Travel experts at Omio have analyzed 70 of the world’s most popular observation decks and their entrance fees, revealing the best and most affordable views for budget-conscious travelers. The study includes 8 of the most popular viewing decks in the United States.
- The observation deck on top of the Willis Tower in Chicago offers the best deal for money in the US.
- The “Top of Africa” in Johannesburg offers the best view for money worldwide. The skyscraper is 732 ft., and the entrance fee is only $1.67.
- The world’s most expensive observation deck to visit is the Empire State Building in New York City. Visitors spend up to $79 to go up to the 102nd floor.
Berlin, Germany 05/01/2023 – Omio, Europe’s leading booking platform for travel by train, bus, and flight, has released a ranking of the world’s most affordable observation decks. The study analyzes the entrance fees for the 70 most popular viewing platforms in the world, followed by an offset of the ticket prices against the official height of the building. The result is a well-curated list of the best views for the best price.
In almost every city, observation decks are among the most popular attractions for tourists. This ranking reveals the wide range of ticket prices, starting at $1.14 for the Torre Panorâmica in Curitiba (Brazil) to the Empire State Building in New York City (United States), where the entrance costs around $79.
Table 1: Top 10 best observation decks for travelers on a budget. Please visit the following website to see the full research with 70 of the most popular viewing decks worldwide: https://www.omio.com/c/worlds-best-budget-views
| Rank | Destination | Observation deck | Height | Ticket | Price per ft. |
| 1 | Johannesburg, South Africa | Top of Africa | 732ft | $1.67 | $0.002 |
| 2 | Istanbul, Turkey | Istanbul Sapphire | 856ft | $2.68 | $0.003 |
| 3 | Curitiba, Brazil | Torre Panorâmica | 359ft | $1.14 | $0.003 |
| 4 | Riga, Latvia | Riga TV tower | 1,207ft | $3.96 | $0.003 |
| 5 | Cairo, Egypt | Cairo Tower | 614ft | $2.14 | $0.004 |
| 6 | Belgrade, Serbia | TV tower Avala | 673ft | $2.78 | $0.004 |
| 7 | Plzeň, Czech Republic | Cathedral of St. Bartholomew | 338ft | $1.56 | $0.005 |
| 8 | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | Christ the Redeemer | 2,297ft | $14.36 | $0.006 |
| 9 | Barcelona, Spain | Torre de Collserola | 945ft | $6.00 | $0.006 |
| 10 | Warsaw, Poland | Palace of Culture and Science | 945ft | $5.68 | $0.007 |
Table 2: Top 8 observation decks in the United States. Ranked from the best deal to most expensive, according to the price per ft.
| Rank | City | Observation deck | Height | Ticket | Price per ft. |
| 1 | Chicago | Willis Tower | 1,450ft | $30 | $0.021 |
| 2 | Las Vegas | The Strat | 1,148ft | $24 | $0.021 |
| 3 | New York City | One World Trade Center | 1,791ft | $47 | $0.026 |
| 4 | Chicago | 875 North Michigan Avenue | 1,499ft | $40 | $0.027 |
| 5 | New York City | Top of the Rock | 850ft | $43 | $0.051 |
| 6 | New York City | Empire State Building | 1,453ft | $79 | $0.054 |
| 7 | Seattle | The Needle | 604ft | $37 | $0.062 |
| 8 | New York City | Statue of Liberty | 305ft | $24 | $0.08 |
From $24 to $79: Observation decks in the US are rather pricey
The Empire State Building in New York City is probably the most famous observation platform in the world. The viewing deck attracts around 3.5 million visitors per year. The study reveals that visiting a sky deck in the US is rather expensive. The most expensive observation deck is the Empire State Building and a ticket to the 102nd floor costs around $79.
Good that the Big Apple offers plenty of alternatives. The deck of the One World Trade Center only costs about $47 and a ticket to the Top of the Rock observation deck costs about $43.
The Statue of Liberty offers the worst deal for travelers. The monument that includes a viewing deck in the crown is only 305ft tall but one ticket costs $24. A ticket to The Strat in Las Vegas is also around $24, but at least the building is 1,148ft tall.
The best deal for an observation deck in the US is the Willis Tower in Chicago. A ticket to the visitors’ floor on top of the 1,450ft tall building costs only $30.
The World’s best observation decks
“Top of Africa” offers the best price for the money.
The popular viewing platform “Top of Africa” (732ft) on the top floor of the Carlton Centre in Johannesburg offers visitors a unique panoramic view as far as Soweto and the best deal for the money. The entrance fee only costs $1.67 and beats all other observation decks surveyed in the price per foot category ($0.002 per ft). The deck is finally scheduled to reopen in the summer of 2023.
The Sapphire Istanbul is the most affordable viewing point in Europe.
The observation deck of the Sapphire skyscraper offers travelers the best view over the Turkish city of Istanbul. A ticket to the top floor of the 856ft tall building costs $2.68, which makes it the most affordable observation platform in Europe. Located on the European side of the city of Istanbul, the Sapphire is the only observation deck that provides a view over two continents: Europe and Asia.
The TV tower in Riga is the cheapest TV tower.
The TV tower of Riga, based in Latvia, offers the world’s best value for money. The entrance fee to one of the highest freestanding structures on the continent costs around $3.96. The observation deck is located at 1,207ft, and visitors to the Riga TV tower can enjoy a unique view over the Baltic Sea. The platform will open for visitors later this year after extensive renovation. A good deal of this experience becomes even more evident when compared to the platform fee at The Needle in Seattle, Washington. A ticket for the most popular TV tower in the US costs $37 but only offers a view from 604ft.
Seoul and Tokyo have the best deals for budget-conscious travelers in Asia
One of the most famous tall buildings in the world is the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. The skyscraper is 2,717ft and is the tallest building in the world. The observation deck on the 124th and 125th floors offers a panoramic view of the Emirate of Dubai and the Persian Gulf. Travelers reach the deck by elevator in just 60 seconds. The entrance fee is around $46.
The study found that Asia’s best-price-for-money-view can be found at the N Seoul Tower in South Korea. The skyscraper measures 1,214ft, and admission costs only around $12. The second best deal is the Skytree in Tokyo, Japan. The TV tower is 2,080ft and is the third tallest monument in the world. The viewing platform of the Skytree is on the 350th floor, and a ticket costs around $23.
Further information on the study, the methodology, and all sources can be found at the following website: www.omio.com/c/worlds-best-budget-views
About Omio: Headquartered in Berlin, Germany, Omio is a leading multi-modal travel platform that allows consumers in Europe, the United States, and Canada to easily book trains, buses, ferries, and flights – saving them both time and money. The company has successfully built a platform focused on the underserved and highly fragmented ground and water transportation markets. Currently issuing travel tickets across 37 countries, in 21 different languages, and 26 different currencies for 1000+ travel transportation providers, Omio’s innovative platform brings together a significant number of travel operators and seamlessly integrates their respective inventories.