The NYC Insider's Guide to Finding U.S. Open Tickets

Labor Day in New York means U.S. Open season is here! The evening news flashes images of the matches, including the celebrities in the front rows and you suddenly have a burning desire to see the fun for yourself. But the Open was sold out months ago. What to do? Clearly, you've come to the right place!

The following are some tips that almost guarantee your spot in the heart of this year's hottest tennis event:

Split a Ticket Package
One of the best ways to get into the Open is to find someone with a U.S. Open ticket package (which includes both day and night seats for several days running) and see if you can get their tickets for the matches they can't -- or don't want to -- attend. Let's face it, it is a rare individual who really plans to sit through more than 12 hours of tennis at a time. So take advantage of the way ticket packages are sold and see if you have friends, neighbors, colleagues or even recent acquaintances who might be willing to share -- or sell -- some of their U.S. Open bounty.

Get a Ground Pass
The good news is that ground passes are the least expensive way to see the Open (about $20 for day sessions the first week and $30 for the last 4 days). The bad news is that while you'll have free run of the field courts and open seating in Stadiums 2 and 3, ground passes don't grant entrance to Arthur Ashe Stadium. Ground passes are sold on a one-to-a-customer, first-come-first-served basis and are good only on the day they are sold. The box office opens at 10 AM, although we recommend you get there a bit early, perhaps by 8 AM. If you're lucky, you may also take advantage of a second round of ground passes, which go on sale around 3 PM on days when the crowds thin out early. Note that these evening passes are more rare and are almost never publicized.

Ask Your Employer
For some people, going into the office is the best way to secure those elusive Open tickets. That is because many companies buy package tickets, offering some seats to VIPs and the rest to employees who are in-the-know. If you aren't in the former category, do your best to make sure you are in the latter by chatting it up with the folks who control the tickets. We've found that the staffers in control are typically in areas like the Office of the President, Special Events Planning, Sales Management, and Human Resources.

The Old Standby
Buying tickets from a scalper is illegal and expensive, but if all else fails, it might be your best bet. There are occasionally cases of shady characters murmuring "Who needs tickets?" who are actually selling fakes, so be on your guard. You're likely to do best by seeking out the average fan who is simply trying to unload a few extra tickets and recoup the face value. They often stand right outside the gate, meekly holding their extras. For daytime tickets, you'll do well to look just before the matches start around 11 AM.

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