Chicago Pass Calculator: Go City vs CityPASS (2026)
Chicago is a clean three-way comparison: Go City's all-inclusive and Explorer passes, plus Chicago CityPASS, which locks in the Shedd Aquarium and Skydeck and lets you pick three more. Which wins depends entirely on your list. Tick it and see.
1. Who's going, and for how long?
Days matter for unlimited passes; pick-a-number passes give you weeks.
2. What do you want to see?
Gate prices are our researched baselines (as of July 2026).
Live prices for the attractions you ticked above. Buying these one by one is the honest option whenever a pass doesn't beat the gate.
Prices per person in USD unless noted. Children priced at each operator's child rate where published; gate-price child tickets estimated at 80% of adult. Choice-slot menu rules are simplified; the linked booking pages have the exact menus.
How the Chicago passes actually work
Go City or Chicago CityPASS?
Different shapes. CityPASS is the cheaper, tighter bundle: the Shedd and Skydeck plus three picks, and it wins for the classic museum-and-observation-deck trip. Go City's passes are broader and better if your list is longer or includes the tours and cruises CityPASS leaves out. The calculator prices all three.
What is only on CityPASS?
The Shedd Aquarium and the Art Institute of Chicago show up on CityPASS but not on the Go City attraction lists, so if either is a must-do, that pushes you toward CityPASS. Conversely the Chicago History Museum and some tours are Go City only.
When should I just buy tickets?
Short lists, or lists with free headliners like Lincoln Park Zoo. Two attractions rarely beats any pass, and the calculator will tell you plainly when buying separately wins.