The Met Gala ticket price in 2026 was $100,000 per person, up from $75,000 in 2025, and a table of 10 started at $350,000, according to CBS News. It was the first time tickets to fashion’s biggest night reached six figures in the event’s nearly 80-year history. The gala, held on May 4, 2026, raised a record $42 million for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. This guide explains what the price covers, how it has changed since 2023, who actually pays for celebrities’ seats, and what the math does and doesn’t tell us.
Quick answers
- Individual ticket, 2026: $100,000 (invite-only; not sold to the public).
- Table of 10, 2026: starts at $350,000.
- Price history: $50,000 (2023), $75,000 (2024 and 2025), $100,000 (2026).
- Who usually pays: brands, design houses and companies that buy tables, not the celebrities.
- Amount raised in 2026: a record $42 million, up from $31 million in 2025.
Met Gala Ticket Price in 2026
| Item | 2026 price |
|---|---|
| Individual ticket | $100,000 |
| Table of 10 | From $350,000 |
| Public sale | None. Attendance is by invitation only |
| Expected guests | About 400 |
Those figures come from CBS News, which also noted that the 2026 gala was sponsored by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, as honorary chairs. The official co-chairs were Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams, and Vogue’s Anna Wintour. The New York Times reported the same ticket and table prices, as relayed by Yahoo and Who magazine.
Met Gala Ticket Price History: 2023 to 2026
| Year | Individual ticket | Change from prior year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $50,000 | CBS News | |
| 2024 | $75,000 | +50% | CBS News (The Met confirmed the price) |
| 2025 | $75,000 | No change | CBS News |
| 2026 | $100,000 | +33% | CBS News, The New York Times (via Yahoo) |
In three years, the price of a single ticket has doubled (our arithmetic: $100,000 ÷ $50,000). The table price shown in CBS’s 2024 and 2026 reports is the same: $350,000 for 10 seats.
How Much Does a Met Gala Table Cost?
A table of 10 starts at $350,000, per CBS News. Dividing that by 10 seats gives $35,000 per seat (our arithmetic), which is far less than the $100,000 individual ticket. The sources we reviewed do not explain the gap, and we do not guess at the reason. What they do say is that tables are usually bought by companies rather than individuals: design houses, brands and corporate sponsors buy a table and then choose whom to invite, subject to Anna Wintour’s approval, according to a Yahoo-syndicated explainer.
Who Actually Pays for Celebrities’ Met Gala Tickets?
In most cases, not the celebrities. The explanation reported by CBS News, a Yahoo-syndicated explainer, and Who magazine is consistent:
- Brands pay. Fashion houses and other companies buy tables or individual tickets for the guests they want wearing their clothes or representing them.
- Wintour approves. Vogue’s Anna Wintour controls the guest list, and every table’s guest list must be cleared with her, according to CBS News and the Yahoo-syndicated explainer.
- Some guests get a free ride. A former attendee told CBS News that design houses sometimes cover the cost for a select number of people.
- Someone always pays. Who magazine notes that even invited celebrities and executives must have a ticket and a seat at a table paid for, whether by them or by a sponsor.
Vogue’s Eaddy Kiernan, who helps organize the event, said in 2024 that seating-chart preparation starts in December and comes together about a month before the gala, according to the Yahoo-syndicated explainer.
Where Does the Met Gala Money Go?
The gala is a fundraiser for the Costume Institute. The Met says it is the institute’s primary source of annual funding for exhibitions, publications, acquisitions, and operations, as reported by Prism News, and other outlets note the Costume Institute is the only curatorial department at the museum that pays for all its own exhibitions and operations.
| Year | Amount raised | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $17.4 million | Fox News |
| 2023 | Nearly $22 million | CBS News |
| 2025 | $31 million | Türkiye Today, American Bazaar |
| 2026 | $42 million (record) | Announced by Met CEO Max Hollein; reported by Yahoo, Atlanta News First and others |
The 2026 total is about 2.4 times the 2022 figure and about 35% above 2025 (our arithmetic: $42 million ÷ $17.4 million and $42 million ÷ $31 million). We could not find a reliable 2024 figure in the sources we reviewed, so we leave it out rather than guess.
The money supports the Costume Institute’s spring exhibition. In 2026, that exhibition is Costume Art, which opened to the public on May 10, 2026, and, according to Robb Report India, runs through January 10, 2027. That means you can still see what the 2026 gala funded.
Tech Money and the 2026 Sponsors
Several outlets reported that technology money shaped the 2026 gala. AOL and American Bazaar reported that Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos contributed about $10 million as lead sponsors and that companies including Amazon, Meta, OpenAI and Snapchat bought $350,000 tables. Both outlets framed these as reports, and the Met has not published a sponsor-by-sponsor breakdown in the sources we reviewed.
Prism News and AOL also reported that boycott calls and criticism about billionaire influence surrounded the event. The Met has said the gala funds the Costume Institute’s work.
Do the Numbers Add Up? A Back-of-the-Envelope Check
Here is a simple illustration, not a breakdown the Met has published. If all 400 expected guests paid the $100,000 individual price, tickets alone would come to $40 million (our arithmetic: 400 × $100,000). The gala raised $42 million. But tables cost less per seat ($35,000), and sponsor gifts such as the reported $10 million from the Bezos couple add to the total, so the real mix of ticket and sponsorship revenue cannot be worked out from public information.
Can You Buy a Met Gala Ticket?
No. CBS News reports the event is not open to public sale and that you must be invited. If you want to see the exhibition the gala supports, the Costume Art exhibition is open to the public until January 10, 2027, per Robb Report India. Check the Met’s website for current admission details.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is a Met Gala ticket in 2026?
$100,000 per individual ticket, according to CBS News and The New York Times.
How much does a Met Gala table cost?
Tables of 10 start at $350,000, which works out to $35,000 per seat (our arithmetic).
How much was a Met Gala ticket in 2025?
$75,000, per CBS News.
Do celebrities pay to attend the Met Gala?
Usually not. Brands and design houses typically buy tables and choose the guests, though a few attendees pay or are covered by sponsors.
Who decides who is invited to the Met Gala?
Vogue’s Anna Wintour controls the guest list, and all table guest lists need her approval, per CBS News.
How much did the 2026 Met Gala raise?
A record $42 million for the Costume Institute, up from $31 million in 2025.
When was the 2026 Met Gala?
Monday, May 4, 2026. The gala is held on the first Monday in May.
Can the public buy tickets?
No. The Met Gala is invite-only.
What is the 2026 Met Gala exhibition?
Costume Art, which displays famous fashion pieces alongside works from the museum’s collection and runs through January 10, 2027.
Met Gala Ticket Price 2026: Summary
The Met Gala ticket price in 2026 was $100,000, up 33% from $75,000 in 2025 and double the $50,000 price of 2023. Tables start at $350,000 for 10 seats, most celebrity seats are paid for by brands and approved by Anna Wintour, and the night raised a record $42 million for the Costume Institute. The public cannot buy tickets, but the exhibition the gala funds is open until January 10, 2027.
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