AMC Theaters Is Rolling Out A New Tiered Pricing System (And It'll Make Moviegoing Even More Expensive)

With the 2020s in full swing, it's a weird time for movie theaters. The COVID-19 pandemic severely hurt every theater company out there as movie releases of all kinds were put on hold, and potential moviegoers were inclined to stay at home. Not to mention, the rise of streaming services hasn't helped matters, with loads of new releases skipping theaters entirely in favor of streaming-exclusive debuts. Even major theater chains like Regal Cinemas, which is in the midst of closing several locations due to bankruptcy, are reeling from these landscape changes.

While not in the exact same situation, AMC Theaters is another massive chain that's not immune to modern issues facing the cinema. On one hand, it dominated competitor Cinemark in 2022 and gained plenty of publicity for its now-iconic Nicole Kidman ad. On the other, one has to imagine that it's feeling the pressure of the transition to streaming, as well as the general economic hardship that has befallen much of the world within the past few years. Seemingly in an effort to counteract these issues, the company has come up with a new way to increase its cash flow.

AMC is revving up to introduce a tiered ticket pricing system, and it looks like going out to the movies is about to get even more expensive than it already is.

In a report by CNBC, it was revealed that AMC has plans to roll out a tiered "Sightline" pricing system for its tickets. This means that instead of all seats within an auditorium costing the same price, rates will vary depending on which of the three tiers a given seat falls into: "Standard Sightline," "Value Sightline," and "Preferred Sightline." Standard seats will fall into the pricing we've all grown accustomed to at AMC theaters, Value seats — those specifically in the front row — will go for a lower price, and Preferred seats will include "a slight premium" in price, as described by AMC. These price differences will be displayed when selecting your tickets.

"While every seat at AMC delivers an amazing moviegoing experience, we know there are some moviegoers who prioritize their specific seat and others who prioritize value moviegoing," said AMC's chief marketing officer Eliot Hamlisch. The Sightline tier system will reportedly not apply to matinee showings (those before 4:00 p.m.), and AMC Stubs A-List members will avoid additional charges altogether. This news comes a mere few days after word got out that streaming giant Netflix will crack down on password sharing, tying accounts to specific households to prevent multiple users in separate locations from using the same account (via The Guardian).

So overall, it sure is a great time to be a fan of movies, isn't it?