MetLife Stadium Game Day Guide
New York Jets · East Rutherford, NJ
Know Before You Go
Essential details checked against official venue information.
- Bag policy
Each guest may bring one clear bag no larger than 12 x 6 x 12 inches, one small non-clear bag no larger than 4.5 x 6.5 inches, or a one-gallon clear freezer bag.
Applies to: New York Jets games
- Medically necessary items are allowed after inspection at a designated gate.
- Bag storage
Oversized bags may be checked free for NFL games at a Bag Check Facility outside each open gate.
Applies to: New York Jets games
- Guests may instead return a non-compliant bag to their vehicle before entering.
- Gate opening
MetLife Stadium gates normally open two hours before kickoff for Jets games.
Applies to: New York Jets games
- Confirm the time on the specific game page because event details can override the general schedule.
- Mobile tickets
Jets game tickets are secure mobile-only tickets accessed through the Jets app or Jets Account Manager.
Applies to: New York Jets games
- Screenshots cannot be scanned because Ticketmaster SafeTix barcodes change continuously; add the ticket to a mobile wallet before arriving.
- Re-entry
Jets guests may leave and re-enter MetLife Stadium only up to one hour before kickoff.
Applies to: New York Jets games
- Ask a gate team member for the required exit and return procedure before leaving.
- Prohibited items
MetLife Stadium prohibits weapons, fireworks, umbrellas, strollers, drones, noisemakers, non-compliant bags, coolers, professional cameras, and other listed items.
Applies to: New York Jets games
- Check the game-specific Know Before You Go notice because the venue may add event restrictions.
- First aid
First Aid rooms are near Sections 103, 128, 301, and 326 and on the Service Level in the AMEX corner.
Applies to: New York Jets games
- Doctors, nurses, EMTs, and additional response teams are on site for basic and emergency medical needs.
- Nursing and lactation
A nursing station is outside Sections 142 and 143, with Mamava pods near Sections 117 and 118, Sections 249a and 250a, and the HCLTech Gate elevator lobby on the 200 Concourse.
Applies to: New York Jets games
- Ask any Guest Services team member for the access key or code.
- Family restrooms
Private, accessible single-user restrooms are available on every level of MetLife Stadium.
Applies to: New York Jets games
- General-bowl locations include MetLife West Hall near Section 134 and multiple rooms on the 100, 200, and 300 Concourses; Guest Services can provide access.
- Tickets for children
Children 34 inches tall or shorter may enter a Jets game free but must share a seat with a ticketed adult.
Applies to: New York Jets games
- Guest services
Permanent Guest Services Booths are near Sections 124, 149, 227, 249, 303, 324, 328, and 349, with portable booths inside major gates.
Applies to: New York Jets games
- For discreet event-day help, text "Alert MLS" to 848261 or call 201-559-1515.
- Service animals
Task-trained service dogs, miniature horses, and service animals in training are permitted; emotional-support animals are not.
Applies to: New York Jets games
- The animal must remain leashed for the duration of the visit.
- Smoking and vaping
Smoking and vaping are permitted only along the Plaza Level fence line.
Applies to: New York Jets games
- Smoking is prohibited in East Hall, MetLife West Hall, and on or near stairways, ramps, and escalators.
Game Day Timeline
What the day looks like at MetLife Stadium, hour by hour.
Lots Open for Tailgating
The Meadowlands parking lots open 5 hours before kickoff. Early arrivals claim the best tailgating spots and the party starts immediately.
Tailgate Scene Peaks
The lots are packed with green and white. Grills are smoking, music is blasting, and the J-E-T-S chant starts echoing across the asphalt.
Gates Open
Stadium gates open. Head in early to explore the concourse, grab food, and check out the Jets team shop.
Player Warmups
Players take the field for warmups. Arrive early for a chance to see the Jets up close from the lower bowl.
Find Your Seats
Grab your game-day food and drinks, then settle in. The energy builds as kickoff approaches.
Game Time
The J-E-T-S chant fills the stadium. Join 82,000+ fans for one of the NFL's most intense atmospheres.
Exit Strategy
NJ Transit trains run for 2 hours after the game. If driving, expect 30-60 minutes to exit the lots. Many fans continue tailgating post-game.
Tips & Fan Reports
Arrive EARLY - especially for Week 1 it will be packed. Better to chill in your car or outside with food and beers than fight for a spot at kickoff.
The J-E-T-S chant is mandatory. Even in bad seasons the fans belt it out. It hits different when 80,000 people are doing it together.
Learn the J-E-T-S chant before you go. It's mandatory. J-E-T-S, Jets! Jets! Jets!
NJ Transit from Penn Station drops you right at MetLife. Do not try to drive from Manhattan. The Lincoln Tunnel on game day is a parking lot.
Dress in layers, East Rutherford weather swings wildly, especially late in the season.
MetLife is shared with the Giants so there is zero Jets-specific decoration inside. It feels a bit neutral. The atmosphere comes from the fans, not the building.
NJ Transit is the best way to get there from Manhattan, no traffic, no parking, no tolls.
Weather
MetLife Stadium is open air, so these are the conditions you sit in.
Across the NFL season the warmest month is September, with an average high of 78°F, and the coldest is January, when the average low is 26°F. September is the wettest month at 4.1 inches and November the driest at 3.3 inches.
That January low ranks 13th coldest of the 32 NFL venues, and September here ranks 16th wettest.
September
4.1 inchesOctober
3.7 inchesNovember
3.3 inchesDecember
4.1 inchesJanuary
3.3 inchesNew York Jets Clear Bag Policy
Most venues require a clear bag. Get an approved one before you travel.
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How We Checked This Page
Every section below names the source it was read from and the day it was read. Where we could not reach a published figure, the page says so rather than presenting an estimate as a checked fact.
- Game day timeline
Gate opening time checked against the venue's own gate-opening policy: MetLife Stadium gates normally open two hours before kickoff for Jets games.
- Weather
NOAA 1991-2020 Climate Normals
- Venue policies
New York Jets and MetLife Stadium ticketing, parking, accessibility, A-Z, and guest-policy pages reviewed for visitor-facing policies.