How much it will cost to get to the game
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With Super Bowl LVII on the horizon, it’s time to start planning your trip if you want to see the big game. Even though there might still be a few weeks to go, Feb. 12 will be here before you know it, and the longer you wait, the harder (and more expensive) it will be to head to Arizona to catch the game in person.
This year’s Super Bowl will be held at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. After back-to-back years of home team wins (’21 Bucs and ’22 Rams), that’s not going to be possible this year since the Cardinals didn’t even make the playoffs. There are still eight teams vying for spots in the Big Game.
As one of the most-watched sporting events in the world, with over 200 million viewers tuning in last year, it’s not surprising that seeing the Super Bowl in person is going to cost you a pretty penny. While we can’t really estimate how much you’re going to spend on food, drinks and entertainment throughout the weekend, we can look at how much it’s going to cost you to get there in the first place.
Outside of what you spend once you get there, you have three major costs to budget for up front: game tickets, hotels and flights. So, let’s dive in and do some back-of-the-napkin math to estimate how much it might cost to get to the Super Bowl this year.
How much tickets to the Super Bowl cost this year
Flights and hotels are usually the biggest expenditure on any vacation. But if you’re planning on going to the game, tickets are the biggest things you have to budget for — roughly $5,000.
As of now, the cheapest Super Bowl tickets are available on Vivid Seats, starting at just over $4,600 each — but only two are available and then they jump to about $5,200. On Stubhub, the story is much the same, with prices starting at $5,156 and quickly going up from there. Keep in mind these tickets are for nosebleed seats, but hey, you’ll be at the Super Bowl, baby!
If you want to sit down closer to the field right at the 50-yard line, you’ll have to shell out between $20,000 and $25,000 per ticket. That’s right, a pair of tickets will set you back nearly as much as the median household income in the United States. Who am I kidding, if I had that kind of money, you’d see me on your TV screen all game long, drinking a beer right at the 50!
How much it costs to stay in Arizona for the Super Bowl
Hotels started selling out in the Glendale area soon after the game’s location was announced, but there are still rooms available nearby. That said, prices are bumped up much higher than normal, with Expedia reporting that the average nightly rate in Glendale is $455, according to the Hotels.com app (available from the App Store and Google Play).
In nearby Scottsdale (about 40 minutes away from the stadium) and downtown Phoenix (a 25-minute drive away), the average rate is right around $600 per night. Even though Phoenix is a bit more expensive than Glendale right now, that’s where the Super Bowl Experience is being held, so the inflated rates and short drive to the stadium might just be worth it!
Thankfully, hotels aren’t your only option these days, with Vrbos offering homier stays that let you feel a lot more like you’re at home. Keep in mind that these Glendale-area properties will likely sell out ahead of time as the game gets closer, so make your booking soon while there is still some availability! Here are a few recommended by Expedia:
Spacious modern Scottsdale paradise
Stunning home with walking distance to stadium
Showstopper in the heart of Phoenix
Snowbird-friendly home with private pool
No matter where you end up staying, you can comfortably expect to pay anywhere from $450 to $750 per night, or more. So if you’re staying for the weekend (with time to recover on Monday), you can expect to spend anywhere from $1,000 to upwards of $2,000 after taxes and fees, based on current totals listed for available hotels around Glendale.
How much it costs to fly to Arizona for the Super Bowl
So you have your tickets to the game and your hotel or Vrbo is booked. Fantastic! The only thing left to do, besides take Monday off work, is book your flights. According to data from Expedia, the average ticket price to get to Phoenix is about $305 on the Expedia app (also available from the App Store and Google Play).
But plane ticket prices depend heavily on where you’re coming from, what day you’re flying in and out, which airline, and more. While we can’t possibly outline what it will cost to fly in for the weekend for every possible person and situation out there, we can get an idea of what the trip will cost from some of the biggest airports in the country.
For the purposes of these prices, we’re going to assume you’re flying into Phoenix on Friday and flying out again Monday morning. This way, you’ll have ample time to take in the full weekend of the Super Bowl experience, and nobody is going to be flying back out Sunday night after the game, let’s be honest. Here’s how much it’ll cost to fly to Phoenix and back from the most popular airports in the United States:
Atlanta (ATL): starting at $396 nonstop
expedia.com
Photo Credit: Daniela Duncan / getty
Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW): starting at $332 nonstop
expedia.com
Photo Credit: Danny Lehman
Chicago (ORD): starting at $268 nonstop
expedia.com
Photo Credit: Anthony Larosa / EyeEm / getty
Los Angeles (LAX): starting at $478 nonstop
expedia.com
Photo Credit: ANDREY DENISYUK
Denver (DEN): starting at $264 nonstop
expedia.com
Photo Credit: Jon Paciaroni / getty
New York (JFK): starting at $702 nonstop
expedia.com
Photo Credit: Alexander Spatari / getty
San Francisco (SFO): starting at $344 nonstop
As you can see, flights are the least of your concerns compared to hotels and game tickets, but they’re still something you have to take into account!
All told, that puts you in the rough range of anywhere from $6,500 to upwards of $7,500 per person to get to and attend the Super Bowl (though that could shift depending on your accommodation preference, flights, et cetera). Remember: You’ll still need to buy meals.
Hope you’ve been saving some change under the couch cushions for the last few years!
