How Much Does It Cost to Go to the Olympics? (Price Guide)

The 2028 Summer Olympics will be held in Los Angeles, the first Games in the city since 1984. For most people the question is how much the tickets cost, and then what a trip adds on top. This guide covers the published LA28 ticket prices, the fees, and the other costs that decide your total.

Ticket figures here come from the news coverage listed below. Prices and sales rules can change, so confirm everything on LA28's official site before you buy.

Prices vary widely by event and seat category. The opening ceremony is the most expensive ticket reported. KSL and AOL (Associated Press) both list a range of $329 – $5,519 for a single seat.

For events, the range is also wide. Reports from Francs Jeux give these examples:

• Swimming finals on July 30 at SoFi Stadium: $104 – $1,860, from the lowest to the highest category.
• Football semi-final at the Rose Bowl: $28 – $839, from the lowest to the highest category.

LA28 has also promised one million tickets at the lowest price, which is $28.

Headlines about expensive seats can make it look as if everything is costly. The published breakdown shows a different picture.

• 1,000,000 tickets are priced at the lowest level, the same one-million-ticket promise noted above.
• 50% of Olympic tickets are priced under 200 dollars, according to Francs Jeux.
• 75% are priced under 400 dollars.
• 5% are priced above 1,000 dollars.

In other words, the great majority of tickets cost far less than the opening ceremony. The most expensive seats make up a small share.

KSL reports a ticket service fee of 24%. Read the checkout page carefully, because a fee of that size changes the total. A ticket listed at one price will cost more at checkout, and buying for a group multiplies the difference.

Check LA28's official site for the sale schedule, ticket categories, and any lottery or presale steps. Be careful with resale sites and social posts. Only the official channel can guarantee a valid ticket, and prices on unofficial platforms can be much higher.

Tickets are only one line item. A realistic budget includes several others, and their prices vary by dates and where you start from.

Travel

Airfare or gas to Los Angeles will probably be more expensive during the Games, because demand is high. Book early if your dates are fixed.

Lodging

Hotels and short-term rentals near venues tend to fill up quickly. Look at areas with good transit connections, not just the ones closest to a stadium.

Local transportation

Check LA28's official guidance on getting to venues. Events are spread across the region, so a single day can involve long trips.

Food and extras

Concession prices at big events are usually higher than in a normal restaurant. Plan some food costs, and check each venue's rules on what you can bring.

Yes. The same sport can have several sessions, such as preliminaries and finals, and finals usually sit at the top of the price range. The swimming finals example above shows how far apart the lowest and highest categories can be for one session. If you mainly want to see the Games in person, a preliminary round or a less popular sport can cost much less than a medal session, though the exact prices depend on what LA28 publishes for each event.

Seat category matters as much as the event. Within one stadium, the categories separate the best views from the upper levels, and the gap between them can be large. Look at the seating map for each venue before you pick, and remember that a lower category is still a ticket to the same competition.

• Choose lower-profile events, since the lowest ticket category exists for most sessions.
• Compare seat categories, not only the cheapest and most expensive.
• Buy only through the official channel.
• Add the service fee to your budget before you commit.
• Book travel and lodging as soon as your event dates are set.