There is still time before the first ball of the 2026 US Open main draw is struck, but one competition surrounding the year's final Grand Slam is already well underway.

Getting through the gates.

Demand for tickets at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center has surged again this summer, and fans hoping to watch the world's best players in New York are discovering that some of this year's prices have climbed well beyond what they encountered in 2025.

The rush was apparent almost immediately.

When the American Express presale opened in May, one prospective buyer shared a screenshot showing more than 430,000 people ahead of them in the virtual queue for the men's singles final, according to Front Office Sports. Another fan reported seeing seats that cost $600 last year listed at $2,400 for the same location in 2026.

Those are individual examples rather than a tournament-wide price comparison, but they illustrate just how fierce the race for a seat has become.

And with the US Open approaching, the secondary market isn't exactly offering much relief.

US Open Tickets Are Becoming a Hotter Commodity

The US Open has been building toward this moment.

More than 1 million fans attended the event in both 2024 and 2025, setting attendance records, and the tournament described itself as the "hottest ticket in town" while announcing its 2026 on-sale dates.

Now the prices are beginning to reflect that status.

As of this week, TickPick listings for the opening day of main-draw play on Aug. 30 started around $376 for an Arthur Ashe Stadium day session, while a grounds pass started around $262. Grandstand tickets for the same day were listed from approximately $396. Those are secondary-market prices and can fluctuate as inventory and demand change.

The US Open also uses dynamic pricing for single-session tickets, meaning prices can move according to market demand. The USTA has separately advised ticket holders that prices could increase in certain seating areas in 2026 to reflect market value.

There are still less expensive ways into portions of the tournament. Prices vary considerably by date, stadium and session, and inventory can change quickly as the event approaches.

But the broader picture is difficult to miss: New York's Grand Slam has become an increasingly coveted live-sports ticket.

A Star-Studded US Open Is Driving Plenty of Interest

It isn't hard to understand the appetite.

The US Open annually delivers one of tennis' deepest collections of stars, with defending champions Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka among the biggest names expected back in New York this summer.

The tournament has also expanded the experience surrounding the main draw. This year's calendar includes additional events before first-round singles play, further turning the US Open into a multiweek destination rather than simply a tennis tournament.

For fans who want to be inside Arthur Ashe Stadium when the biggest matches arrive, however, waiting could come with a price.

The US Open has broken attendance records in consecutive years. If the early ticket frenzy is any indication, 2026 may be poised to push the appetite for tennis in New York even further.

And this year, fans may have to pay accordingly.