Coachella: The Legendary Desert Festival
Plan your trip to the “Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival” with American Express.
Everything you need to know at a glance
The Coachella Festival—officially the “Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival”—is one of the world’s most famous music festivals and takes place every year over two weekends in April at the “Empire Polo Club” in Indio, California. The festival’s lineup is top-notch, complemented by large-scale art installations and its status as a pop culture and fashion event with iconic desert flair.
Sabrina Carpenter, Justin Bieber, and Karol G have been announced as headliners for Coachella 2026. Tickets often sell out quickly, leaving only the waitlist or the official resale option. The best way to get there is via Palm Springs or Los Angeles. Accommodations are available on the festival grounds or at hotels in the region.
Buy festival tickets with American Express
Every spring, the desert near Indio, California, transforms into a stage for world-class music, breathtaking art installations, and unforgettable encounters. That’s when the “Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival” takes place. Tickets are highly sought-after and sell out quickly.
The festival traditionally takes place over two consecutive weekends in April. Although the lineup is identical, Weekend 1 is considered the more sought-after option and typically sells out faster. In addition to the standard admission ticket, there are various ticket options such as the VIP pass, hotel packages, shuttle service, or special camping and glamping offers.
If you’d like to attend Coachella, you should try to secure passes early. The first round of ticket sales, the advance sale, usually takes place in May of the previous year, even before the official lineup is finalized. As soon as it’s clear who will be performing at the festival, regular ticket sales begin. This typically happens in September. The loyalty presale for regular attendees begins one day before public sales. The easiest way to pay for tickets from abroad is online with your credit card.
Interesting fact: The American Express Platinum Card includes ticket insurance.
Getting There: From the Airport to the Festival
Coachella takes place on the grounds of the Empire Polo Club in Indio. During the festival, the sprawling club with its expansive lawns transforms into a massive event venue featuring stages, art installations, camping areas, and a Ferris wheel.
The most convenient way to get there is via Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) or Palm Springs International Airport (PSP), which is only about 40 kilometers from the festival grounds. There are currently direct flights from Switzerland to Los Angeles.
With an American Express Platinum Card, you gain access to some of the most beautiful airport lounges worldwide. Thanks to the complimentary “Priority Pass” membership, exclusive lounges are available to you at Zurich Airport and Los Angeles Airport. This way, you can start your journey completely relaxed.
Getting Around by Rental Car
In Indio itself, the most convenient way to get to Coachella is by taking the official shuttle bus from Palm Springs. Alternatively, ride-sharing services like Uber or Lyft are particularly readily available in the region during the festival. This way, you can avoid the tricky parking situation and traffic jams on congested access roads.
For airport transfers or excursions in the surrounding area, however, a rental car is highly recommended. As an American Express Platinum Cardholder, you receive attractive rental car benefits from renowned providers such as Hertz, SIXT, or Avis.
Stay in Comfort at a Hotel
If you don’t want to camp at the festival grounds, you should book a hotel well in advance. There are several excellent hotels near the festival grounds, such as the “Parker Palm Springs,” “Colony Palms Hotel and Bungalows,” and the “Thompson Palm Springs.”
All three properties are part of American Express’s Fine Hotels + Resorts program. With your Platinum Card, you’ll enjoy perks such as a complimentary daily breakfast for two, a room upgrade (subject to availability), a credit toward hotel expenses, and late check-out.
Which American Express card will accompany you to Coachella?
Experience the Coachella Festival with American Express
Every year, images from Coachella go viral around the world: Hollywood stars dancing unrecognized in the crowd, the iconic Ferris wheel, and sunsets that look too good to be true. What looks spectacular on screen is simply overwhelming in reality. The heat, the bass, the smell of desert dust and sunscreen—a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
As a Platinum Cardholder from American Express, you’ll enjoy special benefits and amenities throughout your trip. Why not combine your festival visit with a few days of vacation—Palm Springs, Joshua Tree, and the entire Coachella Valley region are well worth exploring.
Frequently asked questions and answers
Prices vary depending on the category and when you buy. A General Admission pass costs around $550 for Weekend 2 and about $650 for Weekend 1. VIP passes start at $1,200. If you book early—ideally during the advance sale in May of the previous year—you’ll get the best rates.
Coachella combines world-class music from all genres with monumental art installations, a curated culinary lineup, and a unique audience—ranging from music fans and art enthusiasts to Hollywood stars. The special magic comes from the combination of the desert landscape, golden evening light, and a cultural program that is second to none.
The name comes from the Coachella Valley, where the festival takes place. The valley, in turn, owes its name to a typo: during early land surveys, the Native American word “Conchilla”—translated roughly as “little shell,” a reference to the fossilized seashells found in the desert sand—was mistakenly written as “Coachella.” The name stuck. The shells, by the way, are still there; they can still be found in the desert soil of the region today.
