Coachella, one of the most anticipated music festivals in the world, is negotiating the challenging waters of affordability with an increasing reliance on payment plans due to skyrocketing ticket prices and rising living expenses. Many fans are being priced out of seeing their favorite artists perform live because general admission passes for the 2025 festival are now $649, up $220 from 2020. This high admission cost is now a monthly commitment rather than a one-time expense for the vast majority of Coachella attendees. In actuality, more than 60% of festival attendees are securing their tickets through payment plans.
Although Coachella used to accept payments via its own internal system, buy-now, pay-later (BNPL) services like Klarna and Afterpay are now more common. With the help of these services, attendees can divide the cost of the ticket into smaller, more manageable installments. Some choose to pay the remaining balance over a number of months after making a small $49.99 deposit. These systems are intended to increase ticket accessibility, but they also raise questions about how they may affect festivalgoers’ financial situation in the long run. Despite its apparent benefits, critics contend that this strategy could unintentionally promote careless spending and result in a hidden debt that could overwhelm young fans who may already be having difficulty paying their living expenses and student loans.
Coachella 2025 Ticket Pricing Breakdown
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| General Admission Pass | $649 for a 3-day pass (2025) |
| Payment Plan Availability | Available via Klarna, Afterpay, and Coachella’s in-house system |
| Down Payment | $49.99 minimum for reservation |
| Payment Plan Duration | Spread across 3-6 months |
| Additional Fees | $41 processing fee (approx.) |
| Payment Plan Usage | 60% of Coachella attendees in 2025 are using payment plans |
| Impact on Accessibility | Payment plans aim to make Coachella more financially accessible, especially for younger fans |
Although payment plans offer a temporary fix, some contend that they give attendees a fictitious sense of financial security, causing them to accrue numerous BNPL debts from different festivals and events. According to a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) report, only 17% of non-users had overdrawn their bank accounts in the previous year, while nearly 43% of BNPL users had done so. For people who might not fully comprehend the long-term ramifications of splitting payments for a music festival, this financial risk is very significant, particularly when those payments may extend beyond the festival’s four-day weekend experience.
Furthermore, it appears that ticket price inflation is not abating. The cost of general admission tickets increased by 11% in 2024, by $50 over the previous year. This change in price has made it harder for younger fans, particularly those in their 20s and early 30s, to continue taking part in what was once a cultural rite of passage. A reputable booking agent in the field, JJ Cassiere, is worried about how such ticket increases will affect fan loyalty, especially as festivalgoers are “priced out” of the market.
Growth in Coachella Ticket Prices
| Year | 3-Day General Admission Price | Price Increase | Percentage Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | $375 | – | – |
| 2020 | $429 | $54 | +14% |
| 2024 | $499 | $50 | +11% |
| 2025 | $649 | $150 | +30% |
In addition to ticket costs, festival organizers have come under fire for the 2024 lineup of headliners, which some industry insiders believe lacks the excitement of past years. Some claim that although Lana Del Rey, Tyler the Creator, Doja Cat, and No Doubt have been chosen to be the main acts, their star power doesn’t produce the same amount of excitement as that of previous headliners like Taylor Swift and Beyoncé. This change has placed festivals like Coachella in a vulnerable position as fewer and fewer elite performers are willing to play at major festivals. As a result, they must contend with stadium tours and arena performances that provide greater financial incentives for performers.
Notwithstanding these difficulties, Coachella continues to be a cultural institution that unites artists and fans in one of the most recognizable festival environments worldwide. But the truth is that the state of the economy is shifting. In order to make attending the festival more affordable, Coachella has responded by embracing the financial tools of the current generation, such as BNPL schemes. Fans are growing increasingly dependent on these payment plans, though, which creates intricate financial dynamics. In light of growing expenses for both attendees and the festival itself, it is still unclear how long Coachella’s current business model can be sustained.
