AMC Theatres just announced that premium loyalty members will get first dibs on the best seats in the house—no extra charge, just one more perk of paying $18.99-$27.99 per month for their Stubs program.
If this sounds familiar, it's because we've watched the airline industry do exactly the same thing: turn a once-egalitarian experience into a hierarchy of access, comfort, and dignity.
Remember when flying meant you bought a ticket and got a seat? Now there's Basic Economy (punitive), Economy (tolerable), Premium Economy (what Economy used to be), Business (decent), and First Class (actually good). The movie theater experience is heading the same direction.
AMC tried this before with "Sightline" pricing in 2023, charging premiums for better seats. Customers hated it, and the chain backed off. But they learned something: people will accept tiered access if it's bundled into a subscription rather than sold à la carte.
So now, if you're an A-List or Premiere member, you get to reserve center-of-house seats before general ticket sales. If you're a regular ticket buyer, you get whatever's left. Which, for opening weekend of a major release, might be front row or far side—exactly the seats people avoid.
From AMC's perspective, this makes perfect sense. They're rewarding their most frequent customers, creating incentive to join the loyalty program, and differentiating their premium tiers. It's Business 101.
From a customer perspective, it's one more way that money determines your experience. Can't afford $19-28/month for a subscription? Enjoy the neck-strain seats. This might be fine for people who see movies regularly, but for families or casual moviegoers, it's yet another barrier to entry.
And here's the thing: movie theaters are already struggling. Streaming has eaten into attendance. Ticket prices have climbed. Concessions cost more than the tickets. The last thing the industry needs is to make the theatrical experience feel exclusive and unwelcoming.
The counterargument is that frequent moviegoers should get perks. They're keeping theaters alive. Rewarding loyalty isn't inherently wrong. But there's a difference between rewarding loyalty and creating a two-tier system where access to a decent viewing experience requires a monthly subscription.
