As Coachella takes over the desert outside Palm Springs, there is a hefty $599 ticket price to experience headliners like Lady Gaga, Travis Scott, and Post Malone. But how are fans paying that in this economy?
Thanks to payment plans, those steep costs are becoming increasingly manageable. This year, around 60% of general admission ticket buyers used Coachella’s in-house payment plan, which allowed fans to reserve tickets for as little as $49.99 upfront. The remaining balance was typically spread over three months—a model reshaping how festivals are marketed.
“Festivals are now marketing a cheap down payment as their main call to action,” a source told Billboard, noting that fans often juggle multiple festival payment plans simultaneously.
Goldenvoice, Coachella’s organizer, declined to comment, but the trend is industry-wide. Events like Lollapalooza, Electric Daisy Carnival, and Rolling Loud have also adopted similar strategies, appealing to budget-conscious fans by prioritizing affordability over artist lineups.
While these plans differ from fintech services like Klarna or Affirm, which offer credit-based options and are subject to stricter regulations, the impact is clear: installment payments are now central to the festival economy.