Beginning with the 1988 U.S. Championships, pewter medals have been awarded to the fourth-place finishers in each event. Compulsory figures, which had been a required element of men's and women's single skating since the championships began, were retired after the 1990 U.S. Championships, although they continued as a separate event for men and women from 1991 to 1999, when they were retired altogether.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 U.S. Championships were still held, albeit in a sealed arena with no live audience present. The sound of an audience was piped into the arena, seats were filled with fan cutouts, and the athletes' friends and families could be seen cheering them on via strategically-placed monitors.
Beginning with the 2022–23 season, skaters qualify for the U.S. Championships by competing in the National Qualifying Series (NQS), a series of regional competitions running from mid-July to early October. Skaters compete in one of three sections (Pacific Coast, Midwestern, or Eastern) based on geographic location. The highest-placed skaters and teams across all competitions advance to the NQS finals (Pacific Coast Sectional Finals, Eastern Sectional Finals, Midwestern Sectional Finals, U.S. Ice Dance Finals, or U.S. Pairs Finals). The top juvenile, intermediate, and novice skaters are invited to the National High Performance Development Camp, while junior and senior skaters advance to the U.S. Championships. Athletes may also receive a bye to the NQS finals by being assigned to and competing at an international assignment from an approved list.
Advancement to the U.S. Figure Skating Championships:
Single skating: 18 spots available
Athletes receiving a bye
Top two from each section, plus the next best scores nationwide until the maximum number of entrants is met
Pair skating: 12 spots available
Athletes receiving a bye
Next best scores from the NQS Finals until the maximum number of entrants is met
Ice dance: 15 spots available
Athletes receiving a bye
Next best scores from the NQS Finals until the maximum number of entrants is met
Skaters can earn the right at the U.S. Championships without qualifying through a sectional championship by accomplishing any of the following:
Placing in the top five in their respective discipline at the previous U.S. Championships at the senior level
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