Coachella, one of many world’s most iconic music festivals, has been curating “you needed to be there” moments for almost three many years. However behind these Instagram-worthy moments lies a troubling new actuality: for almost all of attendees, the expertise is simply attainable by month-to-month installments.
In line with a current Billboard report, a staggering 60% of normal admission ticket-holders used cost plans to assist fund their Coachella journey in Indio, California this yr.
Attending Coachella has all the time include a hefty price ticket, nevertheless it has soared lately. Normal admission passes began at $599 in 2025, not together with further bills for primary human wants equivalent to lodging, transportation and meals, all of which have confronted inflationary value hikes.
To alleviate the monetary burden, month-to-month cost plans allowed potential attendees to order tickets with a down cost as little as $49.99. The one price incurred for using this service is a flat $41 versus going through the looming rate of interest out of your bank card.
This system launched again in 2009, aiming to make Coachella extra accessible to a broader viewers. Nonetheless, this yr’s dubiously record-breaking variety of cost plans displays broader cultural and financial tendencies almost about the swelling value of music festivals.
Whereas short-term mortgage companies like Purchase Now, Pay Later (BNPL) present monetary reduction up entrance, they’ve the potential to stretch budgets, encourage irresponsible spending and compound debt.
“[Coachella’s] vibe, FOMO-driven, culturally iconic, pushes followers to prioritize experiences over financial savings, a mindset amplified by social media’s flex tradition,” wrote Forbes‘ Jack Kelly.
Roughly 80,000 to 100,000 followers reportedly opted for cost plans to attend this yr’s competition in SoCal. Coachella is now scheduled to return to its longtime residence on the Empire Polo Membership over two 2026 weekends: April 10-12 and April 17-19.
