Sources were checked on 2026-07-09. Every attraction fact below carries an official citation; opinions are labelled as opinions. Opening hours, fees and ferry schedules change — confirm on the official site before you go.
Getting there
Nonstop flights from London to New York average around 7h 10m, and can run a little longer westbound against prevailing headwinds — the eastbound New York to London direction is typically slightly shorter thanks to tailwinds. Exact times vary by aircraft, routing, and conditions.
Nonstop LHR–JFK service is operated by American Airlines, British Airways, Delta, JetBlue, and Virgin Atlantic — the same carriers that serve the reverse route. The route is well served by nonstop flights as well as one-stop connecting options, often via other European or US hubs. Nonstop is usually fastest; connecting itineraries can sometimes be cheaper.
(Route facts above come from the reviewed Flyroz route page for London to New York — no separate citation needed.)
The two bookings that catch people out
The Statue of Liberty is a ferry ticket, not an entrance fee. This distinction trips up first-time visitors, and the National Park Service is explicit about it. NPS states that "The National Park Service does not charge an entrance fee to visit the museums on Liberty Island and Ellis Island" — but also that "a ticket for ferry transportation by Statue City Cruises is required to visit the islands". So the islands are free; getting to them is not.
The crown is a separate, compulsory reservation. NPS states that "Tickets to the Crown must be reserved online in advance" and that they "must be reserved before visiting."
What that page does not publish is how far ahead crown tickets become available. You will see "three to four months" quoted widely; NPS does not say it, so we won't either. Book as early as your dates allow and treat the crown as the thing you plan the trip around, not the thing you add to it.
The Empire State Building requires a reservation. Its official site says "Reservations are required for entry", with advance online booking "strongly recommended to secure your preferred date and time." There are two observation decks: the 86th floor, which it describes as an "Open-Air Observation Deck," and the 102nd floor, reached with the Top Deck ticket.
I have not given the building's height. Its own site does not state it on the pages I read, and a number that famous is not worth citing to a source that does not carry it.
Our take
Opinion from here on. None of this is data, and none of it is a ranking:
Our favourite thing to do in New York costs nothing and takes a morning: pick a long avenue and walk about forty blocks of it. The city is legible on foot in a way it is not from an observation deck, and you will pass more of it than any itinerary would have chosen for you.
We would do the ferry, but for the ride rather than the statue. Seeing lower Manhattan from the water reframes the place. If the queue looks grim and the day is short, we would skip it without regret.
Book one high thing, not three. They sell the same view at different altitudes.
And a practical note that is judgement, not fact: a westbound seven-hour flight lands you with most of a day left and none of the energy to use it. We would plan nothing for that first afternoon beyond a walk and an early night.
Compare live fares for your dates before deciding; Flyroz never adds a booking fee.
Sources
- NPS — Statue of Liberty, Fees & Passes — no entrance fee to the island museums; Statue City Cruises ferry ticket required to reach the islands
- NPS — Statue of Liberty, Visit the Crown — "Tickets to the Crown must be reserved online in advance"; no advance-booking window published
- Empire State Building official site — "Reservations are required for entry"; 86th floor open-air deck and 102nd floor Top Deck