You get to the Super Bowl by securing official tickets, then booking flights and local transport to the host city’s stadium well in advance.
How Do You Get To The Super Bowl? Main Ticket Paths
When you ask how do you get to the super bowl?, the first piece of the puzzle is always a valid ticket. The game sells out every year, and most stadium seats never even reach public sale in the way a regular season matchup would.
Instead of a simple “buy now” button, access comes through a small set of controlled channels. Each route has different costs, timelines, and stress levels, so it helps to see them side by side before you lock in travel.
| Ticket Route | Who It Suits | Pros And Limits |
|---|---|---|
| Official NFL On Location Packages | Fans who want tickets bundled with hotels and hospitality | Verified seats, curated extras, higher price than face value |
| Team And League Lotteries | Diehard fans with patience and flexibility | Chance at face value seats, odds are low and dates can be tight |
| Season Ticket Member Allocations | Long term holders for the conference champion teams | Priority access, limited to specific accounts and seat locations |
| Corporate Hospitality And Suites | Companies entertaining clients or rewarding staff | Comfort and catering, usually sold in large blocks with a steep price |
| Official Resale Marketplaces | Fans buying on a set date once matchups are known | Dynamic pricing, clear seat maps, fees add up quickly |
| Contests And Promotions | Fans willing to enter draws and follow sponsor rules | Low entry cost, trips are rare and terms can be restrictive |
| Working The Event | Volunteers, temp staff, media, security, vendors | Access inside the stadium, your shift comes before fan comfort |
The lowest stress method for most travelers is an official NFL hospitality package. The league points fans toward On Location, the authorized partner that sells ticket and hotel bundles with add ons such as pregame parties and ground transport.
Fans who skip packages can wait for public sale dates on league approved sites. Stick to your budget, since prices rise once teams are set and late purchases swing more than early ones.
Getting To The Super Bowl As A Fan
Before you think about flights or hotels, confirm which city and stadium will host the game. The league now announces Super Bowl locations several years in advance, and outlets publish updated lists of host cities and dates so you can sketch a long range plan even before teams clinch their spots.
Once you know the destination, the question shifts from how do you get to the super bowl? to how early you should lock things in. Early birds usually land the widest mix of seat options and room types, while last minute shoppers trade selection for flexibility.
Know The Host City And Stadium Basics
The matchup changes every year, yet the setup around the game follows familiar patterns. One NFL city hosts the entire week, with downtown fan festivals, media events, and a ring of concerts leading into kickoff. The stadium might sit in the suburbs, as with venues built in Santa Clara or Arlington, or sit near an urban core.
The NFL site shares details on official Super Bowl ticket packages and hospitality options, including the partner that manages them for the league. Those pages outline which sections are bundled with pregame clubs, on field access, and hotel blocks, which helps you decide how much structure you want baked into your trip.
Set A Realistic Budget
Even a modest Super Bowl weekend costs far more than an average road trip to a regular season game. Factor three main buckets into your budget plan: game access, travel, and time on the ground.
Game access includes tickets and any bundled extras attached to your seat. Travel brings in flights or long distance drives, parking, and airport transfers. Time on the ground captures lodging, meals, local trains or ride share fares, fan events, and a cushion for items such as jerseys or last minute add ons.
Prices swing widely based on matchup, seat level, and host city. That unpredictability rewards fans who save early, decide what they will spend before offers appear, and resist pressure to chase upgrades that blow through their own line in the sand.
Pick Your Tickets Before You Book Flights
Airfare sales can tempt you to book a seat on a plane before you know whether you can afford a seat in the stadium. That order often backfires. Game tickets drive the entire trip, and until you know where you will sit and which package tier you can handle, travel costs are just numbers on a screen.
Once your ticket is secure, you can map the route to the host city. Most fans fly into the nearest major airport, but some aim for smaller airports nearby to cut costs or avoid congestion. Check which airports offer direct routes from your home, then compare total trip time and the cost of reaching the stadium area from each one.
Planning Flights And Ground Transport
Plan to arrive one full day before the game. Weather, airport delays, and tight connections turn game day flights into a risk that is hard to justify when you have spent so much on a ticket. Arriving on Friday or early Saturday gives you margin for delays and a relaxed buffer for festivals, team rallies, and hall of fame exhibits that pop up around the city.
Getting Around The Host City
Stadiums handle the Super Bowl with a thick layer of security and road closures. Normal shuttle stops or ride share pickup zones may change, and some streets sit behind checkpoints. That makes advance planning even more helpful than during a standard game weekend.
Look up the local transit authority map and special event notices once the schedule goes live. Many host cities add express buses from downtown hotels to the stadium, and some run extra trains on game day. If you plan to drive, scout official parking lots tied to your ticket and build in extra time for inspections and traffic near the perimeter.
Game Day Arrival Window
Security screening at the Super Bowl resembles airport style checks. Every bag goes through inspection, and walk through scanners sit at the perimeter instead of at stadium doors. Doors often open several hours before kickoff to spread out arrivals.
Plan to reach the security zone at least two to three hours before kickoff. Add more time if you are attending a pregame concert, on field experience, or corporate event inside the secure area. Late arrivals face long lines, missed pregame shows, and a stressful race to their seats.
Where To Stay For Super Bowl Week
Hotel choice shapes how your weekend feels almost as much as your seat in the stadium. Rooms near the venue cut your travel time on game day, yet spots near downtown put you closer to fan festivals and nightlife. Both styles work, and the right pick comes down to your budget and how you like to spend time away from the field.
| Area Type | Main Upside | Tradeoffs |
|---|---|---|
| Stadium District | Short ride or walk on game day | Less nightlife, higher rates close to kickoff |
| Downtown Core | Near fan festivals, restaurants, and bars | Longer ride to the stadium with game day traffic |
| Airport Hotels | Easy flight connections and early checkouts | Little local flavor, transport cost to every event |
| Suburban Towns | Quieter nights and lower nightly rates | Rental car or long transit rides required |
| Short Term Rentals | Extra space for groups and families | Cleaning fees and varied cancellation rules |
| Loyalty Program Hotels | Chance to redeem points and earn bonuses | Inventory sells out fast at popular brands |
| Package Hotels | Bundled with official ticket and event perks | Limited choice of neighborhood and room type |
Other Ways To Be Part Of Super Bowl Week
Not every fan in the host city has a seat inside the stadium. Some travel just to share the energy in town, attend fan festivals, and watch the game in a packed sports bar or outdoor viewing area. That style of trip costs less than a game ticket package and still gives plenty of football memories.
During Super Bowl week, the league and host committee fill convention centers and downtown streets with interactive exhibits, autograph sessions, sponsor activations, and youth clinics. Many of these events offer timed entry tickets at a fraction of game day prices, and they often stay open into the evening so you can pair them with other sightseeing.
If you work in media, event production, or stadium operations, another route into the building is a staff credential. Those roles are not vacations, since shifts can stretch long and game viewing often takes second place to duties, yet they do place you inside the event in a direct way.
Game Day Checklist For First Time Visitors
By the time Super Bowl Sunday arrives, your main goal is a smooth, low stress day. A simple checklist keeps small details from disrupting the trip you spent months arranging.
Print or save copies of every confirmation: ticket emails, hotel bookings, shuttle passes, and parking permits. Charge your phone, pack a small battery that matches stadium rules, and store digital tickets in the official app or wallet your ticket provider uses.
Lay out clothes and gear the night before, keeping the stadium’s clear bag and prohibited items policy in mind. Wear layers that match local weather, broken in shoes, and sunscreen if the venue has an open roof. Eat a solid meal several hours before kickoff so you are not stuck in concessions lines during big plays.
Leave your hotel earlier than your instincts suggest, since game day traffic, road closures, and security lines add delay at each step. Once you are through the gates, walk slowly to your section, check how long it takes to reach restrooms and food stands, and settle in well before the pregame show begins.