From the subway to travel insurance, here are some tips to save on your next holiday to the Big Apple.
Before you go
Find cheap New York flights
Kayak and Skyscanner are useful tools to compare prices and find cheap flights to New York.
Norwegian also offers budget transatlantic flights with fares from £123.30 one-way from January 2017.
Booking well in advance will ensure you get the best price. But you can also cut the cost by splitting up your journey and travelling via places like Iceland and Oslo.
Wowair is currently offering flights from London to New York via Iceland from £119, but in the past has had special promotions with deals as low as £99 one-way.
Get a free flight with your credit card
Save on hotels
Again the easiest way to save is to make sure you book your accommodation well before you travel, as leaving it to the last minute will see prices rocket.
You should also check out the budget hotels dotted around the city. Time Out has a good guide: The best cheap hotels in NYC.
Generally, hotels in central Manhattan can cost an arm and a leg, but you can save by staying a bit further out in nearby neighbourhoods like Brooklyn, Jersey City and Queens that are just a short train ride away.
Make sure you check out the hotel’s reviews on Tripadvisor to ensure you don’t end up in a dive or something that is in the middle of nowhere with no links to where all the action is.
You should also factor in the sales tax which for hotels is 14.75% plus $3.50 per night on top. More on this below.
Consider a hostel
For the cheapest stays consider staying in a hostel.
We found deals for £107 for three nights, which works out as £35.67 a night over a weekend two months before travelling.
Again make sure you check out the reviews to ensure you’ll be staying somewhere habitable and safe!
Be wary of Airbnbs
Airbnb is popular in New York and is a great way to save on the cost of a hotel and offer the chance to experience the real New York.
However, there are strict rules on who can list their apartment. In New York it’s illegal for a landlord to rent out their home for less than 30 days if there are more than three apartments in his or her block, unless the landlord is staying in the apartment at the same time.
This law was created to protect the hotel industry and lots of dwellings in the city aren’t permitted to use sites like Airbnb. So you could be caught out if the owner is pulled up on it before you travel or during your stay.
Get your $14 ESTA before you travel
You will need to fill out an Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) before you travel from the UK into the US by air or sea.
The scheme checks whether you are allowed to travel to the states under the Visa Waiver Program.
You will need to fill out the form on the ESTA website at least 72 hours before you fly and pay a fee of $14. Watch out for copycat websites that charge more to process your application.
Since April 2016 you need an e-passport to get an ESTA, any issued since 26 October 2006 should be ok.
The ESTA lasts for two years, so if you are returning to the states within this time you don’t have to apply for another one and hand over the fee again. You can check when yours expires on the website.
If you don’t qualify for entry under the VWP you can apply for a visa from the US Embassy before travelling.
Get travel insurance and make sure it covers the US
You should make sure you take out travel insurance as soon as you have booked your trip, this means you get protection before you jet off and while you are away.
Getting cover in place is especially important when travelling to the states because of the sky-high cost of medical care.
Lots of worldwide policies tend to exclude the US. So make sure this is included when purchasing a new one or double check that an existing one covers the area.
Get the best rate on dollars
Shop around for the best exchange rate on dollars for your trip.
Alternatively go for a credit card with no fees on purchases made abroad and which can get you the best exchange rate on the day. Take a look at the best credit cards to use on your travels.
Avoid using your debit card while abroad as your provider is likely to charge eye watering fees. Check which providers charge the most and least in the best debit cards to use abroad.
Another option to consider is prepaid currency cards, which generally offer a competitive exchange rate, take a look at the best prepaid cards for spending abroad for more.
When you get there
Getting around
Things to do