$134 adult. 50% savings. Nine days to use it.An honest 2026 buyer's guide to Chicago CityPASS — what's included, the architecture-cruise inclusion, the savings math, activation rules, and where to buy.
Book through GetYourGuide for free cancellation up to 24 hours before; book direct on CityPASS.com for the 365-day non-activated refund window. Same product, same price — pick whichever flexibility you need.
The Chicago CityPASS bundles one-time admission to five attractions over 9 consecutive days from first use. Two are always included; you choose three more from a list of six.
A traveler hits Shedd with the 4-D experience, Skydeck with expedited entry, the Shoreline cruise, the Field Museum All-Access pass, and 360 Chicago.
| Attraction | Box office (adult) |
|---|---|
| Shedd Aquarium (Gen Adm + 4-D) | $52 |
| Skydeck Chicago (Expedited Entry) | $58 |
| Shoreline Architecture River Cruise | $51 |
| Field Museum (All-Access Pass) | $44 |
| 360 Chicago Observation Deck | $35 |
| Total at the box office | $240 |
| Chicago CityPASS price | $134 |
| Savings per adult | $106 (44%) |
For a family of two adults and two children (children's CityPASS at $109 vs. roughly $30 saved per child with mixed admissions), the savings approach $300 across the trip. The CityPASS pays for itself once you visit roughly three of its five included attractions.
If you'd only do 1–2 of the included attractions, individual tickets are cheaper. If you only want a single observation deck, the gate price ($32 for Skydeck general admission) beats any pass.
The 9-day clock starts when you first scan the pass at any attraction — including reservations made through the My CityPASS app for a specific date. Don't activate it the day you arrive if you're not visiting an attraction that day. Non-activated passes give you up to 365 days from purchase to start using them.
The CityPASS is one-time admission per attraction and non-transferable. You can't enter Shedd twice on the same pass, and you can't share a pass between two travelers. Each person in your party needs their own pass.
CityPASS direct offers a 365-day full refund on non-activated passes — the most generous policy in the Chicago attraction-pass category, and a meaningful reason to book direct on CityPASS.com if your dates aren't locked. GetYourGuide adds free cancellation up to 24 hours before — good for last-minute schedule changes. Once the pass is activated, no refunds.
The CityPASS holds most of its value year-round because four of its seven choice attractions are indoor museums (Shedd Aquarium, Field Museum, Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, Art Institute of Chicago, Adler Planetarium). The Chicago Harbor Lock closes for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers maintenance from mid-November to mid-April; during the closure, the Shoreline architecture cruise drops from 75 to 60 minutes but still operates.
CityPASS allows reissue of lost passes through customer support with the order email. In practice, screenshot every QR code in advance and carry the order confirmation email separately from the app.
CityPASS sells direct on citypass.com and through major resellers (Tiqets, Expedia, GetYourGuide). Direct prices are typically identical across channels.
The differences that matter:
For most travelers booking 2+ months ahead, citypass.com direct is the better terms. For travelers booking inside 30 days, GetYourGuide is faster to refund if plans change.
Approximately $134 for adults and $109 for children ages 3–11. Pricing has fluctuated between $134 and $144 across 2024–2025. Verify on CityPASS.com or GetYourGuide before purchase.
Valid 9 consecutive days from the first day of use — not 24-hour periods. Non-activated tickets expire one year from purchase. Unused passes can be returned for a full refund within 365 days of purchase, the longest refund window in the Chicago attraction-pass category.
Yes — the Shoreline Sightseeing 75-minute architecture river cruise is one of the three choice attractions. The First Lady cruise narrated by Chicago Architecture Center docents is not included; it's only available via standalone tickets or its CAC combo.
Two fixed: Shedd Aquarium (General Admission + 4-D) and Skydeck Chicago (Expedited Entry). Plus three from: Shoreline architecture cruise, Field Museum (All-Access), 360 Chicago, Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, Art Institute of Chicago (Fast Pass), Adler Planetarium. Big Bus, the First Lady cruise, and TILT at 360 Chicago are not included.
Typically yes for families with kids ages 5–14 staying 4+ days. Two adults + two children paying CityPASS ($134 + $109 × 2 = $486) typically save $200–$300 versus buying the same five attractions individually. Shedd ($52) and Skydeck Expedited ($55) are the priciest individual tickets — the pass is most valuable when those two are on your list.
No. The Chicago CityPASS provides one-time admission per attraction. You can't use a single pass to enter Shedd Aquarium twice. Multi-day re-entry is only available if a specific attraction explicitly allows it on its own ticket terms — and even then, only on the same day.
Yes — CityPASS direct offers a full refund on non-activated passes within 365 days of purchase, the most generous policy in the Chicago attraction-pass category. Combo products bought through GetYourGuide carry a separate 24-hour-before-start free-cancellation policy. Once the pass is activated (scanned at any attraction), refunds are no longer available.
Yes — the CityPASS holds most of its value year-round because four of its choice attractions are indoor museums (Shedd Aquarium, Field Museum, Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, Art Institute of Chicago, Adler Planetarium). The Chicago Harbor Lock closes for maintenance mid-November to mid-April, during which the Shoreline architecture cruise drops from 75 to 60 minutes but still operates.
CityPASS sells direct on citypass.com and through resellers including GetYourGuide, Tiqets, and Expedia. Direct prices are typically identical across channels. The flexibility differs: citypass.com offers a 365-day refund window on non-activated passes (most generous); GetYourGuide offers free cancellation up to 24 hours before. For trips planned far ahead, citypass.com direct is usually the better terms.
No. The CityPASS is non-transferable — once activated, only the original purchaser can use the pass. Each person in your party needs their own pass. CityPASS sells adult and child versions; children under 3 are typically free at most attractions but may need a no-cost ticket reservation at gated venues.
This page covers Chicago CityPASS only. If you're weighing CityPASS against the alternatives — Go City All-Inclusive, the Explorer Pass, the C3 by CityPASS, the Shoreline Water Taxi, and the operator combos — head to chicagodaypass.com. It's our independent sister site that breaks down every active Chicago attraction pass by trip length, party type, season, and attraction must-haves, with worked savings examples and the activation gotchas that catch most first-time buyers.
Same product, same price — book on GetYourGuide for 24-h cancellation flexibility, or on CityPASS.com for the 365-day non-activated refund window.
