Chicago sightseeing passes: worth it or not, by the numbers
We compare 5 passes for Chicago, from USD 99 to USD 289 for one adult. We set each one against the gate prices of 12 attractions, read on their own pages in October 2026.
For our 5 first visit picks over 3 days, no pass reaches Worth it for 2 adults; the closest, Chicago C3, saves USD 2 (under 1% of the gate total).
Our 5 first visit picks
- Skydeck Chicago
- Art Institute of Chicago
- Field Museum
- Shoreline Sightseeing Architecture River Tour
- Griffin Museum of Science and Industry
2 adults, 3 days at a packed pace: USD 331.90 at the gate.
Chicago C3 comes first
Ranked 1 of 5 for this plan
Pass USD 218 still at the gate USD 111.90
USD 2 less than the gate, under 1% of the gate total, for this plan
Prices checked October 2026. Every pass on this plan: the plans table.
- Passes
- 5
- One adult pays
- USD 99 to USD 289
- Attractions priced
- 12
- Prices checked
- October 2026
The 5 Chicago passes at a glance
Adult and child prices for one person, in USD, from each seller's page in October 2026. The last column counts the attractions each pass includes that carry a published gate price in our data.
| Pass | Type | Options | Adult | Child | Priced attractions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago CityPASS | Choice of attractions | 3 picks, valid 9 days | USD 144 | USD 114, child 3 to 11 | 7 of 7 |
| Chicago C3 | Choice of attractions | 3 picks, valid 9 days | USD 109 | USD 79, child 3 to 11 | 7 of 8 |
| Go City Chicago Essentials Pass | Choice of attractions | 3 picks, valid 30 days | USD 99 | USD 69, child 3 to 12 | 6 of 7 |
| Go City Chicago Explorer Pass | Choice of attractions | 3 to 7 picks, valid 30 days | USD 109 to USD 189 | USD 79 to USD 129, child 3 to 12 | 9 of 10 |
| Go City Chicago All-Inclusive Pass | All-inclusive by days | Valid 1 to 5 days | USD 149 to USD 289 | USD 109 to USD 229, child 3 to 12 | 9 of 10 |
Every pass against three plans
The same group for each plan: 2 adults, no children, a packed pace of up to 4 visits a day. The engine picks the option of each pass that fits, then sets it against the gate total. Rows follow the 5 things result: verdict first, then the saving.
2 things
Skydeck Chicago and Art Institute of Chicago. 2 adults, 3 days at a packed pace. At the gate: USD 128 for the group.
5 things
Skydeck Chicago, Art Institute of Chicago, Field Museum, Shoreline Sightseeing Architecture River Tour and Griffin Museum of Science and Industry. 2 adults, 3 days at a packed pace. At the gate: USD 331.90 for the group.
Everything: 12 things
Skydeck Chicago, Art Institute of Chicago, Field Museum, Shoreline Sightseeing Architecture River Tour, Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago Architecture Center River Cruise aboard Chicago’s First Lady, Big Bus Chicago Discover Ticket, Shoreline Sightseeing Skyline Lake Tour, 360 CHICAGO Observation Deck, Adler Planetarium, Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago and Chicago Architecture Center. 2 adults, 3 days at a packed pace. At the gate: USD 789.90 for the group.
| Pass | 2 things | 5 things | Everything: 12 things |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago C3 | Skip itUSD 90 more3 attractions | Close callsaves USD 23 attractions | Close callsaves USD 23 attractions |
| Go City Chicago Explorer Pass | Skip itUSD 154 more3 attractions | Close callUSD 0.10 more4 attractions | Worth itsaves USD 109.907 attractions |
| Chicago CityPASS | Skip itUSD 160 more2 fixed plus 3 choices | Close callUSD 8 more2 fixed plus 3 choices | Close callUSD 8 more2 fixed plus 3 choices |
| Go City Chicago All-Inclusive Pass | Skip itUSD 234 more1 day | Close callUSD 30.10 more1 day | Worth itsaves USD 103.903 days |
| Go City Chicago Essentials Pass | Skip itUSD 134 more3 attractions | Skip itUSD 54.10 more3 attractions | Close callUSD 4.10 more3 attractions |
Prices checked October 2026. US gate prices are before sales tax. Worth The Pass compares published prices on the date shown. Passes change what they include; check the seller's page before you buy.
2 pairs of passes side by side
Pairs a visitor is likely to weigh against each other, each against the same plans and with both inclusion lists in one table.
- Chicago CityPASS vs Go City Chicago Explorer Pass6 priced on both
- Chicago C3 vs Go City Chicago Essentials Pass6 priced on both
Your own Chicago plan
Our 5 first visit picks are ticked to start: our choice for a first visit, not a visitor ranking. Change the ticks, the days, the adults and each child's age, and every pass gets its own verdict for the things you ticked.
Chicago gate prices
Prices for one visitor from each attraction's own ticket page, in USD, checked October 2026. A price the page does not publish stays out of every total. US gate prices are before sales tax.
| Attraction | Adult | Child | In these passes | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shoreline Sightseeing Architecture River TourFirst visit pick | USD 46 | Free under 3; other child prices not published | CityPASS, C3, Go City Essentials, Go City Explorer and Go City All-Inclusive | Tickets for Shoreline Sightseeing Architecture River Tour (opens in a new tab) |
| Art Institute of ChicagoFirst visit pick | USD 32 | USD 26, youth 14 to 17; free under 14 | CityPASS and C3 | Tickets for Art Institute of Chicago (opens in a new tab) |
| Skydeck ChicagoFirst visit pick | USD 32from | USD 24, child 3 to 11; free under 3 | CityPASS, C3, Go City Essentials, Go City Explorer and Go City All-Inclusive | Tickets for Skydeck Chicago (opens in a new tab) |
| Field MuseumFirst visit pick | USD 30from | Free under 3; other child prices not published | CityPASS, C3, Go City Essentials, Go City Explorer and Go City All-Inclusive | Tickets for Field Museum (opens in a new tab) |
| Griffin Museum of Science and IndustryFirst visit pick | USD 25.95 | USD 14.95, child 3 to 11 | CityPASS, C3, Go City Essentials, Go City Explorer and Go City All-Inclusive | Tickets for Griffin Museum of Science and Industry (opens in a new tab) |
| Chicago Architecture Center River Cruise aboard Chicago’s First Lady | USD 57from | Child price not published | In no pass | Tickets for Chicago Architecture Center River Cruise aboard Chicago’s First Lady (opens in a new tab) |
| Big Bus Chicago Discover Ticket | USD 49from, online price | Child price not published | Go City Explorer and Go City All-Inclusive | Tickets for Big Bus Chicago Discover Ticket (opens in a new tab) |
| Shoreline Sightseeing Skyline Lake Tour | USD 34 | USD 13, child 3 to 12; free under 3 | Go City Explorer and Go City All-Inclusive | Tickets for Shoreline Sightseeing Skyline Lake Tour (opens in a new tab) |
| 360 CHICAGO Observation Deck | USD 27from, online price | Child price not published | CityPASS, C3, Go City Essentials, Go City Explorer and Go City All-Inclusive | Tickets for 360 CHICAGO Observation Deck (opens in a new tab) |
| Adler Planetarium | USD 25from | Child price not published | CityPASS, C3, Go City Essentials, Go City Explorer and Go City All-Inclusive | Tickets for Adler Planetarium (opens in a new tab) |
| Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago | USD 22 | Free for every child, under 19 | Go City Explorer and Go City All-Inclusive | Tickets for Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (opens in a new tab) |
| Chicago Architecture Center | USD 15 | Child price not published | In no pass | Tickets for Chicago Architecture Center (opens in a new tab) |
| Centennial Wheel at Navy Pier | Price not published | Child price not published | C3, Go City Essentials, Go City Explorer and Go City All-Inclusive | Tickets for Centennial Wheel at Navy Pier (opens in a new tab) |
| Lincoln Park Zoo | Free admission | Free admission | In no pass | No ticket sold |
| Millennium Park | Free admission | Free admission | In no pass | No ticket sold |
Worth The Pass may earn a commission when you buy through links on this page. It never changes the math or the ranking.
Questions about Chicago passes
What is the cheapest sightseeing pass in Chicago?
The lowest adult price among the 5 passes we compare is Go City Chicago Essentials Pass at USD 99 for the 3 attractions option. The highest is Go City Chicago All-Inclusive Pass at USD 289 for 5 days. Prices checked October 2026. A low price pays off only when the pass covers enough of your own plan.
Is a sightseeing pass worth it in Chicago?
For Skydeck Chicago, Art Institute of Chicago, Field Museum, Shoreline Sightseeing Architecture River Tour and Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, with 2 adults, 3 days at a packed pace, the gate total is USD 331.90. No pass comes out Worth it for this plan. 4 passes land within 10% of the gate total; the closest is Chicago C3, which saves USD 2 (under 1% of the gate total). A different list can change the answer, so tick your own in the calculator on this page.
Which Chicago attractions are not in any pass?
Chicago Architecture Center River Cruise aboard Chicago’s First Lady and Chicago Architecture Center are in none of the 5 passes we compare, so you pay at the gate whichever pass you buy. Adult gate prices: Chicago Architecture Center River Cruise aboard Chicago’s First Lady USD 57 and Chicago Architecture Center USD 15.
Do Chicago sightseeing passes have child prices?
All 5 passes publish a reduced price for children: Chicago CityPASS (child 3 to 11), Chicago C3 (child 3 to 11), Go City Chicago Essentials Pass (child 3 to 12), Go City Chicago Explorer Pass (child 3 to 12) and Go City Chicago All-Inclusive Pass (child 3 to 12). Enter each child's age in the calculator to see the band that applies.
When were the Chicago prices checked?
We read every Chicago pass and gate price on the seller's and the attraction's own pages in October 2026: 5 passes and 15 attractions, from 25 source pages. Each price on this page is in USD.