US Open at the National Tennis Center
The USTA National Tennis Center is the host venue for the United States Open tournament. Arthur Ashe Stadium and Louis Armstrong Stadium are the two most well-known venues on the property. There are 22 tennis courts on the complex, and during the tournament they all serve some capacity but the top three courts are where the majority of the big matches take place. The best matches are at Ashe Stadium (aka: Court 1). The matches scheduled on Armstrong Stadium (aka: Court 2) also feature many of the top players. The Grandstand (Court 3) has some limited reserved seating for matches there during the first part of the tourney. Reserved seats are available in Ashe, Louie Armstrong and the Grandstand; although the later two also offer general admission seating. Grounds passes allow access to non-reserved areas of Louis Armstrong, the Grandstand and the other outer courts. The main court (Court 1) is located inside Arthur Ashe Stadium seats approximately 22,500 tennis fans, and requires a reserved ticket. The tournament is played on a hard-court surface and Ashe Stadium has a retractable roof which closes for inclement weather.
There are plenty of terrific options for tickets when you attend the US Open Tennis Tournament. Fans attending matches in Ashe Stadium will want to determine how elevated from the court they want to be and then choose either Court side seating, Loge seats or Promenade tickets. Another consideration is whether you want to sit on the side court, which offers nice views but keeps your head moving back-and-forth. The other option is for fans to sit behind the court, behind the end of the court behind where they serve. That end court option provides a straight-on view and is closer to the player in the near court. Fans attending a day session of the US Open should also consider whether they will sit in the sun which shines on the east side of the venue (e.g.- Sections 107-113). Fans who want to sit in shade during day sessions will want to find tickets on the west side of Arthur Ashe (e.g.- Sections 125-131).
Courtside Boxes
Courtside boxes are so close to the action that you can see every movement of the players on the court. These are the most popular seating area at the US Open tournament. Courtside level seats are located in Sections 1 to 67. Seats in this area are considered box seats because each box is enclosed by a set of railing. Most boxes accommodate 8 seats arranged across two rows. The row number is the same within each box, even though the seats are split over two rows. Only the seat numbers determine which seats are located in the forward row, and which are located in the behind row within the individual box. While most boxes do accommodate 8 ticket holders, there are some boxes in the corners of Ashe which may have fewer tickets within the box. The closest row to the court which fans can purchase varies between either being Row AA on the end of the court or Row A for side court seats. The Row A seats we offer are actually the 2nd row on the side as the USTA added (in 2021) a row in-front of their boxes for VIP guests which used to be area used by the photographers. Corners and seats behind the baseline all begin at row E. Row H is the last row in most sections, with some sections featuring accessible seats on row J, there is no row I.
Typical box Seating configuration with Seat Numbers.
- 1 2 3 4 (seat numbers for front row of box)
- 8 7 6 5 (seat numbers for back row of box)
- Note: seat numbers are not listed when a seller offers US Open tickets for sale, so fans purchasing Courtside seats online will be within the box in the first or second row of the box.
A court side box can be purchased a whole box (8 tickets), half box (4 tickets) or as individual tickets within a box (1, 2, 3, 5, 6, or 7 tickets). Many of our fans entertaining clients at the Open will purchase a half box (4 tickets) for multiple sessions. It is also common when you purchase more than a pair of contiguous seats to receive seat numbers in a piggyback configuration within the same box. Piggyback seats just mean one person sitting in the row in-front of the other.
Suite Level
There are hospitality suites that ring the court just above the Courtside Box seats. The suites are located between the Courtside level and Loge level.
Loge Level Seats
Loge level seats are one level up from the suites. The loge includes sections 101-136 with most of these sections containing rows A-N. Fans who want a special experience can purchase seats in Row A of the Loge Section which is the front row of the Loge. Sections 110 and 128 in the Loge are at midcourt, while Sections 118-120 and 136, 101-102 are behind the servers. A nice option in this area is Loge 134, which are in the corner and sometimes noticeably cheaper than Loge seats on the baseline. The shaded sections of the Loge seats are one the West side of the court where the Chair Umpire sits, and include Sections 124 to 134.
Promenade Seats
Promenade seats are the top level of the venue. The prom includes sections 301 to 340 and is the highest seating level in Ashe. It is one contiguous level with rows A-O classified as Lower Promenade and rows P-Z classified as Upper Promenade. Promenade tickets are the cheapest US Open tickets inside Ashe Stadium. For the day sessions, the seats on the East side of the Promenade are facing the sun (e.g.- Sections 308-314). For night sessions, bring a sweater or dress warm as it can be chilly in the higher rows of the Prom.
Pro tips
Promenade tickets can often be purchased at prices below the cost of grounds admission passes. Promenade tickets include full grounds access, so buy a prom seat instead of a grounds pass.
Sit on the West side of the stadium for day sessions to help you avoid the sun. Sections 329-333 and 124-134 often have great shade during day matches.
Do not sit directly behind the umpire's chair, which is located in-front of Courtside Sections 52 & 53 at Ashe Stadium.
Courtside Box ticket holders, or patrons with tickets in the luxury suites, have complimentary access to the Ace's Club or Championship Bar & Grill located inside Ashe Stadium. Same day seating in the Ace's Club is limited, so we strongly recommend you make a reservation 1-2 weeks prior to your session.
Best Seats in Arthur Ashe Stadium
Courtside 35 & 36:
The best views at Ashe Stadium may be behind the baseline, so we recommend Courtside 35 and 36. These sections are centered behind the baseline and are close to the action in the near court. There are only 8 rows in each section. A good view and easy entry/exit make Courtside 35 & 36 tickets a recommended seat at the US Open
Courtside 47:
Fans looking for a unique interaction with the players should sit in Courtside 47. The players walk right by Courtside 47 coming from the tunnel on their way into the stadium. Fans sitting in the first couple of rows sometimes have opportunities to receive autographs from players. The views from courtside are nice, but this section is all about seeing these tennis stars up close.
Loge 134:
The best section for fans wanting good seats on a budget is Loge 134. These loge corner seats are often noticeably cheaper than baseline seats, while offering almost the same quality of views. This section is also shaded for many of the day matches, and is much closer to the action than the cheaper seats in the promenade. Great prices, great views, and shade, make Loge 134 the top choice for bargain hunters looking for good seats.
Louis Armstrong Stadium
The 14,000 seat Louis Armstrong Stadium features a retractable roof and was designed with a louvered façades to maintain natural ventilation. Courtside seating (Sections 1-18) is reserved only and is available for sessions 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, and 15. General admission areas open to those with Grounds Admission is on the second level above the courtside seats. The midcourt tickets at Louie Armstong are Sections 5 and 14, which split the net. The umpires chair is located in-front of Section 5.
Grandstand at National Tennis Center
The Grandstand at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center is the third most important court of the tournament. Like Louis Armstrong courtside seating is reserved and there is a general admission area above the courtside level. The stadium is the coziest of the three main courts 8,125 capacity. The sections at the Grandstand include Sections 1-22. Sections 6, 7 and 17, 18 are the center court sections. The umpire's chair is located in-front of Sections 6 & 7.
Grounds Passes at US Open
US Open tennis tournament tickets marked as Grounds Admission Only are General Admission grounds passes. Grounds Passes allow fans access to watch the matches on the courts surrounding Arthur Ashe Stadium and in the upper-deck of Louis Armstrong Stadium. Grounds admission passes do not provide entry to Arthur Ashe Stadium or the lower-level reserved seats at Louis Armstrong Stadium. However fans who purchase US Open tickets to Arthur Ashe Stadium do have the same grounds access as patrons with Grounds Passes are provided.
Grounds Passes are the typically the least expensive way to attend the US Open Tennis Tournament (although Promenade seats can sometimes be cheaper). Tennis fans who want cheap US Open tickets will want to consider grounds passes, although they are only available to purchase for a limited number of days. US Open Grounds Passes are available for the first eight day sessions of the tournament, but not on the sessions after that.
US Open Tennis Tournament FAQs
What are the most popular US Open sessions?
Most fans choose to attend multiple days to make the experience more substantial. The most popular sessions for fans are the championship session: Session 25 is the Men's Final and Session 24 is the Women's Final. Session 23, Session 22 and Session 21 are also hugely popular as they include the Men's Semifinals and Women's Semifinals. In our opinion, it's hard to beat attending Session 21 where you will see both Women's Semifinals plus some of the Doubles Semifinal action on the outer courts. The early sessions of the tourney are popular because they are less expensive and insure that you get to see the big name tennis stars. Day sessions can often squeeze in more tennis action, while the evening sessions are often earmarked for the marquee players.
What are the shaded sections in Arthur Ashe Stadium?
The sections on the East side of the Stadium are going to face the sun, and be in total sun for the duration of the day sessions. That means the sections on the West side of stadium will have shade during the day sessions. If you want to sit in the shade at the US Open then consider Sections 324-335 in the Promenade, while also considering Sections 336-301 on the end which stay predominantly in the shade. The Loge sections in the shade at Arthur Ashe Stadium include Sections 124-134 and some parts of Sections 135-103 on the end. An easy way to remember this is to sit on the same side as the Chair Umpire.
What times do the gates open for a day session?
The day matches at the US Open will typically begin at Noon, with the gates opening as early as 10am. Make sure to check the schedule on the day of your session, as these times are subject to change.
What times do the gates open for an evening session?
For evening matches that being at 7pm, the gates are typically open by 6pm.
What is the best way to get to the US Open?
The US Open is played on the grounds of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, which is in Queens, New York. From Manhattan, you can either take the #7 subway train, the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), or use a car service. The train drops off at Mets Willet Point a short walk from the tennis center. Many fans prefer to purchase a US Open parking pass and drive to the Open. The 3 more popular parking lots are Lot A (right next to Arthur Ashe), Lot H and Lot F (the cheapest). Another option is to take a car service or ride share (Uber or Lyft), but if you do this make sure you pre-arrange transportation home because many fans have felt frustrated trying to secure an Uber/Lyft to pick them up after a night session at the Open.
What are the best food & drinks at the US Open?
There are a wide variety of food & beverage options on the grounds of the USTA National Tennis Center. The nicest options are the Aces Club (seafood/sushi) or Championship Bar & Grill (chop house) inside Arthur Ashe Stadium. Ace's offer patrons access to purchase premium food and beverages. Fans with Courtside Box seats, or sitting in the luxury suites, have complimentary access. Fans in the Loge can purchase an Ace's Club pass. The Ace's Club is located on the East Side of Ashe Stadium. Same day seating in the Ace's Club is limited, so we strongly recommend you make a reservation 1-2 weeks prior to your session. You do that by calling the Ace's Club directly. The signature drink at the US Open Tennis Tournament is the Honey Deuce. Every year there are over 400,000 Honey Deuce cocktails are sold. The price varies by year, but as recently as 2023 it was priced at $22.00.