Willis Tower Skydeck, Chicago: history, The Ledge, how to get there, hours and tickets

Skydeck Chicago is the observation deck on the 103rd floor of Willis Tower (the Sears Tower until 2009), at 233 South Wacker Drive in the Loop. The tower has 110 stories and stands 1,730 feet tall including its antennas, and the Skydeck site calls its deck the highest in the United States. People come for the view and for The Ledge, glass boxes where the only thing under your feet is glass and 103 stories of air.

Willis Tower history: from Sears Tower to today

In 1969 Sears, Roebuck and Company was, in the Skydeck site's words, the largest retailer in the world, with about 350,000 employees, and it wanted one large office building. It hired the architects Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. Structural engineer Fazlur Khan designed the "bundled tube": a cluster of vertical tubes that together carry the building's weight and resist the wind.

Ground was broken in August 1970. More than 2,000 workers spent three years on it, and the Sears Tower was finished in May 1973 as the tallest building in the world, a title the Skydeck site says it held for nearly 25 years. The last beam was signed by 12,000 workers, Sears employees and Chicagoans. The site's own numbers give the scale: enough concrete for an eight-lane highway five miles long, 1,500 miles of electrical wiring and more than 145,000 light fixtures.

Key dates since then:

• 1982: the broadcast antennas went up.
• 1985: the Wacker Drive Atrium, with its arched glass roof, was added.
• 1988: per the Skydeck history page, Sears sold and moved out of the building, though the Sears Tower name stayed until 2009. Another page on the same site says Sears kept its headquarters there until 1989.
• 2000: the Skydeck had its first renovation.
• 2009: the tower was renamed for the Willis Group, a London-based insurance broker.
• 2015: Blackstone bought the tower.
• 2017: a five-year renovation plan began.
• 2019: it became the largest building in the US to earn LEED Platinum, recertified in 2022.
• 2022: the renovation was completed, with Catalog and a rooftop green space.

The tower's own site now ranks it the 12th tallest building in the world.

What to see at Skydeck: The Ledge, the deck and the museum

Skydeck sells itself as three attractions in one: a museum, the observation deck and The Ledge.

The 103rd floor deck. On a clear day the site says you can see 50 miles and into four states: Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Michigan.

The Ledge. Glass-floored balconies stick out 4.3 feet from the 103rd floor, 1,353 feet above Wacker Drive. The floor is three layers of half-inch glass. A full remodel of the 103rd floor added a fifth Ledge.

The Chicago Museum. It is on the tower's lower level and is part of the Skydeck visit: 30,000 square feet in seven areas. Origins covers early Chicago and the Great Chicago Fire; Architecture ends at Willis Tower itself; The Chicago L Train puts you in a full-scale CTA car for a video ride through the neighborhoods; Taste of Chicago has giant deep-dish pizza and a Chicago-style hot dog; Characters is about comedy, sports and culture; Streetscapes has photo spots like the Wrigley Field marquee and Cloud Gate; Urban Playground has interactive projections. Most visitors spend 20 to 40 minutes there.

How to get to Willis Tower and Skydeck

The Skydeck entrance is on Jackson Boulevard, on the south side of the tower, which stands at Jackson and Wacker. Per the Chicago Transit Authority:

Quincy, at 220 South Wells Street, is an accessible station. The CTA lists Union Station (Metra and Amtrak) among its connections. See the Quincy station page and the CTA attractions list.

By car, Skydeck recommends garages at 211 West Adams, 241 South Franklin and 230 South Wells, a 2 to 5 minute walk from the entrance. Booking ahead through iParkit saves $5 over day-of validation; details are on the parking page.

Skydeck hours and tickets

Skydeck is open every day. Hours for the October 1 to February 28 season:

Some days have shorter hours, so check Plan a Visit before you go.

Chicago CityPASS covers Skydeck Expedited Entry, Shedd Aquarium and three more attractions from a list over nine days; reserve your Skydeck time when you buy it. Walk-up tickets are sold while they last. All sales are final, with no refunds. Hours and prices checked on November 5, 2026 at theskydeck.com. Current prices are on the Plan a Visit page.

Tips before you go

• The site suggests early morning or sunset; morning lines are usually shorter.
• Buying online helps you skip long waits.
• Skydeck is fully accessible and ADA compliant, with ramps and elevators for strollers, scooters and wheelchairs. Free wheelchairs are lent first come, first served.
• A sensory kit and a quiet room are available on site.

For more sights, see what to see in Chicago and the Chicago city page. From Quincy station the tower is one block west.

Questions people ask

How much is a Skydeck Chicago ticket?

General Admission to Skydeck at Willis Tower starts at $32 for adults 12 and over and $22 for youth 3 to 11, and children under 3 go free. Expedited Entry, with a time slot chosen ahead, starts at $55. Prices checked on November 5, 2026 at theskydeck.com.

How high is The Ledge at Willis Tower?

The Ledge balconies stick out 4.3 feet from the 103rd floor and hang 1,353 feet above Wacker Drive. Their floors are made of three layers of half-inch glass. The Skydeck site describes a visit as three attractions in one: the museum, the deck and The Ledge.

Why is the Sears Tower now called Willis Tower?

The tower was built for Sears, Roebuck and Company and finished in May 1973. The Skydeck history page says Sears sold and moved out of the building in 1988 (another page on the site says its headquarters stayed until 1989), but the Sears Tower name stayed. In 2009 the tower was renamed for the Willis Group, a London-based insurance broker.

What is the nearest train station to Skydeck?

The nearest CTA "L" station is Quincy, served by the Brown, Orange, Pink and Purple Line Express lines. From there, walk one block west. The Skydeck entrance is on Jackson Boulevard, on the south side of Willis Tower.

When is the best time to visit Skydeck?

The Skydeck site suggests early morning or sunset, and morning lines are usually shorter. From October 1 to February 28 it is open daily from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and until 9 p.m. on Saturdays, with last entry 30 minutes before closing.