If cinema ticket prices are rising sharply, there is a trick to paying
This is part of the leisure activities that the French no longer indulge in. Or almost. This is not new, cinemas are less and less crowded. The latest figures from the National Center for Cinema and Animated Images (CNC) attest to this: between March 2023 and February 2024, cinemas sold nearly 15% fewer tickets, in a context where the trend was not already not filling the seats. Main cause of the drop in cinema attendance: the price of tickets.
If a few years ago, it was possible to go see a film for just 5 euros, now you have to count at least double that, and sometimes even more: some cinemas sell tickets for around 15 euros. For the economical family outing, we will come back. Especially since at these levels, a ticket costs as much (or almost) as a monthly subscription to a streaming platform offering thousands of content. For many French people, the choice is quickly made.
However, there is a little-known possibility of lowering the price of the session. In addition to the traditional discount allowed thanks to the works council, another tip allows you to go to the cinema at a lower cost and millions of French people can easily benefit from it. It is in fact thanks to your bank card that significant savings can be made: from 3 to 7 euros per place! People who can benefit from this significant discount are those with a Visa Premier or Mastercard Gold card. However, it is not when paying for your seat with one of these cards that the price decreases.
To be entitled to an attractive reduction on the price of cinema tickets, Visa Premier card holders must go on this site and those of the Mastercard Gold on this one. You must then create an account by following the instructions. This allows you to have access to a platform similar to a works council site on which it is possible to purchase cinema tickets at a reduced price, online, and to use them in the multiplexes of your choice.
Pathé, Gaumont, CGR… The major cinema chains all offer very attractive discounts. For example, for Pathé, tickets are sold at 10.20 euros, compared to 16.90€ directly on the cinema website. Furthermore, for the CGR, places are offered at €7.70 compared to €11.10 online. Discounts which are therefore not negligible. However, these are not highlighted by bankers when choosing the bank card and the approach is not the most obvious to benefit from these offers. However, the savings made are worth looking into.