UBS Arena Tickets & Concerts: Schedule, Box Office & Venue Guide
Find UBS Arena tickets and concerts, check the current schedule and box office, plan LIRR transit and parking, and get the practical venue details you need before a show in Elmont, New York.
UBS Arena is at 2400 Hempstead Turnpike in Elmont, New York — on the Belmont Park campus near the Queens-Nassau County border, approximately 20 miles from Midtown Manhattan. It opened in November 2021 as the New York Islanders’ home arena and has since established itself as a significant concert venue for the New York market, hosting major touring artists across pop, hip-hop, country, and rock. With a concert capacity of approximately 18,000–19,000 seats depending on configuration, it sits in the same general scale tier as Barclays Center — a full major-tour arena, not a stadium.
The arena’s primary selling point is one of the newest, most purpose-built large arenas in the region. The sightlines are clean throughout most sections, the concourses are wide and well-organized, the production infrastructure handles major touring acts efficiently, and the building simply does not have the accumulated quirks and compromises of older venues that have been modified and re-modified over decades. For concertgoers who care about the building experience as much as the show itself, this matters.
Two things to know before anything else. First: UBS Arena currently allows bags no larger than 12″×12″×6″, subject to screening, while backpacks of all sizes are prohibited; bag check is available in the Great Hall. Second: parking availability and pricing vary by event, and the arena recommends purchasing parking and event tickets through Ticketmaster. Those details are worth checking before you leave because event-specific policies can change.
UBS Arena Tickets: Concert Buying, Official Tickets & What to Know
UBS Arena tickets cover concerts, New York Islanders games, family shows, comedy, and other large events, but Stage & Street keeps this venue page concert-first. For music events, start with the current concert schedule below, then compare the event-specific seating configuration before buying.
Ticketmaster is UBS Arena’s official ticketing partner and the only seller the venue identifies as authorized for its events. The arena also operates an in-person Ticketmaster Box Office. Stage & Street’s ticket buttons are separate marketplace links, so compare the exact section, row, event date, and full checkout total before purchasing.
Do not buy a UBS Arena concert ticket from the generic hockey seating chart alone. Concert floor layouts, stage placement, pits, runways, and seats released behind the stage can change by tour. Use the event-specific map first, then use our dedicated UBS Arena seating guide for the seat-selection decision.
UBS Arena Concerts & Concert Schedule
Searches for UBS Arena concerts, concerts at UBS Arena, and the UBS Arena concert schedule are all looking for the same core information: what music dates are actually on the calendar now. The arena hosts a year-round mix of pop, hip-hop, Latin, rock, K-pop, country, comedy and family entertainment, so the concert lineup changes constantly.
Upcoming UBS Arena Concerts
As of September 22, 2026, the official UBS Arena concert calendar lists KATSEYE on October 24–25, A Boogie Wit da Hoodie on October 29–30, Anuel AA on November 6, Disney Descendants, Zombies & Camp Rock: Worlds Collide Concert Tour on November 8, Los Tigres del Norte on November 28, and the Jonas Brothers on December 19. Additional 2027 dates already listed include Hans Zimmer on February 19 and Don Omar on February 28.
UBS Arena Tonight & Events Today
Queries such as UBS Arena tonight, UBS Arena events today, and UBS Arena concert tonight are date-sensitive. Check the official UBS Arena event calendar on the day you are attending, because the building hosts Islanders games and other events in addition to concerts. A general event listing does not necessarily mean a concert is taking place that night.
UBS Arena Concerts 2026
The 2026 calendar has included a broad mix of touring music, including major pop, Latin, K-pop and rock dates. Because artist-specific searches continue after a show has passed, verify the event date before buying resale inventory or relying on an older search result.
UBS Arena Box Office & Ticket Office
The UBS Arena Box Office is the Ticketmaster Box Office next to the northeast entrance. UBS Arena currently lists event-day opening at 12 p.m. unless otherwise noted, and non-event-day hours Monday through Thursday from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. The listed box-office phone number is 516-460-8988.
UBS Arena says verified event tickets are sold through Ticketmaster and advises buyers to use authorized outlets. The box office can also sell tickets for future events during event nights, with its posted closing time depending on whether the event is a game or show. Confirm hours before making a special trip because event-specific schedules can override normal hours.
Where Is UBS Arena? Belmont Park in Elmont, New York
UBS Arena is at 2400 Hempstead Turnpike, Elmont, NY 11003, on the Belmont Park campus near the Queens-Nassau County border. The arena is in New York State on Long Island, not in Manhattan or Brooklyn, and it is the home arena of the New York Islanders.
For concertgoers coming from New York City, the location matters because the easiest public-transit trip is generally the Long Island Rail Road to Elmont-UBS Arena Station. UBS Arena says the trip is approximately 30 minutes from either Penn Station or Grand Central Madison, with regular event-day shuttles between the station and the arena.
A live concert inside UBS Arena, capturing the scale, lighting, and modern arena atmosphere that make it one of the New York area’s major concert venues.
What UBS Arena Is Actually Like for Concerts
UBS Arena concerts benefit from a modern arena — deliberately designed for the present rather than adapted from a prior era.The bowl geometry is tighter and steeper than many comparable-capacity venues, which reduces the sense of distance that plagues the upper sections of older arenas. From most positions in the 100 and 200 levels, the sightlines are notably cleaner than what the same ticket tier produces at MSG or older comparable venues. The building also benefits from modern acoustic engineering: the sound system is distributed and calibrated for the room, and the upper bowl does not suffer the kind of reverberant muddiness that some older arenas generate at similar levels.
The venue is a cashless operation, with Reverse ATMs available near sections 108 and 210 for visitors who bring cash. Tickets are mobile; UBS Arena recommends having them loaded in the UBS Arena or Ticketmaster app and adding them to your phone wallet before arrival when available. Do not rely on a screenshot in place of the live mobile ticket.
The surrounding campus is Belmont Park, which has a Belmont Park Village outlet mall and some food and retail adjacent to the arena. This is not an urban neighborhood with a genuine restaurant and bar scene — the dining inside the arena (Belmont Hall sports bar, 12 market-style concession outlets) is the primary option for most visitors. Plan to eat before arriving if a pre-show dinner is part of the evening.
UBS Arena recommends purchasing parking through Ticketmaster and notes that available lots vary by event. Current venue guidance says concert parking prices increase when purchased at the arena lots, and the campus uses different Cross Island Parkway exits for Emerald, Belmont Park Garage, and Diamond/Ruby/Silver parking. Buy the correct lot for your event before driving, then follow the lot-specific route shown on the arena’s current trip-planning page.
When UBS Arena Is the Right Choice — and When It Isn’t
UBS Arena is the right choice when
You are coming from Long Island, eastern Queens, or the outer Nassau/Suffolk counties. The LIRR connection from Penn Station, Grand Central Madison, Atlantic Terminal (Brooklyn), and Long Island stations makes UBS Arena genuinely accessible from across the region — and for many Long Island residents, significantly more convenient than making the trip to MSG or Barclays. From Hicksville, the train is only 13 minutes. From Jamaica Station (where LIRR and the subway connect), a quick transfer puts you at the arena in roughly 20–25 minutes. For the large portion of the New York metro population that lives on Long Island or in eastern Queens, UBS Arena is the nearest major arena of its scale.
You want a newer arena experience. The building is cleaner, the sightlines are better calibrated to the bowl geometry, and the overall concert experience benefits from a facility designed from scratch for this purpose rather than one that has been renovated around an aging infrastructure. For concertgoers who find MSG’s age and density chaotic, or who prioritize venue comfort alongside the show itself, UBS Arena is the alternative that makes the strongest case.
The show is a major arena tour at the right scale. UBS hosts the same tier of touring artist as MSG and Barclays — full production arena concerts for artists with the budget and audience to fill 18,000–19,000 seats. The production infrastructure handles elaborate staging, lighting rigs, and visual productions efficiently. For major tours at arena scale, UBS is a fully capable venue.
UBS Arena may not be the right choice when
Manhattan convenience is the priority. UBS Arena is in Nassau County, New York — not Brooklyn, not the Bronx, not Manhattan. The LIRR trip is approximately 30 minutes from Penn Station, which is fast in relative terms but adds a meaningful transit leg to the evening compared with MSG (Penn Station directly below) or Barclays (Atlantic Avenue subway directly below). For visitors staying in Manhattan who want the simplest possible event-night logistics, MSG or Barclays will be the more straightforward option.
You want a dinner-and-show New York City evening. There is no real neighborhood around UBS Arena to build an evening from. The Belmont Park campus has limited dining options outside the arena itself. A UBS Arena concert night is primarily a transit-and-show experience rather than a dinner-neighborhood-show experience. For visitors who want the full New York City evening structure — dinner in a neighborhood, concert, walkback or easy subway home — Manhattan or Brooklyn venues serve that format much better.
The show would be better in a smaller or more intimate room. UBS Arena is an 18,000-seat arena. For artists who would be better served by the Beacon’s 2,800-seat intimacy or Radio City’s 5,960-seat elegance, the arena scale works against the performance regardless of how new and clean the building is. The right room matters more than the right building.
Best Seats for Concerts at UBS Arena
UBS Arena’s seating for concerts divides into floor sections, lower bowl (100s), and upper bowl (200s and 300s). The stage for most end-stage concerts is positioned on the north side of the arena, near sections 101 and 118. Stage configurations vary significantly by tour — center-stage, GA floor, and various floor arrangements all exist in the confirmed configuration history. Always use the event-specific seating chart, not the generic venue layout.
UBS Arena uses multiple concert configurations. Confirmed from TicketIQ data: end-stage (floor 1–9), center-stage (floor 1–8), GA floor, pit GA, and various floor configurations have all been used by different artists. The north-side stage position for end-stage shows makes certain sections strong (those facing north) and certain sections compromised (those on the north end behind the stage). Always verify the event-specific chart before purchasing.
Floor sections — the critical front-row caveat
Floor sections at UBS Arena for concerts are numbered Floor 1–9 (Floor 8 is not used in standard configurations). Floor sections 1–3 are closest to the stage for end-stage shows. The RateYourSeats confirmed guidance for UBS floor: floor sections have approximately 20 rows, and because there is no elevation between rows, front rows are critical to avoiding sightline blocking. Being in the front half of a floor section reduces the chance of the person in front significantly affecting your view. For GA floor configurations, the same crowd-management logic applies as at any arena: arrive early if forward position matters, be prepared for a standing crowd, and understand that sightlines are not guaranteed.
Lower bowl (100s) — the primary concert zone
The 100-level sections at UBS Arena run from 101–118. For end-stage concerts with the stage near sections 101 and 118, the midfield center sections facing the stage are the primary value target. The bowl design at UBS is notably steep relative to its capacity, which means upper rows of the 100-level maintain a closer visual relationship with the stage than equivalent rows at some older same-capacity arenas. Within the 100-level, center-facing sections are significantly better than corner and end sections for end-stage configurations — the angle advantage in a relatively compact bowl is meaningful.
Upper bowl (200s and 300s)
The 200-level (sections 201–228) and 300-level (sections 301–329) make up the upper bowl. At UBS Arena, the upper bowl benefits from the same bowl-geometry advantage as the lower bowl — the steep pitch means the 200-level does not feel as remote as equivalent sections at older, shallower-bowl arenas. Center-facing 200-level sections offer a clean elevated view of the full stage picture, which for visually complex productions can be preferable to the compressed angle of the near-floor sections. Corner and end sections at the 200-level lose value for end-stage shows in the same way they do at every arena — the angle is the limitation. 300-level center sections facing the stage are the budget option; 300-level end sections are the weakest positions in the building.
For a more detailed look at floor seating, lower-bowl sightlines, upper-level value, and where different concert setups tend to work best, head to the UBS Arena seating guide.
Closest non-floor seating facing the stage. UBS’s steep bowl design keeps mid-rows connected to the performance. The primary target for a strong all-around concert experience at this venue.
Elevated angle with a full view of the stage picture. Modern bowl design makes these sections notably less remote than equivalent 200-level sections at older arenas. Strong for visually complex productions.
Closest physical proximity to the stage. No elevation between rows means front half of sections is critical for sightlines. Best for GA shows where you want crowd proximity, or artists with catwalk staging into the floor.
Farthest tier but with direct angle to the stage in center-facing sections. Screen production is the primary visual medium from here. UBS’s modern design keeps these sections more functional than equivalent upper-deck positions at older arenas.
Sections directly behind the stage for end-stage configurations are the genuinely compromised positions at any level. Corner sections have angle disadvantages relative to center sections. Check which sections are behind the stage for your specific show configuration before purchasing.
For center-stage or in-the-round shows (confirmed in UBS configuration history), sections that are “behind the stage” for end-stage shows become fully facing. Corner sections become viable. All 100 and 200 level sections in the round have improved angles. Check the event-specific chart.
UBS Arena’s newer design produces a bowl that often feels more connected between upper and lower sections than venues of similar capacity built decades earlier. The steep pitch is the key factor — rows stack more aggressively over each other, which reduces the horizontal distance between upper and lower bowl positions. For concertgoers who have found 200-level sections at older arenas uncomfortably remote, UBS Arena’s 200-level center sections frequently deliver a better experience than expected. This is the building’s primary seating advantage and worth factoring into any seat-choice decision.
Seat Strategy by Concert Type
End-stage arena tour (most common configuration)
Stage on the north side near sections 101 and 118. Center-facing lower bowl sections are the primary value zone. Upper bowl center sections 201–215 range provide elevated full-stage view at strong value. Floor sections 1–3 for proximity. Avoid sections behind the stage and far corner sections at any level. The same standard arena concert logic applies — center and center-adjacent sections at every level beat corners and ends.
Center-stage / in-the-round
UBS has hosted center-stage configurations (confirmed for multiple artists). In this setup, all sections around the arena have approximately equivalent access to the stage, which distributes value more evenly across the bowl. Floor sections surround the stage; the upper bowl becomes a legitimate birds-eye viewing position for productions designed to be seen from all angles. Artists who use this configuration are deliberately creating a different kind of arena intimacy — every section is facing the performance rather than a subset of sections.
Heavy pop and K-pop visual productions
UBS Arena has a significant track record with K-pop and visually complex pop tours — TWICE, ENHYPEN, and similar artists have used center-stage configurations with runways reaching into the floor. For these shows, the upper bowl positions can deliver a better overall view of the production design than floor positions that see one part of the staging at a time. Upper bowl center sections rows 1–10, looking down on a center-stage production with runway elements extending across the floor, can be the most complete visual experience in the building for the right show.
GA floor vs seated floor
UBS Arena offers both GA floor and seated floor configurations depending on the artist. GA floor is the physically demanding standing option — arrive early for forward position, plan for standing the full show, understand that sightlines are not assigned or guaranteed. Seated floor is the assigned-position alternative — floor sections with numbered rows and reserved seats. Seated floor sections 1–3 closest to the stage deliver genuine proximity to the performance without the GA crowd management challenge.
What First-Timers Should Know Before a Concert at UBS Arena
The LIRR is the official recommendation — and it is genuinely the right call
UBS Arena’s own planning page is unambiguous: “We recommend taking the LIRR to and from UBS Arena.” This is not boilerplate — it is accurate practical advice. The Elmont-UBS Arena Station opened specifically to serve the arena and is served by the Hempstead Branch (primary), the Ronkonkoma Branch, and the Port Jefferson Branch. From Penn Station in Manhattan, the trip is approximately 30 minutes. From Grand Central Madison, also approximately 30 minutes. From Jamaica Station (where LIRR connects with the subway’s A/E/J/Z trains), roughly 20 minutes. Free shuttle buses run between the Elmont-UBS Arena Station and the arena on event days — the station is about half a mile from the arena, and the shuttle removes the walk entirely.
Buy your LIRR round-trip tickets to Elmont-UBS Arena Station before the day of the event, through the LIRR TrainTime app or at Penn Station. On major event nights, ticket windows and machines back up at Penn Station when the event crowd arrives simultaneously. Having your tickets — and your concert tickets — on your phone before you leave home removes every queue from your entry process.
UBS Arena is not on the NYC subway — you must connect to LIRR
Unlike Barclays (nine subway lines directly below) or Yankee Stadium (4 and D trains at the door), UBS Arena has no NYC subway service. Every visitor coming from Manhattan or the other boroughs by public transit must reach either Penn Station or Grand Central Madison to board the LIRR. From Midtown Manhattan, the most common approach: take the subway to 34th St–Penn Station, follow signs to the LIRR concourse, and board a train to Elmont-UBS Arena. From the East Side, take the 4/5/6 to Grand Central, transfer to the lower level for Grand Central Madison, and board the LIRR there. See the how to get to UBS Arena guide for full route information.
The bag-size and mobile-ticket requirements are non-negotiable
Two things worth sorting before you travel: UBS Arena currently permits bags no larger than 12″×12″×6″ and prohibits backpacks of all sizes, while tickets are mobile. Bag check is available in the Great Hall if needed. Load the live mobile ticket before you leave home and add it to your phone wallet when available so entry does not depend on weak cellular service. See the what to wear guide for full venue-specific packing advice.
Driving — the Cross Island Parkway exit matters enormously
Different parking lots at UBS Arena use different Cross Island Parkway exits. If you are driving, purchase the parking option offered for your event and check which exit corresponds to your specific lot before you leave home. Exit 26A, 26B, and 26D serve different parking areas. Using the wrong exit creates a navigation problem that compounds on event-night congestion. The rideshare drop-off and pick-up zone is on the north side of the arena, accessible via Exit 26D and Green Road.
Post-show — the LIRR exit strategy
The LIRR handles the post-show crowd with multiple departing trains, but the shuttle from the arena to the station and the platform itself fill quickly immediately after a major show ends. The two strategies that consistently work: leave your section 5–10 minutes before the last song to be in the first shuttle wave and board early departing trains. Or wait 30–45 minutes inside the arena after the show ends, let the main crowd clear, and take a later, less crowded train home. Both approaches are significantly better than joining the immediate post-show rush.
Planning the Full Night Around a UBS Arena Concert
This is not a dinner-and-city-night venue
UBS Arena is at Belmont Park in Elmont. There is no walkable restaurant and bar scene to build an evening around — unlike Barclays Center with Fort Greene, MSG with Hell’s Kitchen, or Yankee Stadium with the River Avenue block. The arena itself has Belmont Hall (a sports bar), 12 concession outlets, and food options that qualify as good arena food. The Belmont Park Village outlet mall is adjacent to the campus for some retail. For a pre-show dinner that is part of the evening rather than simply fueling it, eat before you travel — either at home or at a restaurant in Manhattan, Brooklyn, or Queens near your LIRR departure station. See the restaurants near UBS Arena guide for the fuller picture of what’s actually near the venue.
The simplest plan works best here
The most reliable approach for a UBS Arena concert from Manhattan: dinner near Penn Station or Grand Central before departing, train to Elmont, shuttle to arena, concert, shuttle back to station, train home. The total transit time is predictable and manageable. Trying to build a more complex evening around the venue’s location — dinner in Elmont, additional stops, etc. — adds friction without adding proportional value because the area does not support it. Simplify around the transit and the evening works.
Hotels and overnight stays
For visitors making a trip from outside the metro area, staying at a Manhattan hotel near Penn Station or Grand Central is the cleanest approach — the LIRR home from UBS Arena deposits you at the train station, and the hotel is a short walk from there. Staying closer to the venue (Elmont area hotels) removes the late-night transit entirely but removes the Manhattan hotel experience and proximity to city options for the rest of the trip. See the hotels near NYC concert venues guide for context.
Parking — the full picture
If driving is necessary, purchase parking through the current event’s official Ticketmaster options before you travel. Available lots vary by event, and the arena notes that concert parking can cost more when purchased at the lots. Check which Cross Island Parkway exit corresponds to your purchased lot, allow extra time for event-night entry, and expect post-show traffic. For most Manhattan-based visitors, the LIRR remains the simpler option. See the parking near UBS Arena guide for the full parking strategy.
UBS Arena vs Other NYC-Area Concert Venues
UBS for a newer, cleaner arena experience; MSG for Manhattan location and historical weight. Both are at approximately the same capacity scale (~18,000–20,000). MSG wins on transit convenience (Penn Station directly below, no LIRR required for most visitors), Manhattan location, and decades of concert history. UBS wins on building quality — a modern bowl design, cleaner sightlines, wider concourses, and a venue that has not been modified around constraints that did not anticipate its current use. For Long Island and eastern Queens visitors, UBS may actually be more convenient than MSG by LIRR. For Manhattan and Brooklyn visitors, MSG’s transit advantage is meaningful.
Very similar arena scale; different locations and transit profiles. Barclays wins decisively on subway access, while UBS wins for many Long Island visitors because the LIRR connection can be more direct than traveling to Atlantic Avenue. Barclays has the Fort Greene and Boerum Hill neighborhood for pre-show dinner; UBS has the Belmont Park campus. The comparison mostly comes down to geography, the specific show, and which trip is easier from your starting point.
UBS for arena-scale shows; MetLife for the largest stadium-scale productions. MetLife at 82,500 is a stadium; UBS at ~19,000 is an arena — they do not serve the same scale of event. Artists playing MetLife are at the top of the touring scale; UBS serves the same tier as MSG and Barclays. Transit to both requires a rail connection (NJ Transit/Secaucus for MetLife; LIRR for UBS), but MetLife’s connection is more complex (mandatory transfer at Secaucus). For arena-scale shows, UBS is the more straightforward experience.
Different categories. Radio City at 5,960 seated is a theater; UBS at ~19,000 is an arena. Not a comparison that comes up for the same show. Artists and events self-select to the appropriate scale.
UBS for arena-scale major tours; Beacon, Radio City, and Carnegie Hall for smaller, more intimate, or acoustically focused shows. If the show belongs in a 2,800-seat theater like the Beacon, attending it at UBS (if it even plays there) would produce an arena-scale experience that works against what the performance is. Always match the venue scale to the show scale — a 19,000-seat arena is not a larger version of a 2,800-seat concert hall. They are categorically different experiences.
Common UBS Arena Concert Mistakes
Driving without checking the event-specific parking options first
UBS Arena parking inventory and lot access vary by event. Purchase the parking option offered for your event through the official ticketing channel, then verify which Cross Island Parkway exit (26A, 26B, or 26D) corresponds to that lot. The wrong exit can create real navigation problems on a congested event-night road, and the arena notes that concert parking prices can increase when purchased at the lots.
Arriving with an oversized bag or backpack
UBS Arena currently permits bags no larger than 12″×12″×6″, subject to screening, and prohibits backpacks of all sizes. Medical and baby bags are permitted with screening, and bag check is available in the Great Hall. Check the event page before leaving because show-specific restrictions can be stricter than the arena’s baseline policy.
Arriving with a screenshot of your ticket
UBS Arena requires live mobile tickets through Apple Wallet or Google Pay. Screenshots are explicitly not accepted. The Ticketmaster SafeTix barcode refreshes every few seconds specifically to prevent screenshots from working. Add your tickets to your phone wallet before leaving home and confirm they are loading correctly — a dead phone battery at the arena entrance is also not a recognized exception.
Not understanding the LIRR connection from the city
UBS Arena has no NYC subway service. Every visitor from Manhattan or the five boroughs needs to get to Penn Station or Grand Central Madison to board the LIRR. First-time visitors who assume they can take a subway directly to UBS — in the way they would to Barclays or Yankee Stadium — will discover this at the station when they cannot find the relevant line. Plan the transit in full before you travel, including the subway or other transport to reach your LIRR departure point.
Not checking the event-specific seating chart before purchasing
UBS Arena uses multiple concert configurations — end-stage, center-stage, GA floor, pit GA, and various floor arrangements. A section that faces the stage in one configuration is behind the stage in another. The generic UBS Arena hockey seating chart is not the right reference for a concert purchase. Use the event-specific chart on the ticket platform to determine which sections face the stage for your specific show.
Choosing UBS Arena when the real goal was a Manhattan or Brooklyn evening
A UBS Arena concert night is a transit-and-show experience, not a dinner-neighborhood-concert-walkback evening. The venue is in Nassau County at Belmont Park. There is no restaurant scene to walk through, no neighborhood bar to stop in afterward, no city street to decompress on. If the primary things you want from a concert night include a great dinner, a vibrant neighborhood, and an easy late-night return through the city, MSG, Barclays, Radio City, or the Beacon will serve those preferences significantly better than UBS Arena can.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes — for major arena-scale tours, UBS Arena is one of the better large arenas in the New York market. The modern bowl design produces cleaner sightlines than older same-capacity venues, the production infrastructure handles large-scale touring efficiently, and the building experience is consistently cleaner than what MSG or comparable older venues offer. The tradeoffs are location (Elmont, Nassau County — not Manhattan or Brooklyn) and the transit requirement (LIRR, approximately 30 minutes from Penn Station or Grand Central Madison). For the right show and the right audience, it delivers a strong large-arena concert experience.
For most end-stage configurations: lower bowl center sections facing the stage (100s), mid-rows. Upper bowl center sections (200s, rows 1–10) for a full production overview at strong value — UBS’s steep bowl makes these sections less remote than equivalent positions at older arenas. Floor sections 1–3, front half, for closest proximity. Avoid end and corner sections at any level for end-stage shows where those sections are behind or at sharp angles to the stage. Always check the event-specific configuration before purchasing — center-stage and other configurations change the picture significantly.
Depends on the show and configuration. For artists who use extended catwalks or runways into the floor area (confirmed in UBS’s concert history, particularly with pop and K-pop artists), floor positions near the runway can be excellent. For standard elevated end-stage shows, front floor sections 1–3 deliver genuine proximity but require front-half rows to avoid sightline blocking (no elevation between rows). GA floor is a physically demanding option that works best for fans who want crowd immersion and are prepared for standing the full show.
Less so than at many same-capacity older arenas. UBS Arena’s bowl design — steep and compact — makes the upper sections notably more connected to the floor than equivalent positions at venues like MSG where the bowl is wider and shallower. Center-facing 200-level sections at UBS Arena frequently deliver a better experience than the equivalent tier at older arenas. 300-level center sections are the genuine budget option — functional for screen-heavy productions, further from the stage than the 200-level. 300-level end sections for end-stage shows are the weakest positions in the building.
Depends on who you are and where you are coming from. MSG wins on transit convenience (Penn Station directly below), Manhattan location, and history. UBS wins on building quality — a newer, cleaner bowl with better sightlines and a more modern concourse experience. For Long Island residents and eastern Queens visitors, UBS is frequently more convenient than MSG by LIRR. For Manhattan and Brooklyn visitors, MSG’s transit advantage is real. Neither is universally better — the right choice depends on the specific show, your home base, and how much the building experience matters relative to the concert itself.
For major events: plan to be at the arena gates at least 60–90 minutes before the listed start time. Factor in the transit (30 minutes from Penn Station or Grand Central Madison, plus the shuttle from Elmont-UBS Arena Station to the arena), security screening, and finding your section. If driving, add time for lot entry and parking. The official arena guidance and concert-specific advice from multiple sources recommends at least 90 minutes before the event for parking and security, particularly for high-capacity sold-out shows.
LIRR — confirmed as the official UBS Arena recommendation. From Penn Station or Grand Central Madison: approximately 30 minutes to Elmont-UBS Arena Station, then a free shuttle to the arena. Check the TrainTime app for schedules and buy tickets in advance. For Long Island visitors: LIRR from your home station directly to Elmont-UBS Arena. From Jamaica Station (connecting point for subway A/E/J/Z trains): approximately 20 minutes. For Westchester and Connecticut visitors: Metro-North to Grand Central, transfer to LIRR for Grand Central Madison trains. See the how to get to UBS Arena guide for full details.
UBS Arena hosts major touring artists throughout the year. As of September 22, 2026, upcoming concerts on the official calendar include KATSEYE, A Boogie Wit da Hoodie, Anuel AA, Disney Descendants/Zombies/Camp Rock: Worlds Collide, Los Tigres del Norte, and the Jonas Brothers. Check the official calendar before making plans because new shows are added and dates can change.
The Ticketmaster Box Office is next to the northeast entrance. UBS Arena currently lists event-day opening at 12 p.m. unless otherwise noted and non-event-day hours Monday through Thursday from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. The posted phone number is 516-460-8988. Verify hours before making a special trip.
For most visitors from Manhattan, Brooklyn, or Queens, the LIRR is the simplest option. Driving can make more sense for visitors from Nassau County, western Suffolk, or areas without convenient rail access. If driving, purchase the event-specific parking option through the official ticketing channel, verify which Cross Island Parkway exit corresponds to your lot, and allow extra time for event-night traffic. See the parking near UBS Arena guide for the full parking strategy.
UBS Arena, Done Right
UBS Arena is the right arena for the right visitor — specifically the visitor who wants major-tour arena production in a newer, cleaner building, is willing to plan the LIRR trip properly, and does not need the night to include the Manhattan or Brooklyn neighborhood experience that other venues provide. For Long Island residents especially, it is the most logistically sensible large arena in the region. For Manhattan-based visitors, it is a compelling option when the building experience matters alongside the show.
The non-negotiables: bag no larger than 12″×12″×6″ and no backpacks; live mobile ticket ready before arrival; event-specific parking checked in advance if driving; LIRR timing planned through TrainTime if taking the train; and the event-specific seating chart verified before purchasing.
Get those right and UBS Arena is a consistently strong large-arena concert experience — probably the most comfortable in the region for the right scale of show.