How Much Does a Christmas Trip to NYC Cost? Our 2-Night Budget
At the end of 2024 I took a quick getaway to NYC with my youngest child, who was 4 at the time.
The trip came about because Southwest Airlines was running a sale, and I was motivated to book something since December of 2024 was my last chance to use my Southwest Companion Pass before it expired, AND I had a LUV voucher (more on that later).
With our flights being so affordable, I knew it was a great reason to visit NYC at Christmas time. I knew it would be expensive, but totally worth it! I’ll share my tips for making the price for attainable for average families later in the blog post.
I’m writing this post in 2026, so I want to be clear that I know prices have skyrocketed in the last two years for both hotels and flights, so I’ll try to find an equivalent price for this year to compare when possible.
We ended up at a total of $1,374.60 for the two of us for the entire trip, so I’ll share exactly how we did it here.
There are some destinations that are just simply more expensive than other destinations, and NYC is one of those place. In addition, Christmas is such a popular time to visit, so prices are even more elevated this time of year.
Don’t panic! I’ll show you how we made it work on a budget. And if it’s still not in your budget this year, start saving up for Christmas in NYC 2027!
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. That means if you click on a link and make a purchase I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.
BRYANT PARK WINTER VILLAGE
Our NYC Christmas Weekend at a Glance
A few important points to make note of to understand what our NYC Christmas getaway looked like:
We stayed for 2 nights. We had about 1.5 days to explore, since we arrived in the evening on our first day.
We stayed near Times Square. Hotels are definitely going to be more expensive in this area, but I decided that was worth it to me since I would be alone with a 4-year-old with a stroller. You can save money by staying outside of midtown Manhattan!
I have no problem using the subway (I used it on our recent summer trip to NYC with teens and tweens), but I didn’t want to bother with it by myself with a stroller. While my daughter was old enough to walk if needed at 4, so I could technically fold up our travel stroller and walk down the stairs to the subway, I didn’t really want to deal with navigating hold a 4=year-olds’s hand, carrying a stroller, etc on this specific trip.
We saw the Rockettes on this trip! It was definitely a highlight, but if you’re on a very tight budget, this would be something to reconsider since it was one of the most expensive parts of the trip.
This trip was focused heavily on free Christmas sights and activities. On my more recent summertime NYC trip we saw the Statue of Liberty, 9/11 Memorial and Museum, Brooklyn Bridge, etc.
We only had one sit-down meal; otherwise we stuck to inexpensive/grab-and-go food. It’s just my style!
What Our NYC Christmas Trip Cost
As I mentioned above, we spent $1,374.60 total on this trip. Here’s the breakdown.
Flights - $109.28
First of all, I had a Southwest Companion Pass on this trip, which means I paid for my own flight, but my companion, in this case my daughter, was free except for taxes and fees. I combined that with a $100 LUV Voucher I had from a previous trip.
The actual out-of-pocket cost for my flight $109.28 for two round-trip tickets. We had a layover in Kansas City both ways, but I was fine with that since we saved so much money on flights!
Airfare varies wildly from family to family. It depends what your nearest airports are, whether you’re able to find a flight deal, whether you use points and miles, etc. I won’t attempt to figure out what flights would cost for your family, but it’s safe to say I booked this trip around the flight deal!
Hotel - $768.17
We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express Manhattan Times Square South. I liked this hotel option since it was somewhat affordable for it’s central location, and it had free breakfast which helped reduce food costs overall on the trip.
We booked a 1 King Bed hotel room which was cheaper than the 2 Queen Bed options since it was just my daughter and me.
Hotel prices have also risen over the years, making this same hotel almost $1000 for 2 nights for similar dates.
Airport Transportation - $128.30
For transportation to and from the airport I booked a shared Airlink shuttle. This was a great option for us, but I think if you have more people you can compare the cost to a Lyft or Uber. Or if you are comfortable with it, you could use public transportation!
For 2 people the Airlink shuttle cost:
Arrival: $61.25
Departure: $67.05
Total: $128.30
Rockettes - $228
One of the big things we wanted to experience on this trip was seeing the Rockettes perform in the Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall.
I purchased 2 tickets in the wayyyy back of the theater, but we still found it to be an enjoyable experience. This would REALLY add up if we had our entire family of 6!
On my most recent trip to NYC for my oldest daughter’s 13th birthday I realized I could use the $150 StubHub Credit through my Chase Sapphire Reserve card to book Broadway tickets. It saved us so much money, so if you have that card and you’re considering this show, look into the StubHub Credit!
$228 total / $114 per person
Food - $140.85 total
You should know that I am by no means a “foodie.” I want to be on-the-go sightseeing or relaxing in the hotel. I don’t want to be stuck sitting at restaurants for hours. That’s just my travel style, but if food is a priority for your family, this number will definitely be higher.
We took advantage of the free hotel breakfast, eating as much as we could right before we left for the day. We had also packed snacks I knew my daughter would lie, such as apple slices, granola bars, and some candy to keep us both happy in between meals.
The only sit-down restaurant we ate at was Papillon Bistro because they go all out decorating for Christmas, and that seemed like more of an experience to me that contributed to the Christmas theme of the trip.
For the rest of our meals we made use of grab-and-go meals and snacks. I did stop for a latte each morning, and we also got some fancy hot chocolate and marshmallows from S’mores N’more at Bryant Park Winter Village.
Our Grand Total: $1,374.60 for two people
All of our activities except seeing the Rockettes were free! We did a lot of sightseeing and walking around. If we had stayed for longer I might have included some more expensive activities like Top of the Rock or the Empire State Building.
You could also budget for ice skating! My daughter fell asleep in the stroller on the night I was planning to try ice skating, plus it was raining, so I just enjoyed walking around Bryant Park and watching the ice skaters!
How We Saved Money in NYC at Christmas
We traveled Sunday–Tuesday instead of over a weekend.
Walked instead of constantly using taxis/Ubers.
Chose a hotel with free breakfast.
Ate mostly quick-service/grab-and-go meals.
Spent money on one big Christmas experience (the Rockettes) and enjoyed lots of free holiday sights.
Used the Southwest Companion Pass and travel voucher.
Would I Do It Again?
Absolutely. This was one of the most magical trips I’ve taken, even though I was by myself with a 4-year-old. I wished I had the entire family with me, so it really makes me want to return someday so the whole family can experience NYC at Christmas!
That said, a one-on-one NYC Christmas trip can be a more affordable way to experience the city with kids. You could pick a milestone year for the kids, or just take turns!
Keep in mind that a family-of-six trip would obviously cost significantly more, AND like I mentioned, travel costs in general have gone up so much even though it’s only been 2 years since I took that trip.
If you want to read more about what to do in NYC at Christmas:
Christmas in New York City with Kids
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Emily Krause is a Florida-based travel blogger who writes about exploring the world with kids. On A Mom Explores you’ll find best family travel destinations, Disney World tips, and how to make travel with babies and toddlers a little easier.
Emily believes that exploring starts in our own backyards, and adventure can happen anywhere with the right mindset.
