Cost To Attend The 2026 NFL Draft: From Every NFL Market

By Christopher Boan

Apr 9th, 2026 12:13 PM EDT

A view of the Pittsburgh skyline from the Three Rivers Trail. (Garret Roberts/Beaver County Times/USA Today Network)

The 2026 NFL Draft is coming to Pittsburgh April 23-25 and football fans from around the country will descend upon Western Pennsylvania.

The three-day event is free to attend, but the costs to travel and stay there carry a price tag. Folks with existing accounts can wager with Pennsylvania sportsbooks while they’re in the Steel City.

Bookies.com broke down the costs to attend the 2026 NFL Draft. Event entry is free, but total costs range from $435 (Pittsburgh) to $2095 (Seattle). Our interactive widget below shows each market so you can look for prices from your town to Pittsburgh.

Check out the best sportsbook promos at Bookies.com as well.

What’s Free (And What Isn’t) At The NFL Draft

How much does it cost to attend the 2026 NFL Draft? Well, fans attending this year’s draft can get into all three days free by using the OnePass system for NFL Draft registration. However, we are also accounting for costs associated with travel and lodging, as well as parking, food and merch.

Capacity is somewhat limited at the site, which is an outdoor stage at the Point in Downtown Pittsburgh (at the Pittsburgh Convention Center). But space shouldn’t be much of an issue for those wanting to attend.

The NFL offers VIP packages that run from $1,250 per person on Thursday and Friday to $700 per person on Saturday. But those are merely add-ons and not required for entry. NFL OnePass 2026 how to register instructions will lead you to free admission.

How We Calculated These Numbers

We averaged hotel costs for the greater Pittsburgh area during the weekend of April 23 to 25 for the cost to attend NFL Draft 2026.

Suburban accommodations on McKnight Road and Cranberry Township averaged $130 per night, while downtown hotels ran about $650 per night. We thus created a three-night average of $1,170 for the stay for draft fans and NFL betting enthusiasts.

Parking costs range from free (at the park-and-ride T) to $100 per day at pre-booked lots. So we arrived at a three-day average of $150. Food and drink averages are the same for every calculation: $195 on average, ranging from $120 (or $40 per day) to $270 (or $90 daily). We pegged merchandise costs at $195 average, but of course that expense can range from zero to things like hats, shirts and NFL Draft gear ($270 in all).

How will you arrive? Our driving estimates come from gas at AAA state prices in April, estimating a car getting 28 miles per gallon. We added in any applicable tolls, with the low end of our estimate assuming that two people split the costs.

For those flying to Pittsburgh International Airport, we determined the cheapest round-trip economy fare, which was on Southwest Airlines. We averaged costs using Expedia, Southwest.com, Google Flights and KAYAK.

Pennsylvania offers a full array of the best US online betting sites; the state launched sports betting in 2018.

The Cheapest Markets

As you can probably guess, locals in Pittsburgh have the cheapest path toward attending this year’s NFL Draft, with a total bill of $435.

That includes $0 for travel, hotel and 2026 NFL Draft Pittsburgh tickets price. Parking, food and merchandise are the only expenditures that we accounted for. Even locals can save money, however, by using the free park-and-rides across the city. Carpooling with friends also helps split the travel costs.

Other cheap NFL Draft markets include northern cities such as Cleveland ($1,635 average), Buffalo ($1,662), Cincinnati ($1,671) and Detroit ($1,672).

Consider Hotels Outside Downtown

One way to save is to book suburban hotels as soon as possible. Cranberry Township and McKnight Road accommodations are 20 to 40 minutes from downtown, but they’re a fraction of the price for hotels close to the convention center.

Cleveland (135 miles) is the closest drive from Pittsburgh, followed by Buffalo (216 miles), Cincinnati (288) and Detroit (287). All should be within a five-hour trek by car. Should you drive to this year’s Draft, find a way to split the cost, finding a friend or family member to go along with you so that gas costs don’t break the bank.

Fans from some places, such as Philadelphia and Baltimore, could consider Amtrak as an alternative. The operator’s Capital Limited line train from the City of Brotherly Love runs between $60 to $90 round trip, which is cheaper than flying or driving right now.

Doing that can help NFL fans in both cities beat the averages shown in our chart.

The Priciest Markets

Unsurprisingly, the market that has the highest overall cost to attend this year’s NFL Draft is Seattle, which clocks in at a whopping $2,095.

Most of Seattle’s high costs stem from the average airfare ($490 round trip) to cover the 2,100-mile flight.

For each of the five costliest markets this NFL Draft cycle, the common denominator is the need to fly a long distance into Pittsburgh. The average hotel cost ($1,170) and the other expenses add to that total for a pricey trip.

Los Angeles (29th, at $2,025), Las Vegas (28th, at $2,005), San Francisco (27th, at $1,995) and Phoenix (26th, at $1,935), each have high flight costs from the western part of the USA. Flight costs ran from $330 from PHX to PIT to $420 from the cheapest Bay Area airport to the Steel City.

If NFL Draft fans are smart with their money and choose the budget-friendly options we have outlined, they can knock more than $1,000 off their total bill for the weekend. But some might think that takes some of the fun out of a football-heavy weekend.

Also see: 2026 NFL Draft First Round Pick Predictions

Money-Saving Tips

The easiest way to save money on attending this year’s draft is to book your place to stay now. Doing so with a suburban hotel, such as at one of the many ones located in Cranberry Township and McKnight Road, can knock big bucks off your total bill for the weekend. So can choosing the city’s park-and-ride lots (which are free) over a prepaid one.

If you live close enough to Pittsburgh to drive there, find a buddy or family member to split the gas bill with. That will leave more money for fun things when you get there.

For markets like Miami/South Florida, checking flight costs out of Fort Lauderdale instead of Miami International Airport. Tickets are typically $15 to $25 cheaper out of the Broward County hotspot. Ditto for Packers, who can fly out of Milwaukee instead of Green Bay, as MKE has much better flight options and lower fares to the Steel City.

Finally, skip the VIP packages unless you’re seeking out one-of-a-kind hospitality experiences. The free zones have full access at the draft, meaning there’s no need to shell out even more to get whatever perks the league is shilling for those willing to blow out their budgets come late April. That’s the cheapest way to attend NFL Draft 2026.

The NFL Draft has become a must-watch event, either on TV or in-person, with thousands of football fans bound to head to Pittsburgh to do just that. With our help, you can be there in person, avoid breaking the bank and greet your franchise’s next star with great enthusiasm (or with great exasperation if you don’t like the pick).

Check out our 2026 NFL Draft Betting Guide for hints on who your team might select this month.

NFL Draft FAQ

How much does it cost to attend the 2026 NFL Draft?

The average cost ranges from $435 for Pittsburgh locals to $2,095 for fans flying from Seattle. The league-wide average across all 32 NFL markets is approximately $1,771. Entry is free via NFL OnePass — the costs are travel, hotel, parking, food, and merchandise. NFL Draft 2026 travel costs by city vary depending on how far one is traveling.

Do you need to buy tickets to attend the 2026 NFL Draft?

No. The 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh is free to attend for all three days, April 23 to 25. Fans must register for NFL OnePass at NFL.com/DraftAccess to receive a QR code for entry.

Where is the 2026 NFL Draft?

The 2026 NFL Draft is April 23-25, 2026 in Pittsburgh. Round 1 is April 23, Rounds 2-3 are on April 24 and Rounds 4-7 are on April 25.

How do I get free parking at the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh?

The Port Authority of Allegheny County offers free park-and-ride options at T light rail stations including Ross Park & Ride, South Hills Village, and Wilkinsburg. Park free and ride the T into downtown Pittsburgh.

What is the cheapest way to attend the 2026 NFL Draft?

Stay at a suburban hotel (about $130/night vs. $500–800 downtown), use the free park-and-ride T, drive if you’re within 7 hours and split gas costs with a friend, and skip the merch tent if you’re on a budget. A Cleveland fan using this approach can attend all three days for around $650 to $700 total.

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