2026 United Airlines NYC Half
This exhilarating 13.1-mile race kicks off in Brooklyn, leading participants across the legendary Brooklyn Bridge and along the scenic FDR Drive. Runners will also enjoy the rare chance to dash through Times Square, a location closed to traffic only twice a year, before concluding their journey in the stunning Central Park.
Fun fact: The United Airlines NYC Half is the only race to ever run across the Brooklyn Bridge!
Mark your calendar!
- The guaranteed entry claim period is October 21-November 11. If you have earned Guaranteed Entry, you can claim this entry through your NYRR dashboard during the claim window. For more information on entry methods, click here.
- You may NOT claim your guaranteed entry through this event page.
- Check your email for a link to claim your guaranteed entry. It may take up to a few hours from the claim window opening to receive your email. You can also claim your guaranteed entry directly in your NYRR dashboard (see image below).
- The application period for non-guaranteed entry is October 21-November 11.
- Applications for non-NYRR time qualifiers will open on October 21, 2025 at 12:00 p.m. and close on October 28th at 11:59 p.m. For more information, please review our full policy here. Those accepted will have their credit card charged and will be notified of their acceptance via email before the drawing takes place on November 20, 2025.
- The drawing will take place on November 20. Whether you have been accepted or not, your status will be updated in your dashboard and you will receive an email indicating your status by the end of day on November 20.
1. Credit card charges: You will see a charge to your credit card for the race-entry fee. If your credit card is charged for the full race fee, you have been accepted into the race. You may be charged before you receive an email confirming your status or before your status changes in your NYRR account.
Please note: Your card must have an expiration date of December 2025 or later.
If you are selected in the drawing and your credit card is declined, you will be notified via email and given until November 24 at 11:59 p.m. to update your default credit card in your NYRR dashboard. We will periodically attempt to process and finalize your registration again through November 25.
If you have not updated your payment method and been successfully charged by November 25, you will be moved to not selected.
2. Status in your NYRR account: If you have been accepted into the race, your status will change to "Accepted” by end of day Thursday, November 20.
3. Email: Whether you have been accepted or not, you will receive an email indicating your status by the end of day Thursday, November 20.
Join Team for Kids to get guaranteed entry, expert coaching, and the opportunity to help keep kids healthy and fit.
Join NYRR Team for Climate to help NYRR on its journey to Net Zero by 2040. Stay tuned for more updates to come!
Check back soon for the full list of official Charity Partners of the 2026 United Airlines NYC Half for guaranteed entry to runners who agree to fundraise on their behalf.
Guaranteed entry with the purchase of a “Half-Marathon Travel Package” is available through an official NYRR ITO in your home country. International runners who reside in countries that do not have an existing ITO may purchase a 2026 United Airlines NYC Half travel package from any participating ITO. A list of official ITOs can be found here.
An entrant who has purchased a “Half-Marathon Travel Package” with our official ITO and wishes to withdraw from the race must contact their ITO directly. Those who withdraw will not receive guaranteed entry into the 2027 United Airlines NYC Half or subsequent editions of the United Airlines NYC Half.
Kids of all abilities and ages 2 to 18 are welcome to join the Times Square Kids Run at the United Airlines NYC Half race-day fun. Registration is required and completely FREE—made possible by the generosity of our community. Visit the event webpage to sign up and learn more.
Volunteer registration opens on November 21.
You cannot sign up as a volunteer for an event if you are already registered to run that same event.
Check out our training resources that'll help you prepare for race day.
- In-person Group Training, geared toward local New York City runners who enjoy running with others
- Virtual training through NYRR x Runna, the world's top-rated running coach app, to train anywhere, anytime
- Free training guides and tips through our Runner Resources
We at New York Road Runners believe running should be accessible to everyone. To help, we created NYRR Race Free to provide race fee assistance to those who qualify financially.
In 2026, we will offer 1,000 spots in the NYRR Race Free Program and more than 3,000 complimentary race entries, including entry for the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon. Accepted NYRR Race Free participants will receive up to 6 complimentary entries to our weekly races and the opportunity to access training for free.
The 2026 application period for races in calendar year 2026 will be open from October 20 through November 10, 2025. Accepted applicants will be notified by mid-December.
Note: If you were part of the 2025 program, you will need to reapply and re-qualify during the 2026 application period.
NYRR offers Protecht, a refund program that provides registration fee protection on all paid events. This includes races and Group Training, and it will protect NYRR x Runna fees if it is an add-on to a race. To learn more, click here.
NYRR strives to host inclusive, sustainable, and accessible events that enable all individuals to engage. To request reasonable accommodations or for inquiries about accessibility for attending this event, please email accessibility@nyrr.org.
To learn more about NYRR accessibility, please visit the NYRR Disability Inclusion & Accessibility Resource page.
If you are an Athlete with Disability who needs a guide or support runner to participate in a NYRR event, please follow the process explained here. To request to register a support runner, the runner must fill out the following form.
All requests must be placed by runners at least two weeks prior to the event.
- Review the NYRR policy on start and finish cutoff times here.
- Runners can register as woman, man, or nonbinary. Visit our FAQ page for more information on how to update your profile.
- If you wish to pay in cash for your race entry, please reach out to our Runner Services team for assistance. Please be sure to include the event name and the email associated with your NYRR account.
- This race is a 9+1 program qualifier.
Check back soon for more information.
In case of a medical emergency during the race (including in the start or finish area), call 866-705-6626.
For friends and family who would like to check on runners who have received medical assistance during the race, please call the dedicated race day medical information hotline at 855-697-7786.
The NYRR Pace Team members are some of the most experienced runners in New York City and the most knowledgeable runners on the course. They have an average success rate of 94% of hitting their target finish time. Pacers will be on hand to guide participants toward specific goal times over the 13.1 miles. Pace Team members will lead groups at various paces between 6:06 per mile and 13:45 per mile (between a 1:20 finish and a 3:00 finish).
If you choose to run with a pace group, you can look for the NYRR Pace Team members in the start corrals wearing their blue-and-white-striped NYRR Pace Team singlets. Each Team member will carry signs that correspond with their respective finish times and paces. There is no fee to run with the pace team or to sign up.
Check back closer to the race to see which pacer is in your corral.
Once a runner has claimed their entry, or once a drawing applicant has been accepted into the race, all entry fees are non-refundable. Runners entered in the 2026 United Airlines NYC Half may defer their entry and earn guaranteed, non-complimentary entry to the 2027 race, but they will be responsible for claiming their entry and paying the processing and entry fees for the 2027 race. The deadline for runners to defer their 2026 entry and get guaranteed non-complimentary into the 2027 race is March 14, 2026 at 11:59pm ET. For more information, visit our cancellation page.
Please note: Runners who earn guaranteed entry to the 2026 race because they canceled in 2025 cannot cancel a second time (in 2026) and become eligible for deferment to 2027.
No Refunds: Entry fees are non-refundable and may not be deferred or transferred.
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