you can admire the splendor of New York City through one of the most popular observatories not only for tourists but also for the city’s inhabitants.
- A visit to Little Italy, to immerse yourself in the Italian culture within New York City and discover the different characteristics of this European country.
- A cruise on the Circle Line, to marvel at the famous buildings while sitting on a boat with your family or friends.
- The Gulliver’s Gate, to discover a kind of miniature city and make you feel unique and unforgettable sensations.
- Madame Tussauds, is one of the most famous wax museums in the world today, where you can find sculptures of several real or fictional personalities from the American cinema or comics.
- The Statue of Liberty represents the masterpiece of New York City and attracts more and more visitors over the years to admire this architectural wonder.
- The Manhattan Tour will show you one of the most emblematic places in New York City with several interesting features including Business and Commerce.
- The New York Aquarium, with several special features about marine life and unique species, will immerse you in the oceans surrounding the globe.
- The Central Park and Bronx Zoo will undoubtedly provide you with an enriching experience to discover many exotic and continental animals.
- The National Geographic Encounter, where you can admire some of the world’s unique landscapes, will undoubtedly immerse you in natural history.
- The Museum of Modern Art will immerse you in the minds of great artists to discover some unique and wonderful works.
- The Greenwich Village Tour, where you will discover many of the most famous places in New York City and take full advantage of all the shopping features.
With the purchase of a SightSeeing PASS, a 200-page guide with all the available attractions and schedules is available to prepare your stay.
You will also find several stores that are in partnership with the companies that distribute the PASS so that you can do your shopping with the best prices on the market.
The restaurant business is also there, as several places offer interesting packages to customers to help them discover certain culinary specialties from all over the world with an emphasis on American gastronomy.
What are the different ways to acquire the SightSeeing PASS?
It is very easy to obtain this PASS since it is usually enough to place an order on the internet by entering some important information and making an online payment.
Once this step is completed, you will receive the PASS via an email that you can print or use directly on your cell phone by taking a screenshot for example.