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Each April, the biggest (and soon-to-be biggest) musicians of the moment descend upon Coachella Valley, as do hundreds of thousands of fans. With the fun comes a healthy dose of stress, particularly due to planning and the costs associated with major events such as this one.
Whether you’re Coachella-bound this year or heading for a different fest, these are some of our top dos and don’ts for festivalgoers, from a festivalgoer herself.
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Don’t spend more than you need to on flights
You’re already paying enough for the weekend pass. Why cough up more than you need to on your plane ticket as well? Here are some ways to avoid overspending.
Book in the Goldilocks Window: For domestic travel, it’s 1–3 months before departure (with a little extra time if you’re flying during a peak season or for a major event). That means you should be booking your Coachella flights right about now. And don’t delay!
Set a price alert: Who has time to monitor Google Flights all day every day to find the best flight deal to Coachella? Probably not you. But we do—it’s our job. Head to the Going app, set up a price alert, and our Travel Experts will notify you when they’ve found a deal worth booking.
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Pay with points or miles: Using your credit card points or airline miles is a smart way to cut costs on last-minute flights. Airlines love to make points super confusing, but if you’ve got some frequent flyer miles ready to go, see if they can help lighten the financial load. You can often get great value from points on last-minute flights.
According to our Travel Experts, a good points deal to Coachella can be as low as 10k points roundtrip.
Feeling confused about the world of points and miles? Join our three-part Intro to Points email series, where you’ll learn the basics to get started with points and miles, choose the right card, and redeem your points for the most value.
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Do be flexible to save money
If you keep an open mind when it comes to airports, travel times, airlines, and more, you can end up saving a ton on your flights.
Try a different airport: Say you live in Miami, but flights to Palm Springs for Coachella are prohibitively expensive. Try flying out of Fort Lauderdale, or into LAX, or both. A little flexibility with your departure or arrival airport could save you big bucks.
Be flexible with travel dates and times: Red-eyes and early-morning flights often come with smaller price tags. Also, a slight shift in your schedule—like flying a day earlier or later—can also lead to significant savings.
Consider two one-way flights: You may have heard us say before that two one-ways are more expensive than a roundtrip. Domestic flights are a big exception. With one-ways, you can sometimes find a combined sum through two separate airlines—such as United on the way there and Delta on the way back—that is cheaper than a roundtrip on a single airline.
Compare individual vs. group tickets: Heading to Coachella with friends? Don’t get hooked on booking your flights together. Booking tickets one by one (or in smaller groups) could save you money.
Why? Airlines use fare buckets. When you search for multiple tickets, they’ll show you the price for seats available in the same bucket. If you split up the tickets for your group, you could get some in the lower price tier and some in the higher tier, saving money overall. Plus, you may be able to contact the airline after the fact to have your itineraries connected so you can sit together. Win, win.
Example: There’s one seat left for $200, but you need two tickets. If you search for two tickets, the airline will skip the $200 seat and offer you two tickets at $300. But, if you book the $200 ticket first and then the second one at $300, you’ve saved $100 across two tickets.
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Don’t book accommodations too late
This might go without saying, but when it comes to booking accommodations, the early bird usually gets the worm. Securing a decent place to stay at a decent rate gets harder and harder as the date approaches.
With accommodations, it can pay to play the long game when locking in lodging for festivals. If you think you’ll want to go back next year, foster a genuine relationship with the vacation rental host. That way you can lock in the same rate and not have to worry about going through the whole process again next year. It doesn’t exactly help out with cost this year, but 2026 or 2027 you will thank you.
If you’re really trying to save on costs, booking directly with the host rather than through a third party can save on costs for both of you. However, you’ll miss out on protections offered by third-party providers, so proceed with caution.
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Do stay close to the festival
Although it can be wildly expensive, consider booking a vacation rental within walking distance of the festival. This makes it easier to get to and from the venue on the days that you attend, eliminates the need for a rental car or other mode of transportation, and reduces the amount of time that you’ll spend waiting for Ubers, Lyfts, taxis, or shuttles.
Needless to say, the closest rentals usually go first, so if you’re not within walking distance, make sure you at least book transportation or get a shuttle pass in advance. Whether you’re planning to walk, bike, shuttle, carpool, or rely on rideshare, the Coachella website has everything you need to know.
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Don’t forget: hydration, comfortable shoes, and a foldable fan
Need we explain?
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Do plan your itinerary in advance
Sure, we’re all for leaving a little room for spontaneity, but there’s little worse than getting caught up at Shaboozey and missing the whole first half of Megan Thee Stallion. At the very least, know your non-negotiables ahead of time, when and where they’ll be playing, and about how long it takes to get from one stage to the next so you’re not drying your tears with a double shot of whiskey when you hear Megan brought Beyoncé on stage for “Savage Remix.”
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Don’t be afraid to leave early
Hot take? Maybe. But sometimes hitting a few good sets and getting to bed by 10pm is just what the doctor ordered. If you’ve opted for the weekend pass, three days gives you ample time to enjoy some music. And chances are all three headliners aren’t going to be at the top of your list of artists to see.
Leaving after the headliner can feel like a marathon on its own. Beat the crowds, head home early, and rest up for the next day. No one’s going to fault you—in fact, everyone will have probably wished they’d thought of it first.
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Do spring for VIP if it’s in your budget
Upgrading to VIP at Coachella is like upgrading from economy to first class on the plane. It’s double the price of a general admission ticket, which is already decidedly not cheap. But if you’re looking for an excuse to splurge, this is it.
Over the years, the general admission section at Coachella has gotten incredibly crowded, and a little extra elbow room can make all the difference. Plus, if you use our tips above to save on flights, you can reallocate those savings to a VIP ticket. And that’s how you girl-math your way to a cushier festival experience.
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Now through Feb 18, refer friends and enter to win $1,000 in free flights and a $199 Elite Going membership. Each person you get to sign up at going.com earns you another chance to win.
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Tips courtesy of
Anna (Brown) LaBrie
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Anna (Brown) LaBrie is a Seattle native with a career rooted in fashion and travel. She started in PR at Nordstrom, working on creative projects, before diving into the travel industry at Expedia and Vrbo. Now leading PR at Going, she thrives at the intersection of storytelling and adventure. A music lover at heart, she’s in her Stagecoach era—but knows she’ll make it back to Coachella one day.
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