You'll Pay More for 'Good Seats' at AMC (But 'Bad Seats' Are Cheaper)

The largest cinema chain, AMC Theatres, is shaking things up and doing away with one-price-fits-all for movie tickets. In short, with their latest ticket pricing plan, you’ll pay more for better seats, and less for less-desirable seats. AMC Sightline has already started rolling out.

So, are you ready to pay more for those center-middle-row seats? Or are you excited about possibly paying less to sit in the neck-straining front row? We’ll tell you what you can expect from this new movie theater pricing structure, and how it’ll affect your next date night.

If you’re interested in seeing movies for free (or really cheap), we’ve got plenty of things to say about that. And we even keep track of the best movie theater subscription services.

 

AMC Sightline will divide movie theaters into three tiers of seats, each with their own pricing.

With Sightline at AMC, the seats in your local movie theater will be divided into three zones, each with their own price. This has already started rolling out, and will be at all AMC and AMC Dine-In locations by the end of 2023.

For all movies after 4 p.m. you’ll choose between Standard Sightline, Value Sightline, and Preferred Sightline. The average AMC ticket price is $11-$16 for a 2D showing. Value seats will cost less than that, and the Preferred Sightline will cost more. Ticket prices will remain unchanged for the Standard Sightline seats. Here’s the breakdown of each tier:

Standard Sightline

These seats are the most common in auditoriums and are available for the traditional cost of a movie ticket.

Value Sightline

These seats are in the front row of the auditorium or select ADA seats in each auditorium and are available at a lower price than Standard Sightline seats. This pricing is only available to AMC Stubs members.

Preferred Sightline

These seats are typically in the middle of the auditorium and are priced at a slight premium to Standard Sightline seats.

 

You’ll pick your Sightline when buying your AMC tickets.

When you’re buying tickets, you can check out the seat map to see all the seating options available. You can do this either online, through the AMC app, or even at the box office.

Sightline at AMC works for standard (2D) movies, 3D movies, and specialty formats like IMAX — as long as they start after 4pm and are not on Discount Tuesdays.

 

 

AMC Stubs members will get different pricing than non-members.

The seat-pricing options are different for AMC Stubs loyalty club members and non-members. The Value Sightline pricing is only available to AMC Stubs members (including the free tier membership, AMC Insider). If you’re an AMC Stubs A-List member — that’s their movie subscription starting at $19.95/month — you can make top-tier Preferred Sightline reservations at no additional cost.

 

Sightline will only be available for showtimes after 4 p.m. — otherwise, general admission is the rule.

If you get tickets for a matinee, it’s open seating — no Sightline pricing. Same goes for Discount Tuesdays at AMC. Unless you’re watching a movie after 4 p.m. Wednesday through Monday, general admission is the rule.

So, how much is a ticket at AMC? Prices vary widely depending on where you are, but generally speaking you can look at these averages:

• For children (ages 2-12), the average ticket price for a 2D movie is $11, and for a 3D movie, it is $13.5.
• For adults (ages 13 & up), the average ticket price for a 2D movie is $16, and for a 3D movie, it is $18.5.
• For seniors (ages 60+), the average ticket price for a 2D movie is $13, and for a 3D movie, it is $16.5.
• For students with a discount (only on Thursdays), the average ticket price for a 2D movie is $13, and for a 3D movie, it is $16.
• For military personnel with a discount (after 4 p.m.), the average ticket price for a 2D movie is $13, and for a 3D movie, it is $16.