Coachella Festival kicked off on April 11, and approximately 60% of general admission (GA) tickets were bought through a payment plan, according to Billboard (Left bias).

The Details: GA tickets cost $600 each, but fans could purchase them for a down payment of $49.99 plus a $41 fee.

For Context: Coachella Festival is owned by AEG, and this year featured headliners such as Green Day and Lady Gaga. Other major festivals like Lollapalooza, Electric Daisy Carnival, and Rolling Loud sell a majority of tickets through financing plans as well. “Buy now, pay later” options on incidental purchases have become more common in recent years, sparking criticism and concern from several prominent media outlets.

How The Media Covered It: The story was not widely covered by mainstream political media, though Billboard’s report was widely discussed on X. A post about the report from conservative influencer Collin Rugg received over 7 million views in 12 hours on April 14. Billboard highlighted that $41 is 8% of the face value and “far cheaper” than a credit card fee. The Barstool Sports Blog (Center) called the ticket financing “peak America 2025.”

Other Coachella Headlines: Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) appeared onstage before Clairo’s set to speak out against President Trump and the “billionaire class,” prompting split media coverage. The Daily Mail (Right) and New York Post (Lean Right) ran coverage highlighting fans’ anger at high prices and poor logistics at the festival. The Post reported concession prices such as $23 Red Bull vodkas, $15 beers, and meals “around $20 to $30.”

Written by the AllSides staff (of humans). Learn more. Support our mission.