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.
Tennis's late-summer Grand Slam in Queens
The US Open is the fourth and final tennis Grand Slam of the year, played on hard courts at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park, Queens. The main draw runs about two weeks from late August into early September and ends around Labor Day; in 2026 it ran from August 30 to September 13. A free Fan Week, with the qualifying tournament, comes the week before.
The site has three stadiums with reserved seating and many smaller courts:
- Arthur Ashe Stadium, 23,771 seats, the largest tennis stadium in the world, with a retractable roof added in 2016.
- Louis Armstrong Stadium, about 14,000 seats (sources list 14,053 and 14,061), opened in 2018 with its own retractable roof.
- The Grandstand, 8,125 seats, opened in 2016.
- The field courts, including Court 17, a 2,800-seat sunken court nicknamed "The Pit."
The tournament draws enormous crowds; attendance passed 1.1 million in 2025.
Grounds passes vs. reserved stadium seats
US Open Tennis Championships tickets are sold by session, and each ticket type opens a different set of doors. Getting this right is most of the decision. As described for the 2026 tournament:
- Grounds pass: first-come, first-served general admission to the general admission areas of Louis Armstrong Stadium, the Grandstand, the field courts and the grounds. It does not admit you to Arthur Ashe Stadium.
- Arthur Ashe Stadium ticket: a reserved seat in Ashe for that session, plus general admission access to the other courts.
- Louis Armstrong Stadium ticket: a reserved seat in Armstrong, plus general admission to the Grandstand and field courts.
- Grandstand ticket: a reserved seat in the Grandstand, plus general admission to Armstrong and the field courts. Grandstand reserved seats are sold for day sessions only.
A common misunderstanding is that a grounds pass is a cheaper way into the big matches. It is a way into a great deal of tennis, but never into Ashe, where the top seeds and marquee night matches are usually scheduled. Armstrong's upper level has traditionally been general admission, though the US Open converted several upper sections to reserved seating starting in 2024, so the general admission share is smaller than it was. An Ashe ticket is therefore the most flexible ticket on the grounds: it guarantees a seat in the main stadium and still lets you wander.
Day sessions, night sessions and when demand peaks
Each day of the main draw is split into sessions:
- Day sessions run from the park's opening until about 6 p.m., with matches starting between 11 a.m. and noon. They are sold for all three stadiums.
- Evening sessions run from about 6 p.m. to close, with play starting around 7 p.m. They are held only in Arthur Ashe and Louis Armstrong.
Demand follows the draw. The first week offers the most tennis per ticket, with dozens of matches across the grounds, and a grounds pass on an early-round day is the best-value way to see top players up close on smaller courts. Night sessions in Ashe draw strong demand throughout because they feature the biggest names in a prime-time slot. Demand climbs steeply in the second week as the field narrows to the quarterfinals, semifinals and finals, and the singles finals on the final weekend are the hardest tickets. Resale prices can sit above or below face value and move with the draw: a popular player advancing can lift a session overnight, and an early upset can soften it.
Fan Week, the week before the main draw, is free to enter with a Fan Access Pass as of 2026 and includes the qualifying tournament. It is a low-commitment way to see the grounds and practice courts.
Where to sit in Arthur Ashe Stadium
Ashe is vast, and seat choice there matters more than at any other court on the grounds. The stadium has four main tiers:
- Courtside (sections 1 to 7, 14 to 24 and 60 to 67), at court level.
- Loge (sections 101 to 136), the lower bowl.
- A mid level on the west side (sections 47 to 58).
- Promenade (sections 301 to 340), the upper level.
Baseline over sideline
Tennis reads best from behind the baseline, where you can see depth, spin and court positioning the way television shows it. Sideline seats near the net put you closer to the players' chairs but turn your head on every rally.
The Promenade trade-off
Promenade seats are the most attainable way into Ashe, and the back rows sit under the fixed portion of the roof, which keeps them shaded. They are also a long way from the court; players look small, and many fans bring binoculars or watch the video boards. If you want to feel close to the tennis, an Armstrong lower-bowl seat often beats an Ashe upper-level seat.
Sun and shade at day sessions
Day sessions begin in late morning, so shade patterns are the reverse of an evening ballgame. According to a 2026 shade guide, the south baseline Loge sections (126 to 136 and 101 to 103) stay shaded all day, the west sideline sections 47 to 58 move into shade after about 2 p.m., and sections 108 to 122 and courtside 14 to 24 get direct sun. Late August in New York can be hot and humid, so this matters. The open roof provides little shade over the lower seats; it is designed for rain.
Seats at Armstrong, the Grandstand and the outer courts
The smaller venues are where a grounds pass earns its value. Armstrong's upper level is much closer to the court than Ashe's Promenade, and top seeds are regularly scheduled there in the first week. At Armstrong, seats on the west side start the first match in the sun and move into shade after a few sets. Louis Armstrong Stadium has its own guide on GoodSeats with more detail on its layout.
The Grandstand is an intimate 8,125-seat stadium that hosts strong early-round matches. The field courts put you a few feet from the players, and Court 17, the sunken court known as The Pit, adds a small-stadium feel.
Two cautions. General admission seating at Armstrong and the Grandstand can fill well before a marquee match, so arrive early or plan around it. And a rain delay stops play on the open courts but not in Ashe or Armstrong, whose roofs close for rain; a reserved seat under one of those roofs is the safest bet on a stormy forecast.
Getting to Flushing Meadows and getting in
Public transit is the easiest way to reach the tennis center. The Mets–Willets Point station, served by the 7 subway line and the Long Island Rail Road's Port Washington Branch, is a short walk from the gates. Driving and parking near the park on a busy tournament day is slow, and Citi Field next door shares the area.
A few practical points:
- If your tickets are mobile, load them before you reach the gate.
- Bag rules are strict and change from year to year, so check the current list of permitted and prohibited items on the US Open's official site before you go.
- For a day session, plan on sun protection and water; for a night session, plan on a late finish and a crowded ride home.
Every GoodSeats order is backed by a 100% guarantee.
A short history of the US Open
The championship was first played in August 1881 at Newport, Rhode Island. It moved to the West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, Queens, in 1915, and to its current home in Flushing Meadows in 1978.
The tournament has led the sport on several fronts. It was the first major to use the tiebreak, in 1970, and in 1973 it became the first Grand Slam to pay men and women equal prize money. Arthur Ashe, for whom the main stadium is named, won the first US Open of the professional era in 1968. Ashe Stadium opened in 1997, gained its roof in 2016, and a rebuilt Louis Armstrong Stadium followed in 2018. Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka won the 2025 singles titles.
Frequently asked questions
Does a US Open grounds pass get you into Arthur Ashe Stadium?
No. A grounds pass covers general admission areas of Louis Armstrong Stadium, the Grandstand and the field courts, but not Arthur Ashe Stadium. You need an Ashe ticket for that session.
What does an Arthur Ashe Stadium ticket include?
A reserved seat in Ashe for that session plus general admission access to the other courts on the grounds.
When is the US Open played?
The main draw runs about two weeks from late August into early September, around Labor Day. A free Fan Week with qualifying matches comes the week before.
What is the difference between day and night sessions?
Day sessions run from opening to about 6 p.m. across all stadiums. Night sessions start around 7 p.m. and are held only in Arthur Ashe and Louis Armstrong stadiums.
Where are the shaded seats in Arthur Ashe Stadium?
A 2026 shade guide lists the south baseline Loge sections 126 to 136 and 101 to 103 as shaded all day, with the back rows of the Promenade shaded by the fixed roof.
How do you get to the US Open by public transit?
Take the 7 subway or the LIRR Port Washington Branch to Mets–Willets Point, a short walk from the tennis center.