The United Airlines NYC Half is organised by New York Road Runners, the nonprofit behind the TCS New York City Marathon. Its organisers call it the world's premier half marathon and the largest in the U.S., and it takes more than 30,000 runners on a park-to-park tour of the city, from near Prospect Park in Brooklyn to Central Park. It is the only race ever to cross the Brooklyn Bridge.
Unless you hold guaranteed entry, the way in is the non-guaranteed entry drawing. Applications open in late October and stay open for three weeks, and the drawing takes place about a week after they close, with separate pools for New York area, national and international runners. If you are selected, your card is charged the full entry fee straight away. For the official entry and all details, head to the United Airlines NYC Half website.
Key dates
- Lottery WindowOpen Nov 2026
- Race dayMar 21, 2027
Windows are shown to the month until the organiser confirms them. Subscribers get the exact day, by email, on the morning it opens.
The lottery is open right now. Entries for the NYC Half Marathon are open as you read this, and windows like this close with little warning. Set up a BibsAlert and we'll email you before it closes, and again the moment the next lottery opens.
How to enter the NYC Half Marathon
The main way in is the drawing. Guaranteed entry, time qualification, charity places and international tour operators are the other ways in.
1. Non-Guaranteed Entry Drawing
Runners without guaranteed entry apply online during the three-week application period. Places are then filled through three drawings held on the same day, one for each applicant pool: residents in and within 60 miles of New York City, U.S. residents outside that area, and non-U.S. residents. If you are selected, your default credit card is charged the full registration fee immediately, so make sure it is valid. The fee is $142.76 for NYRR members and $169.20 for non-members, and the race is open to runners aged 16 and up. Handcycle and push-rim athletes apply through the same drawing.
NYRR members who apply to the drawing are also entered automatically into a member-only second-chance drawing held on the same day, as long as their membership is active the day before applications open and stays active through drawing day.
2. Guaranteed Entry
New York Road Runners gives guaranteed entry to several groups, who claim it from their NYRR dashboard during the guaranteed entry claim period, which opens on the same day as the drawing applications:
- NYRR members who complete four qualifying NYRR events in the previous year (the 4 Out of 6 program)
- Runners who met NYRR's qualifying times at its own half marathons or at the TCS New York City Marathon
- Runners who deferred their entry the year before
- Finishers of the Virtual United Airlines NYC Half at the guaranteed entry tier
- NYRR Philanthropic Members at the 5K and 10K level
Guaranteed entries not claimed during the claim period are forfeited.
3. Time Qualifiers From Other Races
A limited number of entries go to runners with a qualifying time from a certified half marathon not organised by NYRR. Applications are open for one week at the start of the application period, with the race name, chip time and a link to the results. If there are more applications than places, the fastest applicants in each age and gender category get in, and the others are moved into the general drawing.
4. Charity Entries
Official charity partners, including NYRR's own Team for Kids, offer guaranteed entry to runners who pledge to raise funds for them. Team for Kids adds expert coaching and a team singlet. The full list of charity partners is published on drawing day.
5. International Tour Operators
Runners living outside the U.S. can get guaranteed entry by buying a half marathon travel package from an official NYRR International Tour Operator in their home country. If your country has no official operator, you can buy a package from any participating one.
The course
A park-to-park course from Brooklyn into Manhattan, and the only race ever to cross the Brooklyn Bridge.
- Start: Near Prospect Park in Brooklyn
- Finish: Central Park
- Distance: 21.0975 km (13.1 miles)
- Start Time: 7:00 AM, in waves
From the start beside the Brooklyn Museum, the course loops through Prospect Park and heads down Flatbush Avenue before crossing the Brooklyn Bridge into Manhattan and along the FDR Drive. It then passes Grand Central Terminal and runs through Times Square, one of only two days a year it is closed to traffic, before the finish in Central Park. Runners are placed in start waves and corrals by their best NYRR pace or their estimated finish time.
Why run the NYC Half Marathon?
- The largest half marathon in the U.S.: more than 30,000 runners take part.
- Across the Brooklyn Bridge: the only race ever to run over it.
- Times Square on foot: one of only two days a year it is closed to traffic.
- A step towards the marathon: for 9+1 Passholders, the race counts towards NYRR's 9+1 program, a members' route to guaranteed entry for the New York City Marathon.
Didn't get in?
If you weren't selected in the NYC Half Marathon lottery, you still have options:
- Charity entries: Many official charity partners offer guaranteed places in exchange for fundraising commitments. Check the official website for partner organizations.
- Second-chance drawing: eligible NYRR members who applied and were not selected are automatically entered into a member-only second-chance drawing on the same day as the main drawing. Your membership must be active the day before applications open.
- Run for charity: Team for Kids and the official charity partners offer guaranteed entry in exchange for fundraising.
- Tour operator packages: runners living outside the U.S. can get guaranteed entry with a travel package from an official NYRR International Tour Operator.
- Earn guaranteed entry for next year: NYRR members who complete four qualifying NYRR events through the 4 Out of 6 program, and finishers of the Virtual United Airlines NYC Half at the guaranteed entry tier, can claim entry to the following year's race.
- No transfers: NYRR entries cannot be transferred, so stick to the official routes above.
- Try a similar race: Check the related races below for races with similar entry types, dates, or locations.
- Apply again next year: Set up a BibsAlert so you don't miss the next entry window.
Questions runners ask
How does the NYC Half drawing work?
Runners without guaranteed entry apply online during a three-week window. Places are filled through three drawings on the same day: one for runners in and within 60 miles of New York City, one for other U.S. residents and one for non-U.S. residents. If you are selected, your default credit card is charged the full registration fee immediately.
When will I know if I got in?
Whether you are accepted or not, your status is updated in your NYRR dashboard and you receive an email by the end of drawing day. If your card is declined after you are selected, you get a few days to update your payment method.
Can I get in with a fast qualifying time?
Yes. Runners who met NYRR's qualifying times at its own races get guaranteed entry. Runners with a qualifying time from another certified half marathon can apply during a one-week window, and if there are more applications than places, the fastest in each age and gender category get in. The others move into the general drawing.
Can I transfer my entry or get a refund?
No. Once you are accepted, entry fees are non-refundable unless you bought NYRR's optional refund protection through Teak, and entries cannot be transferred. Instead, you can defer up to the day before the race and claim guaranteed, non-complimentary entry to the following year's race, paying that year's entry fee. A runner who deferred once cannot defer again the following year.
How old do I have to be?
The race is open to runners aged 16 and up.
Looking ahead
Applications for the drawing have opened in late October, about five months before race day, and stayed open for three weeks, with the drawing held about a week after the close. Time qualifiers from other races apply during the first week of that window. Set up a BibsAlert to get notified when the next drawing opens.