3 Expensive Ways People Ring In the New Year — and Lower-Cost Alternatives
Written by
Cynthia Measom
Edited by
Jenna Klaverweiden
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New Year’s Eve looks very different depending on how much money you’re willing to spend. For some people, it means a small gathering at a friend’s house with party hats and champagne. For others, it means private rooftops, chartered jets and yacht parties that can break the six-figure mark.
Here are some of the most expensive ways people ring in the new year, and some lower-cost alternatives if you don’t have deep pockets.
Times Square Hotel Package To Watch the Ball Drop
The Knickerbocker Hotel is offering couples a Times Square hotel package for $120,000, per the New York Post. It includes a three-night stay in one of the hotel’s suites, a multi-course New Year’s Eve dinner and access to a private rooftop pod to watch the ball drop.
Lower cost is relative, so a cheaper alternative would be to book a standard room for New Year’s Eve only at the hotel and buy a ticket to the New Year’s Eve celebration at the hotel’s rooftop bar starting at $1,900, per NYE.com.
If that still isn’t in the budget, you can still celebrate the last evening of the year in New York City for much less. For example, book a hotel outside Times Square and head to a free New Year’s Eve event elsewhere in the city to watch the ball drop on TV at midnight.
Private Jet Charter To Celebrate New Year’s Eve Twice
If you time it correctly, you can ring in the new year twice. Although current pricing for 2025 isn’t available online, for New Year’s Eve in 2017, private aviation company PrivateFly, now known as FXAIR, reported that chartering a private jet from Sydney to Honolulu to celebrate New Year’s Eve twice cost $290,000.
Hopping a private jet to celebrate New Year’s twice isn’t necessary. You can livestream global celebrations, including Sydney, Australia’s, from the comfort of your home, according to the City of Sydney.
Party in St. Barthélemy
St. Barthélemy is where the wealthy go to party, and New Year’s Eve is one of the biggest celebrations each year. The place to be is on a yacht docked in Gustavia Harbor, where guests can enjoy plenty of champagne, over-the-top fireworks displays and a New Year’s Eve Regatta, featuring luxurious yachts and sailboats. Chartering a luxury yacht starts at $100,000 per week plus expenses during the winter, per YachtCharterFleet.
A lower-cost alternative could be staying in a hotel on St. Maarten, which has plenty of hotels for $300 to $500 per night, according to Tripadvisor. Great Bay Beach in Philipsburg is prime viewing for New Year’s Eve fireworks.
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