Looking for cheap Broadway tickets? In this post, I share some best tips and strategies for getting a discount on Broadway show tickets.
Interested in more ways to save in NYC? Read my post about our family’s trip to New York City. For more cheap vacation ideas, check out 4 Creative Ways to Fund Family Vacations, 9 Money-Saving Vacation Tips, and How to Save Money on Food While On Vacation.
How to Find Cheap Broadway Show Tickets
If you have ever wondered if it’s possible to find cheap Broadway tickets, you don’t want to miss this post! I went with two of my sisters to New York City this past weekend and we were determined to have an amazing weekend on a really tight budget.
Since neither of my sisters had ever been to NYC, both of them really wanted to go to a Broadway show. But we didn’t want to pay an arm and a leg for it.
So I put on my researcher hat and began scouting the internet, asking around online, and digging up everything I could about how to find cheap Broadway tickets.
Y’all! I was shocked with my findings! And I’m going to let you in on all the secrets I discovered in this post — including how to get tickets for as low as $10!!
Don’t Order Tickets Ahead of Time!
If there is one thing I discovered in all my research, it is this: You will spend a LOT more money if you order your tickets ahead of time! If you are willing to risk it and wait until the day before or the day of the show, that’s when you’ll find the best deals on Broadway tickets.
Be Flexible With What Shows You Want to See
Yes, I get it. You probably have a show or two that you have your heart set on seeing. But I would encourage you to pick a list of shows you want to see and work from that when looking for tickets. You’ll have a lot better chance of finding a deal on one of them then if you are dead set on only seeing one particular show.
Enter the Ticket Lotteries
The very best deals I found were on the ticket lotteries. Many shows offer them and you can find crazy deals. For instance, one person told me they saw Hamilton for $10. Another person told me they saw The Lion King for $30!
While not all of the shows offer tickets for as low as $10 through the ticket lotteries, there are many that offer $20 tickets and $30 tickets.
Most of the lotteries work something like this (be sure to read the details really carefully):
- You go to a special website starting at 7 p.m. the night before the performance until 8:30 a.m. the day of the performance. After the lottery closes, you will be notified within minutes if you won or not. (To find out which shows offer ticket lotteries, head over to BroadwayforBrokePeople.com.)
- If you won, you’ll have 60 minutes to claim your seats and pay for your tickets online. You cannot choose your seats; they are assigned to you and may not be seats with a great view. There is usually a limit of two tickets at that price.
- Once you’ve paid, you’ll need to use your ID to pick up the tickets between 30 to 90 minutes before show time.
Yes, it’s a little complicated and you don’t know for sure if you are going to get the deal, but for the price, you just about can’t beat that deal!
I think this option would work especially well if you have some flexibility in your schedule and are in NYC for more than one night (you could enter the ticket lottery the first night and, if you don’t win, enter again for the next night!)
Check Out Rush Options
Many theaters offer a Rush option. These are extra tickets that haven’t sold, typically for seats that aren’t the best.
Theaters typically offer these on a first-come, first-served basis and they are available as soon as the box office opens for the show that day. There is usually a limit of two tickets per person.
Some shows also offer Student Rush tickets which are available 30 minutes before the curtain time. These tickets are often half price and are only available to current students and you can only get one ticket per student ID.
This is an option that is kind of risky, but if you have wiggle room in your itinerary and you enjoy adventure, it might be an option for you.
To see which shows are offering Student Rush and General Rush tickets, check out BroadwayforBrokePeople.com.
Check a TKTS Booth
Many people recommended checking out the TKTS booths that are located around New York City. These booths offer discounted tickets for shows that are the same day.
We checked these out and this would be a good option if you were looking for more than two tickets (the Lotteries and Rush options have a limit of two tickets). The prices were around $60 to $80 for most tickets and they had quite a few to choose from. One downside is that you may have to wait in a long line and it’s very first-come, first-served.
Order From TodayTix.com
If you don’t want to stand in a line and you are willing to pay a little more, TodayTix.com offers last-minute ticket options that are cheaper. You can order up to six tickets together and you can choose the area where you will sit.
To find the best deals, check the Bang for Your Buck section where they offer tickets for around $49 each. They offer a wide variety of shows and you can order up to a few weeks in advance.
Do note that you will pay an additional $12.50 processing fee in addition to the advertised price. You’ll pick up your tickets from a representative outside the theater 30 minutes before the show.
What are YOUR best tips for getting cheap Broadway tickets? Tell us in the comments!
