The four decks at a glance
New York used to be a two deck town: the Empire State Building and Top of the Rock. In the last few years the skyline race exploded. The Edge opened in 2020, Summit One Vanderbilt in 2021, and Marquee Skydeck is the newest arrival drawing a wave of searches in 2026. Here is the honest comparison most ticket pages will not give you, because they only sell one deck.
| Deck | Height | Best for | Signature feature | From (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top of the Rock | 850 ft | The classic photo | Empire State + Central Park in frame | 40 |
| The Edge | 1,131 ft | Outdoor thrill | Open platform + angled glass floor | 43 |
| Summit One Vanderbilt | 1,100 ft | Art and mirrors | Mirrored rooms + glass-floor elevator | 46 |
| Marquee Skydeck | Midtown high-rise | Newest panorama | Fresh 360 deck, smaller crowds | 40 |
Top of the Rock: the photographer's pick
If you only do one deck and you want the postcard, this is it. Rockefeller Center sits north of the Empire State Building, so Top of the Rock is the single deck that frames the Empire State and Central Park in one shot. The viewing levels are open-air and uncrowded compared with the Empire State Building itself. The 2026 SKYLIFT and Beam add-ons push it into thrill territory too. Read the full breakdown in our Top of the Rock tickets guide.
Book the Top of the Rock VIP ticket with SKYLIFT and the Beam if you want the upgraded experience with the famous tilted-beam photo.
The Edge: the outdoor thrill
The Edge is the highest outdoor sky deck in the Western Hemisphere. The triangular platform juts 80 feet into open air with a glass floor in the centre, and the western orientation gives you the best sunset over the Hudson in the city. In 2026 it added The Shadow's Edge immersive room, covered in our Edge Hudson Yards tickets guide. Pick The Edge if fresh air and a real height thrill matter more than the perfect skyline frame.
Summit One Vanderbilt: the art experience
Summit is the least conventional of the four. Instead of a plain viewing platform you walk through mirrored rooms that reflect the sky and the city infinitely, ride a glass-floor elevator on the building exterior, and float silver balloons in a light-filled chamber. It is as much an art installation as an observation deck. Our Summit One Vanderbilt tickets guide explains the Ascent add-on and the best photo times.
Tickets: the Summit One Vanderbilt experience ticket covers the standard visit, and the skip-the-line premium experience with tour adds priority entry and a guide.
Marquee Skydeck: the newcomer
Marquee Skydeck is the deck driving a search spike in 2026. As the newest major panoramic deck in Midtown it offers a fresh 360 degree view and, for now, noticeably smaller crowds than the established trio. Because it is new, ticketing and combo options are still settling, so we keep a dedicated Marquee Skydeck tickets guide updated with how to visit and what it costs.
So which one should you book
- You want the iconic skyline photo: Top of the Rock. Nothing else frames the Empire State Building.
- You want a height thrill and fresh air: The Edge, for the open platform and glass floor.
- You want something surreal and photogenic indoors: Summit One Vanderbilt.
- You want the newest deck and fewer crowds: Marquee Skydeck.
- You are visiting several paid attractions: a multi-attraction pass like the Go City Explorer Pass works out cheaper across decks and museums.
One honest note. We are not the official ticket office for any of these decks. Each deck has its own official site, and you can always buy direct there. What we do is compare them side by side and link verified Viator listings so you can book skip-the-line entry and combo passes in one place.
Compare and book NYC observation decks
See current prices and skip-the-line tickets for every major Manhattan sky deck.
See Observation DecksFrequently asked questions
There is no single winner. Top of the Rock has the best skyline photo because it frames the Empire State Building and Central Park together. The Edge has the best outdoor thrill with its open platform and glass floor. Summit has the most artistic, immersive interior. Marquee Skydeck is the newest all-round panoramic option. Pick by what you value most.
The Edge is an outdoor experience with an angled glass floor and western Hudson sunset views. Summit is an indoor art experience with mirrored rooms and a glass-floor elevator. If you want fresh air and a thrill, choose Edge. If you want a surreal, photogenic interior, choose Summit. They are different enough that some visitors do both.
Top of the Rock. Because it sits at Rockefeller Center to the north of the Empire State Building, it is the only major deck that puts the Empire State and Central Park in the same frame. The Edge, Summit and Marquee all have great skylines but cannot photograph the Empire State as cleanly.
Yes, and many photographers do. A common combo is Top of the Rock at golden hour for the photo, then a second deck after dark for city lights. Budget 60 to 90 minutes per deck and book timed slots so you are not queueing twice.
General admission runs roughly 40 to 80 dollars depending on the deck and time slot. Sunset slots cost more and sell out earliest. Add-ons like Edge City Climb (185 dollars) or Summit Ascent sit on top of the base price. A multi-attraction pass is cheaper if you plan to visit several paid sites.
