MONEY

AMC movie tickets could get cheaper or more expensive depending on where you sit

You may have to pay extra to get good seat at AMC Theatres. 

The country's largest movie theater chain announced Monday plans to price tickets based on seat location within the auditorium, meaning moviegoers will pay different prices depending on their proximity to the screen. 

Think concert ticket pricing – the closer you are to the stage the more you're going to pay. In this case, the closer you are to the screen, the cheaper your ticket. How much more exactly? AMC hasn't announced yet.

But the new pricing initiative, called Sightline at AMC, already kicked off in select locations and will roll out nationwide by the end of the year, AMC said.

Sightline at AMC offers three tiers of seats:

  • Standard Sightline: The "most common" seats, which are available for "the traditional cost of a ticket."  
  • Value Sightline – Seats in the front row, which are "available at a lower price than Standard Sightline seats"
  • Preferred Sightline – Seats typically in "the middle of the auditorium," which are priced at "a slight premium to Standard Sightline seats."

Value sightline pricing is only available to members of the AMC Stubs loyalty club, including the free tier, while paid members can reserve preferred sightline seats at no additional cost.

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The ticketing initiative represents the latest attempt by a major movie theater chain to boost attendance and revenue after the COVID-19 pandemic forced theaters to shutter

Sightline ticketing applies to all showtimes after 4 p.m. at participating locations. It's not applicable on Tuesdays, when AMC sells tickets at a discount.  

AMC said theaters that offer variable pricing will provide a detailed seat map that will outline each option when patrons purchase tickets online, on the AMC app and at the box office.