How to Get Free USS Arizona Memorial Tickets
USS Arizona Memorial tickets are free, but you still need to make a reservation on Recreation.gov. This takes a small amount of legwork and timing, but it is not impossible. The big decision most travelers need to make is whether to book the reservation themselves, try for a standby ticket at the Pearl Harbor National Memorial Visitor Center or book a tour and let the operator handle it.
Hawaii.com does not sell Pearl Harbor tours. We earn a commission if you book a tour through one of our partner links — never from the free Recreation.gov reservation, which we recommend first whenever it is the better option.
At a Glance
- Memorial tickets
- Free ($1 reservation fee)
- Where to book
- Recreation.gov
- Release times
- Next-day and 8 weeks out, 3 p.m. HST
- Limit
- 12 tickets per person, per day
- If sold out
- Same-day standby queue, or a guided tour
- Bags
- Not permitted; paid storage onsite
How do you get free tickets to the USS Arizona Memorial?
You can reserve your free USS Arizona Memorial ticket at Recreation.gov. There are two release windows, next-day and eight weeks in advance, and both drop at 3 p.m. Hawaii Standard Time. Next-day tickets sell out fast, so set a reminder and be on the site at exactly 3:00 p.m. Reservations are limited to 12 tickets per person per day. The memorial program itself is free, but the site adds a $1 non-refundable processing fee per ticket.
Besides booking a tour, this is the only way to guarantee tickets ahead of time. The Visitor Center offers standby only, which does not guarantee a same-day reservation.
If tickets are sold out or you missed the reservation
If you arrive late and miss your reservation, you may forfeit your free tickets to walk-in customers on standby. Arrive an hour before your ticket time to pick them up, or five to ten minutes early at the absolute minimum. Pearl Harbor runs on military time, which means being on time means being early.
If you forfeit your ticket, you can try the same-day standby queue, though nothing is guaranteed. Standby runs through a digital queue rather than a physical line. At the Visitor Center, look for the sign reading “Arizona Memorial Standby Sign-up” to the left of the USS Arizona Memorial Narrated Tour Desk, where you will find self-service kiosks. Enter your name, phone number and party size on the touch screen and you will get a place in line plus a text confirmation. Wait times vary and entry is still not guaranteed, especially in peak season.
If tickets sell out the day before and you do not want to gamble on standby, book a tour instead — many allow booking one or two days ahead. On a Pearl Harbor tour the operator handles tickets and transport. I recommend Aloha Sunshine Tours: they secure your Pearl Harbor Passport, which covers the paid museums (the USS Arizona Memorial program is always separate, and free), pick you up from your hotel, and on the way back to Waikīkī add a short tour of the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific — Puowaina, or Punchbowl — and the downtown historic buildings.
Should you reserve free tickets or take a guided tour?
If you have a rental car and can plan your visit a couple of months ahead of time, book the free ticket yourself. If you are staying in Waikīkī without a car, do not want to manage the logistics, or missed the next-day reservation window, book a tour.
| Factor | DIY free reservation | Guided tour (paid) |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free (plus $1 booking fee) | ~$42–240+ per person |
| USS Arizona access | Not guaranteed | Guaranteed |
| Transport | On you (car / rideshare / TheBus) | Round-trip Waikīkī pickup |
| Effort / planning | Book the day before at 3 p.m. HST or 8 weeks out; arrive early | Handled for you |
| Flexibility | Full control of your day | Set pickup window; you control the day in between |
| Best for | Rental car, planned ahead, flexible schedule | No car / want it handled / sold out |
Which situation is right for you?
- Rental car and booked ahead — go on your own.
- Staying in Waikīkī with no car — book a tour.
- You only want the Memorial and do not mind the logistics — get the tickets yourself using the steps above.
- Travelling as a family or a large group and you want it all handled — book a tour.
- Tickets sold out the day before, or no time to plan — take the tour. It costs more, and it makes your life easier.
Reserve free at Recreation.gov. If a tour fits your situation better, compare Pearl Harbor tours.
Is the Pearl Harbor Passport worth it, and which ticket should you buy?
The Passport bundles the three paid sites plus the visitor-center audio tour and a VR experience. General admission at all three separately comes to about $96 for an adult, against $99.99 for the Passport — so the Passport pays off mainly if you also want the audio tour and VR, or would simply rather buy one ticket than three. The USS Arizona Memorial is free and separate either way.
What the Passport includes
- One-hour USS Arizona Memorial self-guided narrated tour (not the ferry-led Memorial program)
- USS Arizona virtual reality experience
- Battleship Missouri Memorial admission
- Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum admission and self-guided narrated tour
- Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum and self-guided narrated tour
The Passport does not include the USS Arizona Memorial ferry program.
How much does it cost to visit Pearl Harbor?
The USS Arizona Memorial and the Pearl Harbor National Memorial Visitor Center — including its two museums, the bookstore and the memorial grounds — are free. The Battleship Missouri, USS Bowfin and Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum, and the Aviation Museum each charge separate admission. Prices are subject to change. Kamaʻāina and military must show ID for the discount. Infants aged 0–3 can enter for free.
| Ticket | Adult | Child | Kamaʻāina / military adult | Kamaʻāina / military child |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pearl Harbor Passport | $99.99 | $49.99 (ages 4–12) | $72.99 | $39.99 |
| Battleship Missouri | $39.99 | $19.99 | $29.99 | $14.99 |
| USS Bowfin | $25.99 | $14.99 | $18.99 | $9.99 |
| Aviation Museum | $29.99 | $17.99 | $20.99 | $10.99 |
Common mistakes to avoid
- Not reserving early — the eight-week window fills fast in peak season.
- Missing the 3 p.m. HST release for next-day tickets.
- Arriving late — you may forfeit your reserved time slot to standby.
- Assuming you can walk up without a reservation; same-day, in-person tickets no longer exist.
- Bringing a bag — bags are not allowed at the memorial. There is paid storage onsite.
