Yikes – Going To The Movies Is About To Get Even More Expensive

Taking a trip to the movies is a blast. The massive screen, the surround sound, the popcorn and candy - who doesn’t love going to the movies? There are a lot of awesome films coming out this spring and summer, too. 

If it’s been a minute since you went to the movies, you might wanna go soon. It’s about to get even more expensive than it already is. 

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Movie Ticket Prices Increase Through The Years

We all know a trip to the movies isn’t cheap - especially compared to when we were kids. 

According to 24/7 Wall Street (using data from The Numbers), the average price for a movie ticket in 1996 was $4.35. Now, in 2023, it can range from $10 to $15 for a single adult movie ticket.

The pandemic is partly to blame for how pricey it’s become. Movie theaters, like many businesses, lost a lot of customers during that time, so ticket prices became more expensive to make up for that lost revenue. But the popularity of streaming services doesn’t help, either.

Netflix and Hulu both launched their streaming services in 2007, and Amazon Prime followed two years later. With more people staying cozy on the couch rather than going out, movie theaters lost a lot of business. To offset the loss, ticket prices skyrocketed.

Pretty soon, it’s going to cost even more to go to the movies - especially if you want a decent seat. 

AMC Theatres Charging For The Best Seats At The Movies

The biggest movie theater chain in the US, AMC Theatres, revealed a new pricing plan that will affect how much a trip to the movies will cost. It’s called “Sightline,” and it’s already taking effect in several locations across the country. 

“Sightline” will divide every seat into either a “standard sightline” or a “value sightline” seat. Seats categorized as “value sightline” are considered the seats with the best view, in the middle of the theater, and will cost $1 or $2 more than the “standard sightline” ones. 

The new plan will be rolled out in every AMC location by the end of this year, including the 37 theaters here in New York State.

Will You Pay Extra For A Better Seat At The Movies?

Many people think this new ticket model is unfair. A trip to the movies is already expensive, and this may prevent low-income families from being able to have a good view of the movie. 

This could also backfire for AMC, keeping customers who don’t want to pay extra for a good view at home, waiting for the movie they want to see to be released via streaming instead. 

Then again, if “Sightline” works for the chain, we might see other theaters in New York State following suit, making a day or night out at the movies more expensive for everyone. 

What do you think? Are you willing to shell out more money for a good seat at the movies?