New York is one of the easiest big US cities to visit from the UK. You can fly non-stop, you don't need a car and most of what you'll want to see is reachable by subway or on foot. The costs add up quickly though, mainly flights, hotels and attractions. Prices are in US dollars, change often and come from the sources listed at the end, so check official sites before you book.

Getting there

Several airlines fly to New York from London. A 2023 Business Traveller roundup listed American, British Airways, Delta, JetBlue, Norse Atlantic, Virgin Atlantic and United, from Heathrow and Gatwick, into JFK and Newark. Routes change, and we couldn't find a current schedule, so check Google Flights or Skyscanner. The flight takes roughly 8 hours, and New York is five hours behind the UK, so you arrive the same afternoon.

When to go

  • January and February: coldest (average highs around 4°C to 5°C), with very low crowds and the cheapest flights. Round-trip estimates from the UK run about £263 to £420
  • March and April: milder, from 7°C to 16°C, with medium crowds. Flights about £350 to £520
  • May and June: pleasant (22°C to 26°C), busier. Flights about £400 to £600
  • July and August: hottest and most humid (28°C to 30°C), very busy, and the most expensive flights at about £500 to £800 or more
  • September and October: warm to mild, falling prices and autumn colour. October is one of the most beautiful months, with flights about £350 to £520
  • November: cooler (around 10°C), low crowds, and the Thanksgiving Parade, which is free to watch from the street
  • December: the Rockefeller Center tree and Christmas shows, but the highest prices of the year, about £500 to £850, and the busiest crowds

These monthly figures come from a Jetpac guide (updated June 2026), a company that sells eSIMs, so treat the prices as estimates.

How many days you need

Five to seven days is ideal for a first visit, with time for other boroughs at a slower pace. Three or four days works, but it's tighter.

Where to stay

  • Times Square and Midtown West: the most convenient for first-timers, with Broadway, Rockefeller Center and the Empire State Building within about 15 minutes' walk. More expensive and crowded
  • Financial District: often cheaper than Midtown, close to the 9/11 Memorial and the free Staten Island Ferry. Quieter at weekends
  • Chelsea: the High Line and Chelsea Market, with a more local feel
  • Upper West and Upper East Side: quieter and residential, next to Central Park and the big museums
  • Brooklyn (Williamsburg, Brooklyn Heights, DUMBO): about 15% to 25% cheaper than comparable Manhattan options, and most areas are 15 to 20 minutes from Manhattan sights

One guide put the average room at $438 a night, with February the cheapest month and December the dearest. Choose a hotel close to a subway station.

Getting around

You don't need a car. The subway runs 24 hours, and the fare is $3.00 per tap with OMNY, paid by contactless card or phone. After 12 paid rides in a rolling seven days on the same card or device, the rest are free, which caps the cost at $35. Transfers between subway and local bus are free within two hours.

From the airport to Manhattan (The Better Vacation, July 2026):

  • JFK: AirTrain plus subway, about $12 and an hour to Midtown. Taxis take 45 to 75 minutes
  • Newark: AirTrain and NJ Transit to Penn Station, about $16.80 and 45 minutes. Weekday construction can mean shuttle buses
  • LaGuardia: the free Q70 bus to the subway, or the M60 bus for $3.00

What to see and how to save

For a first visit, the classics are the Empire State Building, Top of the Rock, the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, Central Park, the Brooklyn Bridge and the High Line. You only need one or two observation decks.

If you'd rather not plan it all yourself, there's a New York in one day guided sightseeing tour, a half-day best of NYC bus tour and a Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island guided tour, which covers the boat trip to both islands.

The New York CityPASS gives you a choice of five attractions for $149 per adult and $129 per child (6 to 17), plus a $2 processing fee, valid for nine days from your first visit. You choose from the Empire State Building, Top of the Rock, Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, 9/11 Memorial and Museum, Circle Line cruises, the American Museum of Natural History, the Intrepid, the Guggenheim, Edge and the Whitney. It only saves money if you'd visit at least four or five of them anyway.

Tips and tax

  • Tipping: 18% to 20% in restaurants, at least $1 a drink at a bar, and 15% to 20% for taxis, according to NYC Tourism
  • Sales tax: 8.875%, which isn't included in the price on the tag. Clothing and footwear under $110 are exempt
  • Insurance: US healthcare is very expensive, and there's no reciprocal agreement with the UK. If you use SafetyWing's Nomad Insurance, the standard plan does not cover the US, so you'll need the add-on. You can see SafetyWing's Nomad Insurance here and read the policy wording before you buy. Our guide to whether you actually need travel insurance explains what to look for
  • Phone data: see our guide to eSIM for travel from the UK before you fly
  • Entry: you'll need an ESTA, so check your passport before you book. Our Trip Budget Calculator can help with costs

If you want to see the places from your favourite films and shows while you are there, our guide to New York on screen covers what you can actually visit.

Planning more? See all our USA guides for UK travellers.

Where this comes from

Prices and rules change, and the sources don't always agree, so this is a snapshot checked on 23 October 2026. These are the sources it draws on: