US Grand Prix 2026 in Austin: Tickets, Hotels and Budget

Circuit of The Americas, 23 to 25 October 2026

According to Formula 1, the Formula 1 MSC Cruises United States Grand Prix 2026 takes place from Friday 23 to Sunday 25 October in a standard format. The track, in Del Valle, has 20 corners and 135 ft of elevation change, including the famous climb to Turn 1. The circuit has signed with F1 until 2034. New for 2026: a fourth day on Thursday 22 October called Grand PrixView Thursday (pit lane walk, F1 Academy, fan villages), priced at $20 on its own and included with every 3-day ticket, according to COTA.

Session times, in Austin and in the UK

• Friday 23: Practice 1 at 12:30pm (6:30pm in the UK), Practice 2 at 4:00pm (10:00pm)
• Saturday 24: Practice 3 at 12:30pm (6:30pm), qualifying at 4:00pm (10:00pm)
• Sunday 25: race at 3:00pm local, which is 8:00pm in the UK

Concerts are included in every weekend ticket, according to Visit Austin: Maroon 5 on Friday, Post Malone on Saturday, and Alesso on Sunday after the race. In the UK, the race is shown live on Sky Sports F1.

What is still on sale as of 28 September

The 3-day general admission (GA) pass, priced at $450 with fees, is sold out on the COTA website at the time of writing. Single-day tickets remain, shown as « from » prices: $109 for Friday, $272 for Saturday and $249 for Sunday. Grandstand seats mostly go through unofficial resellers. The prices we found are only a guide, not official rates: around $700 for Turn 4 lower, $1,200 to $1,600 for Turn 1 lower, and $1,300 to $2,000 for the main grandstand, according to GPDestinations.

GA or grandstand?

• GA: the cheapest option, you can roam freely and bring a folding chair, but spots are unreserved and you sit in sun or rain with no cover
• Grandstand: assigned seat, a screen and less walking, but $600 to $1,300 for a corner depending on the reseller
• GA zones recommended by regulars: the Esses (Turns 3 to 5) for shade, Turn 11 which is often underrated, and the Turn 1 hill, which is packed on Sunday

Package deals exist too: the European operator Pangaea Sports listed a package from €1,335 per person (3 nights, breakfast, 3-day GA, flights not included). Check whether it is still available, since GA is sold out through direct sales. To see how another Grand Prix compares, our guide to Monaco Grand Prix tickets, grandstands and free spots shows what a street circuit looks like.

Accommodation, the most elastic part of your budget

A downtown hotel averages $260 a night outside events, and more like $700 to $1,500 on race weekend. That range is an estimate drawn from TripProf and GPDestinations, not published rates. Add 15% hotel tax (6% state, 9% city), according to the City of Austin. Another factor: on Saturday 24 October the Texas Longhorns host Ole Miss at the university stadium, which pushes downtown demand up further. For short-term rentals, CBS Austin reports an average of $215 a night in 2026, down 25% year on year, but race weekend sits well above that.

Which area to pick

• Downtown: the most convenient without a car (Waterloo Park shuttle, restaurants, bars), and the most expensive
• South Congress: boutiques, good restaurants and a stylish vibe, a few minutes from downtown
• Airport and south-east: the shortest trips to the circuit, little nightlife, more affordable chain hotels
• North-east (Travis County Expo Center): dedicated shuttle and free parking on site
• Suburbs (Round Rock, Pflugerville): much cheaper, but you need a car, up to 19 miles away

London, ESTA, then a shuttle

Flights

From the UK, British Airways flies nonstop from London to Austin, and KLM (Amsterdam) and Lufthansa (Frankfurt) also link Austin to Europe, so they work as connections from other UK airports. From elsewhere in Europe, expect a stop. For the Grand Prix period, allow roughly $900 to $1,500 return (about €800 to €1,300) from Europe: this is an estimate, and prices vary a lot depending on when you buy. Very low fares shown by some comparison sites usually correspond to other dates. Austin-Bergstrom airport is 12 miles from the circuit and 9 miles from downtown (about $35 by Uber, 23 minutes, or the CapMetro 20 bus at $1.25).

ESTA, no visa needed

British citizens and most other Europeans with a biometric passport only need an ESTA for stays of up to 90 days. The fee is $40.27 since 30 September 2025, valid for up to two years, according to the official CBP site. The $250 « visa integrity fee » does not apply to ESTA travellers. Apply 2 to 3 weeks before departure, only on the official site, and check what you are asked before paying: fake sites charge far more. Also read the GOV.UK entry requirements for the USA.

From downtown to the circuit

• Waterloo Park shuttle (downtown): from $49, according to COTA
• Travis County Expo Center shuttle: from $34, free parking on site
• Uber or Lyft: drop-off at McAngus Road, then a 10 to 15 minute walk or a free tram. Fares can spike after the race
• Car: parking from $52 to $134 depending on the lot. No train or metro serves the circuit

Three profiles, flights not included

According to GPDestinations and TripProf, a three-day stay costs about $900 to $1,400 per person on a budget (GA at $450, shared or suburban accommodation, simple meals), $2,000 to $3,200 for comfort (corner grandstand, 3 or 4-star hotel) and $8,000 and up for hospitality. These figures exclude flights. Everything is priced in dollars, so your card fees and the exchange rate will move the final bill: check the pound-dollar rate before you book.

The total from Europe (Pixidia estimates)

• Simple trip: about $2,900 to $4,000 (GA or single-day ticket, suburban or airport hotel, flight with a stop, ESTA)
• Comfort trip: about $5,200 to $7,500 (grandstand, downtown hotel)
• Extras to plan for: travel insurance, an eSIM, and 20% tips in restaurants

What to know before you walk through the gates

In late October, Austin hovers around 25°C (77°F) by day and 14°C (57°F) at night, according to GPDestinations. Storms are possible (2015, 2018) and 2025 saw a heatwave with 35°C (95°F) on Saturday. There is no reliable forecast before seven days out: pack for both, poncho included. According to the F1 visitor guide, bags are limited to 12 x 12 x 20 inches (30 x 30 x 51 cm), folding chairs are allowed in GA, and coolers, glass, drones and spray sunscreen are banned. Gates open early: arrive at opening to pick your spot. Mobile networks get overloaded at peak times, so keep a screenshot of your ticket and a power bank.

Around the weekend

• COTALAND: the circuit’s amusement park opened on 26 September 2026, with early access for Thursday ticket holders
• Fredericksburg Food & Wine Festival: 22 to 25 October in the Hill Country, with more than 35 wineries at the Grand Tasting
• Free: Barton Springs Pool, Lady Bird Lake, South Congress, breakfast tacos. For barbecue at Franklin, expect a queue of 1 to 3 hours
• Congress Avenue Bridge bats: the migration is more likely in early November, with partial departures from mid-October. The spectacle is not guaranteed in late October

At night, downtown and South Congress have a reputation for being safe. Stay alert on East 6th Street and in some areas (East Riverside, Montopolis) after dark, and take a ride-hailing car late at night. Carrying on to Mexico (30 October to 1 November) or Las Vegas? Our complete guide to the Las Vegas Grand Prix and our activities around the Las Vegas Grand Prix pick up from there.