The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, commonly referred to as simply Coachella, is one of the most popular music festivals in the United States. Located in the Coachella Valley in Indio, California, it is held annually over two weekends in April. Coachella consistently attracts huge crowds eager to see performances from top musicians across genres like rock, pop, hip hop, and electronic. With massive headliners, Instagram-friendly art installations, and parties that go late into the night, Coachella has become a major cultural touchstone and bucket list event.
Naturally, Coachella tickets are extremely in-demand. And as the festival’s reputation has grown over the years, so have ticket prices. When considering attending Coachella, one of the first questions you probably have is: how much are Coachella tickets? Prices can vary based on factors like ticket type, weekend, and source. To help figure out the cost of Coachella, here is an overview of Coachella ticket pricing for 2023.
Coachella Ticket Types
Coachella offers several different ticket tiers, each with different amenities and levels of access. The major ticket types available are:
General Admission
General admission (GA) passes provide access to the main festival grounds to see performances at the various stages. GA tickets do not include any extra amenities or priority access. They allow you to enter and leave the festival as much as you want throughout the day.
VIP
VIP tickets include access to exclusive VIP areas with premium food and drink options. VIP ticket holders get privileged entrances to the festival and the main stage viewing areas. VIP passes also include access to air-conditioned VIP lounges.
Group Houses
Group Houses provide a shared accommodation for the weekend. They include a private house located near the festival grounds with comfortable bedrooms. Group Houses come with guest lists and access to VIP amenities. Stays are either 3 or 4 nights.
Lake Eldorado
Lake Eldorado is a campground with luxury tent suites located adjacent to the festival. Lake Eldorado guests get exclusive VIP entrance to the festival, access to the Safari Tent viewing deck, premium food and drink, air-conditioned lounge access, and golf cart transportation.
Safari Tent
Safari Tent packages feature an air-conditioned tent located near the festival entrance. Amenities include comfortable beds, TV, refrigerator, lockers, indoor and outdoor showers, premium bath products, lounge access, and golf cart shuttles. Guests must be at least 18 years old.
Car Camping
Car camping allows you to pitch a tent in the on-site campgrounds. Car camping passes provide entrance for 1 car and camping equipment for up to 6 people. Campers have access to general store, showers, mobile charging stations and other amenities.
Coachella Weekend 1 vs Weekend 2
Coachella takes places over two weekends, with the same artists performing both weekends. The dates for 2023 are:
- Weekend 1: April 14-16
- Weekend 2: April 21-23
In most cases, ticket prices are the same regardless of weekend. However, weekend 1 tends to sell out faster, so tickets may be more limited and resell prices higher for weekend 1. Some people prefer weekend 1 since the grass is greener and art installations fresher. Others like weekend 2 to see improvements made based on weekend 1 feedback. Either weekend provides the full Coachella experience.
Coachella Ticket Prices
Here are the face value prices for different Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival ticket types:
General Admission Prices
1-Day GA Pass | $449 |
2-Day GA Pass | $549 |
3-Day GA Pass | $649 |
VIP Prices
1-Day VIP Pass | $1,119 |
2-Day VIP Pass | $1,549 |
3-Day VIP Pass | $1,799 |
Lake Eldorado Prices
Tent Suite 2-Person | $9,500 |
Tent Suite 4-Person | $15,000 |
Safari Tent Prices
2-Person Tent | $5,500 |
4-Person Tent | $7,750 |
Car Camping Prices
Car Camping Pass | $125 |
Keep in mind that official prices listed are face value cost directly through the festival. Due to very high demand, most tickets are resold on secondary markets for higher prices.
Getting Coachella Tickets
There are a few ways to get Coachella tickets:
Buying Directly from Coachella
The only way to buy tickets at face value is directly through the official Coachella website. A presale occurs each year in January for about an hour, selling a very limited number of passes. Any tickets left go on sale to the general public shortly after. These sell out extremely quickly.
Third-Party Ticket Sites
Since most tickets sell out instantly, you’ll likely have to use a resale site like StubHub, Vivid Seats or Craigslist. Resale prices can be 2-3x face value or more, depending on demand. Always buy from a reputable source to avoid scams.
Coachella Packages
Travel or hospitality companies like Pride & Glory Hotel and Soho Desert House offer festival packages that bundle accommodation and access to events with passes. These can secure tickets, but typically have big price markups.
Ticket Payment Plans
Coachella used to offer ticket payment plans to split costs into monthly installments. These allowed more flexibility for fans by easing the financial burden. Payment plans have not been available the past few years, unfortunately.
Tips for Buying Coachella Tickets
Here are some tips to help get your hands on Coachella tickets:
– Sign up for Coachella newsletters to get presale details. Presale codes are emailed to past attendees.
– Use multiple devices on different networks to access ticket sales – not just your phone on WiFi. This improves your odds by multiplexing across IP addresses.
– Have accounts already set up on Coachella.com and all major resale sites. Speed is key when trying to buy hot tickets.
– Enlist friends to help buy tickets. More people going for passes means more chances to get them in your group.
– Be flexible on weekend choice. Consider whichever weekend has tickets available at the best prices.
– Prepare to pay more than face value via resale sites. Base your budget on current secondary market ticket prices.
– Avoid ticket scams. Vet all secondary sellers and only buy from trusted platforms. Fake tickets will leave you stranded outside.
Conclusion
Coachella ticket prices vary based on ticket type, weekend, source, and demand. At face value, GA passes start at $449 for single-day, while VIP can run up to $1,799 for a 3-day pass. Packages with accommodations are also available from $5,500-$15,000. Your best chance at passes is the presale, otherwise expect to pay a premium via resales. While not cheap, most fans agree that the experience is worth the money for the chance to experience one of the greatest music events on Earth!