Dallas Cowboys Party Pass Ticket – Tips and Tricks

Before handing over all of next month’s paycheck to take yourself or your whole family to a Dallas Cowboys game, keep reading below for my tips and tricks on how to get the most out of your Party Pass Ticket and save yourself hundreds of dollars in the process.

As a former teacher with a bad case of the wanderlust, it can be hard during the school year when you don’t have the time or the money you need to travel.  I used to have a limited amount of vacation days at my disposal, and I always had a limited amount of funds on hand. Now, as a full-time travel blogger, I have all the time in the world, but I’m still a baller on a budget.  So, what does a wanderluster like myself do when it’s not feasible to travel? Find local experiences to whet your wanderlust whistle, that’s what! 😉

When people think of Dallas as a tourist destination, one thing immediately comes to mind…attending a Dallas Cowboys game at AT&T Stadium!  Regardless of whether or not you are a Cowboys fan, AT&T Stadium is truly a sight to behold! Also known in these parts as Jerry World (aptly nicknamed for Jerry Jones, owner of the Dallas Cowboys), this stadium remains one of the most expensive sports venues ever built.  With its unique, futuristic double arch design, retractable roof, and larger-than-life video displays, the stage is set for an unforgettable sporting experience! But the real magic happens when the Cowboys come thundering out of the tunnel, fireworks framing their entrance, the cheerleaders start dancing their boots off, music is pumping all around you, and a hundred thousand or so fans begin screaming their heads off!  Let the game begin!!

Since I was born into a Dallas Cowboys loving family and live a short drive away from the stadium (which is actually located in Arlington, not Dallas, TX), it would be a crying shame to not take advantage of one of the best NFL experiences our country has to offer!  However, as an aforementioned baller (and Cowboys fan) on a budget, attending a game each season is not always financially feasible for me. So, last season, I bought a Party Pass Ticket, a.k.a. Standing Room Only Ticket, for the Cowboys vs. Packers game and had an amazing experience!

If you’re on the ball and buy your Party Pass Ticket before the season begins, they’ll cost you around $30-45.  If you wait until a month before the game you’re dying to see, it could cost you upwards of $125, which is what I paid on the resale website, StubHub.  However, compared to the cheapest nosebleed seats starting at $300 per person, $125 was a steal! But was it worth it?? Absofrickinlutely! 😀  Before you fork over $100+ to stand for several hours, here are some important things you should know about the Party Pass Ticket and tips that will make your experience much more enjoyable:

(1) The Party Pass Ticket is also known as a Standing Room Only Ticket.  That seems pretty self explanatory, but as I researched these SRO Tickets, there still seemed to be a lot of confusion regarding if the ticket came with a seat or not.  Let me clarify that for everyone…NO, THE PARTY PASS TICKETS DO NOT COME WITH A SEAT! Once your ticket arrives, electronically or in the mail, it says in all caps, “NO SEATING,” directly on the ticket. In smaller print, you will also find stated on the ticket, “Guests with Party Pass tickets who sit in a stadium seat will be ejected from the stadium.” I think the confusion lies in the fact that there’s a row for fold-up chairs directly in front of the concession level Party Pass section.  However, there are security guards that DO NOT let you sit there. It is my understanding, after speaking with one of the guards, that those seats are reserved for handicapable patrons and their companions who buy a ticket for that section. I saw a lady in a wheelchair who had a Party Pass Ticket try to sit there, and they did not allow it.(2) Wear comfortable shoes and clothing!  That seems like a no-brainer, but I saw several women standing in high heels that looked like they wanted to chop off their own feet by the end of the game.  I was on my feet for around 7 hours when you factor in walking to and from the stadium, getting there 2.5 hours before the game to get a front row spot, and standing the entire game.  I wore super comfy shoes with lots of arch support and shorts with my jersey. Even though the retractable roof was closed and the A/C was on (yes, it can still be really hot in Texas all the way through October!), it gets pretty hot and stuffy in the Party Pass Ticket section!  If you’re lucky enough to get a front row spot (see #3 below), you’re going to be squished by people on all sides like a sardine in a can! I would not recommend wearing heavy layers if you’re in this section, because you’re going to get sweaty. Also worth noting, if the jersey you’re wearing is an irreplaceable family heirloom, you might consider wearing a less sentimental one in this section.  I wore my new vintage style Dak Prescott jersey to the game, and ironically enough, a Packers fan got nacho cheese all over my back! I can laugh at the irony of it now since the stain came out, but I was none too amused at the time! 🙁

(3) If you don’t get a front row spot in the Party Pass Ticket section or if you’re not over 6’ tall, you’re going to have a very difficult time seeing any of the game.  Why? Because you’ll be standing behind other spectators and most likely won’t be able to see over their heads. It IS possible to get a front row spot in the Party Pass Ticket section, but unless you’ve got the speed of Usain Bolt, the likelihood of that is small.  The doors to the stadium open up two hours before kickoff, and an anxious mob of about 100 people in each section are chomping at the bits at the west and east entrances, waiting to sprint inside and claim their spots! However, there is a way to claim your premo spot without being treated like cattle.  If you purchase a Cowboys United membership in advance (at least a month prior), one of the perks that comes with this membership is being able to enter the stadium 30 minutes before everyone else! So, you can casually stroll inside, or at the most, walk quickly to claim one of the many empty spots in the front row of the Party Pass Ticket section.  I arrived 45 minutes before the stadium officially opened its doors, and they were already letting United members into the stadium. However, I almost wasn’t allowed in early, because my official membership card hadn’t arrived in the mail yet. I printed out the email I had received that said, “Your membership card will ship to the above address within 2-3 weeks. In the meantime, use the temporary card below to enjoy your Dallas Cowboys United membership benefits.”  The card arrived exactly 3 weeks later, and my game was two days before that. The security guard initially wouldn’t accept this email as proof of membership, but I continued arguing my point until he finally succumbed to my logic. I purchased the cheapest membership at $20 for a Preferred membership. Some of the other perks are pretty cool too, such as being able to enter the lottery for the high-five tunnel (where players run out at the start of the game; your ticket to the game must be purchased separately) and I received a swag bag in the mail with some legit swag like a car flag and license plate holder.  The membership is good for a year from the date of purchase. (4) So let’s assume that you made it inside before all of the other Party Pass Ticket people, and you have a little bit of time to choose where you want to stand for the next 5-6 hours.  There’s a main section for Party Pass Ticket holders just above the seats in each end zone. It’s on the main level with all of the concessions. This is the section in which I staked out a spot, but after this experience, I would personally recommend going up to the first platform (see pic below) on either side of the plaza (there’s a West and an East Plaza).  Your ticket will specify which side you are on, and that’s the side where you need to enter the stadium.  The reason I think the first platform is better is because, even though you’ll be up a little bit higher from the main level, you’ll have an unobstructed view of the game.  Whereas, if you snag a front row spot on the main level, you’ll have people walking to and from their seats in front of you during the ENTIRE game, not to mention all of the companions in the handicapable section that like to jump up and cheer and stand for long stretches at a time.  These factors made watching the game a big difficult at times.(5) The Party Pass Ticket section is not the most family friendly section.  If you have children under the age of 12, I would not recommend this section for your family’s spectator experience.  Not only will you be standing for around 7 hours, but this section can also get very rowdy!  When you factor in all these people pushing and shoving to get the best view the entire game, fueled by lots of adult beverages, it’s not the safest scenario for enjoying a Cowboys game with younger kiddos.  Also, they won’t be tall enough to see well at all. I am 5’6” and had a hard time seeing the game with my front row spot on the main level. 

In conclusion, with these Party Pass Ticket tips and tricks, you’re sure to have an insanely awesome time at your next Dallas Cowboys game and hopefully save a couple hundred bucks in the process!  If you have any additional advice to add or questions to ask, please feel free to share/ask in the comments section below! And maybe we’ll run into each other at a Cowboys game, standing and cheering on our Boys together!!  😀

Featured Photo by rawpixel on Unsplash

All other photos are my own.

About the author:

My name is Kristin Kee, a.k.a. Kiki, and I’m a 35 year old Texan and former Spanish teacher turned full-time travel blogger! I was first bitten by the travel bug when I was 7 years old on a family trip to San Francisco, and from that moment forward, I fell in love with the unknown world around me! So, it could be argued that for me, it’s not a case of wanderlust but rather wanderlove. Join me on my journey of self and world exploration, and perhaps you too will take your wanderlust to the next level and fall in wanderlove!