Kentucky Derby 2025: How Much Is a Ticket Inside Churchill Downs?

Good news, horse racing fans—the wait for the 151st iteration of the beloved Kentucky Derby is almost over. On Saturday, May 3, thousands of colorfully dressed, hat-wearing fans will descend upon Churchill Downs for an afternoon of Mint Juleps, gambling, and, of course, some excellent equine entertainment, brought to you by horses with names like Journalism (an apt selection for this article), Chunk of Gold and East Avenue.

There are plenty of viewing options for fans hoping to follow along at home, considering NBC will be broadcasting live starting at 2:30 p.m. ET and streaming will be available on Peacock, YouTube TV, and fubo. But what if you have a spare Lily Pulitzer dress lying around and would like to attempt a last-minute trip to the legendary racetrack? Here's how much you're looking at for a ticket:

Kentucky Derby Ticket Prices:

Perhaps the easiest choice for the casual fan, available through the official Kentucky Derby website, is the Infield General Admission option, which guarantees views of the 4K video board but not a guaranteed view of the racetrack. Guests are, however, permitted to bring their own chair or picnic blanket for lounging in the area. As of Monday, April 28, the cheapest single GA ticket cost $120.65.

If you'd like something a little bougier, try an Infield Final Turn General Admission ticket, which is similar to the GA ticket but offers a private, standing room only area in the Final Turn of the Infield. As of Monday, April 28, a single GA ticket at this tier costs at least $220.60.

For anyone comfortable spending more than that, you could try a Frontside Plaza Walkaround ticket, starting at $666, though the Derby website notes that these are no longer available for purchase for this year's event. These tickets are sold as a two-day package for both the Oaks and the Derby, and boast off-site parking access and an all-inclusive food and beverage menu.

Unsurprisingly, things get much more expensive should you want to purchase a reserved seat. A spot in the Starting Gate Courtyard, which offers padded fold-down stadium-style seating and an all-inclusive food and beverage menu, starts at $970 per person, while a Starting Gate Rail Box along the outer rail of the track begins at $2,116.

Other remaining reserved seating options include First Turn Reserved Seating (starting at $1,311), Homestretch Club Reserved Seating (starting at $2,015), Starting Gate Box Seating (starting at $2,241), and Clubhouse Box Seating (starting at $1,765).

And finally, for the wealthiest of the wealthy, there are the private suites and the private dining options. The Derby facilitates each of these accommodations, and prices aren't even listed for some of them, so you'd have to contact the event's sales department for more information. But of the suites with pricing listed, the Jockey Club Suites are the cheapest, starting at $135,000.

A dining ticket, depending on which you choose, includes either a luxurious multi-course meal or an all-inclusive food and beverage menu. Just be mindful of the restaurant you select; some have better views of the track than others. The cheapest option here—the Wicker Garden—starts at $1,711 per guest.

Cheapest and Most Expensive Kentucky Derby Ticket Prices:

While the Derby provides the above insight into the starting prices for each ticket tier, these costs often change over time, especially if the seats hit the resale market. At this stage, the cheapest single ticket available on Ticketmaster costs $120.65—an Infield General Admission ticket—while the most expensive single ticket is a $1,679.39 resale dining ticket to the Champions Loge.