According to experts, the plan could be a good financial decision.
Coachella festivalgoers are using payment plans to cover the rising cost of festival tickets.
According to Billboard, over 60% of this weekend’s attendees chose to pay in installments.
For a $41 fee, fans could divide the $600 general admission ticket into smaller payments.
With travel, lodging, and food often costing thousands of dollars, many young attendees say installment plans are the only way to afford the experience.
By putting down just $49.99, festivalgoers could secure entry to the California event, which featured performances by Lady Gaga, Benson Boone, and Green Day.
“A cheap down payment has become the main call to action,” a festival organizer source told Billboard.
“They’re no longer selling the artists or the lifestyle — they’re selling affordability with lines like ‘$20 down gets you in.'”
Coachella’s website reflects this approach, encouraging attendees to “explore flexible payment options” during checkout.
Ticket prices have risen by nearly 40% in the last decade.
Meanwhile, The Cut reports that installment plans are now used by the majority of buyers, up from 18% in 2009.
Music festivals such as Lollapalooza, Electric Daisy Carnival, and Rolling Loud are now offering similar packages.
Many fans are also managing multiple festival payments at once.
Unlike Klarna and Sezzle, which cover the cost of the tickets, services like Ticketmaster and AXS profit from fees associated with their plans – approximately 8% of the ticket price in Coachella’s case.
Payments are interest-free, but users who miss one must pay within 10 days or their order will be canceled.
In those cases, fans are given a credit equal to the amount they have already paid, which must be used within one year.
“Most defaults happen after the initial deposit is made on the first payment – it’s very rare that a fan will default on tickets after two payments have been made, so the revenue from breakage is very low,” a financial professional told Billboard.
“All of the incentives for the promoter are that the fan pay off their ticket in full and attend the event so they can spend money on beer and parking and merchandise.”
Promoters benefit the most when fans pay in full and attend, spending money on beer, parking, and merchandise.
The legendary desert festival takes place over two weekends each spring.
This year’s event began with chaos, with some fans reporting 12-hour wait times just to get into the campgrounds.
