How to visit New York City on a budget: Cheap flights and free things to do

A short break doesn’t have to cost the earth

Lower Manhattan (NYC & Company)

If you’ve always wanted to see New York City but thought it was too expensive, January is the perfect time to go.

It’s officially low season now the peak dates of Christmas and New Year are out the way. Until early March, the city will receive fewer visitors, meaning prices are lower (as are temperatures – but don’t let that put you off).

Here are our top tips for getting the most out of a trip without breaking the bank.

Bag cheap flights

Low-cost airline Norwegian, which offers several daily flights from London Gatwick to New York JFK, is currently offering some super budget flights in the next few months as part of its sale.

In January, return fares start from £250 for return direct flights – although those prepared to have a stop in Barcelona can save a few quid.

Take a ferry tour

NYC offers island hopping with a difference. The NYC Ferry costs the same as a one-way subway ticket – $2.75 (£2.10) – and stops at various neighbourhoods along its routes, including Long Island City, South Brooklyn, Astoria, the Lower East Side and the Bronx. It also heads over to Governors Island at the weekend, where Collective Governors Island, a New York City lodge retreat, launched in 2018.

Plus there are ferry services to Roosevelt Island and all the way from Wall Street to The Rockaways, a popular beach in Queens. The service has ambitious expansion plans too, with a new St George route launching in 2020.

Maximise free activities

Though the Big Apple can be pricey, free activities abound if you do your research. The tourist board even has a page advertising the best things to do that won’t cost you a penny: nycgo.com/maps-guides/free-in-nyc.

Highlights include taking a stroll along public park the High Line, open from 7am-7pm in winter, built on a once-abandoned elevated rail line; viewing a TV taping as a member of the studio audience; crossing the river by foot on the Brooklyn Bridge to stroll around Prospect Park, home to Brooklyn’s only forest; and taking in the city’s museums, many of which are free on specific days or between certain hours.

Plenty of city tours are free or tip-based too, including a Brooklyn Brewery tour, a Heart of the Park Central Park tour and a tour of New York Public Library.

Wander the High Line public park for free (iStock)

Travel light

For those keen to hit the shops, picking the right airfare for luggage allowance can help maximise space.

“Book LowFare economy (our lowest fare) on the outbound flight, which doesn’t include a checked bag and book LowFare Plus on the inbound flight which includes a 20kg checked bag to bring back any shopping,” advises Norwegian.

Catch a half-price Broadway show

Visit New York between 21 January and 9 February and you’ll catch NYC Restaurant Week, NYC Broadway Week and NYC Must-See Week, during which hotel rates, airfares and activities offer great value, according to the tourist board.

Two-for-one tickets are offered for Broadway shows, museums, attractions and tours during this period, and nearly 350 restaurants will offer prix fixe menus.

Stay in luxury for less

There’s been a slew of hotel openings in NYC over the last few years which fall into the “affordable luxury” bracket – costing from less than $200 a night while offering premium design and service.

Freehand Hotel New York, for example, opened in 2018 in the Flatiron District close to Gramercy Park, with 396 rooms and a restaurant and lobby bar led by restaurateur Gabriel Stulman’s Happy Cooking Hospitality. Doubles and bunk rooms sleeping four from $159.

Rooms at The Hoxton, Williamsburg, offer great city views (The Hoxton)

The first Hoxton also opened in the US in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. It features 175 rooms and three restaurants, including terrace and courtyard spaces and a rooftop bar. All bedrooms come with the usual Hoxton perks: a free breakfast bag, fridge to stock with drinks and snacks from the lobby shop at supermarket prices, and free water and fresh milk, plus a free hour of calls to anywhere in the world. From $159, B&B.

The Moxy Chelsea opened in 2019 in the Flower District, with towering views from comfortable (but compact) rooms. There are the fun Moxy quirks too – such as the in-room vintage phones pre-programmed with bedtime stories and guided meditation. The brand’s own TV channel runs weird-sexy ASMR videos of model Caroline Vreeland eating pasta, which makes a weirdly fun nightcap. From $159.

The tourist board’s top tip? “Stay in New York City over a Sunday night or plan trips around US public holidays when rates can often dip to reflect a drop in business travel.”​

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