Ticketmaster finally ended the shock of hidden fees at checkout by implementing all-in pricing, though it took government intervention to make it happen.
Quick Takes
- Ticketmaster now displays the full price of tickets, including fees, before checkout as part of their new “All In Prices” initiative.
- The change follows the Federal Trade Commission’s ban on junk fees that took effect.
- This transparency measure comes after increased scrutiny following the Taylor Swift ticketing fiasco of 2022.
- The Department of Justice has sued Ticketmaster and Live Nation for allegedly monopolizing and inflating ticket prices.
- Both Trump and Biden administrations have taken action to address ticket pricing transparency.
The End of Checkout Sticker Shock
Ticketmaster has finally implemented a more transparent pricing model that shows customers the full cost of tickets upfront. Effective Monday, the company’s new “All In Prices” initiative displays the ticket’s face value plus service fees at the beginning of the purchase process, eliminating the surprise costs that typically appeared at checkout. This change aligns American ticket purchasing with standards already common in other parts of the world and affects Ticketmaster’s massive operation that processes over 500 million tickets annually.
The move comes in direct response to the Federal Trade Commission’s ban on “junk fees” that took effect. While the majority of fees are now displayed upfront, customers should be aware that some charges – including local taxes and delivery fees – will still appear at the final checkout stage. SeatGeek, another major ticket seller, has also updated its platform to default to all-in pricing in compliance with the new regulations.
The junk fees rule we finalized @FTC last year goes into effect today.
That means businesses selling live-event tickets or short-term lodging can no longer surprise you with mystery charges that inflate your bill when you check out. https://t.co/8XV0kJbGZt
— Lina Khan (@linamkhan) May 12, 2025
Government Action Against Hidden Fees
The pricing transparency requirement didn’t happen in a vacuum. The FTC announced this rule in December 2023, targeting hidden fees across multiple industries. The House of Representatives has already passed the TICKET Act in 2024, which requires ticket sellers to show full prices upfront, though this legislation is still pending in the Senate.
Despite Ticketmaster’s claim of supporting price transparency, the timing suggests regulatory pressure was the driving force behind this consumer-friendly change. The FTC is now tasked with ensuring compliance and preventing unfair practices throughout the ticket industry. The bipartisan nature of this issue was highlighted by musician Kid Rock, who noted that ticket pricing problems cross political lines, saying, “Anyone who’s bought a concert ticket in the last decade, maybe 20 years – no matter what your politics are – knows that it’s a conundrum.”
Taylor Swift Fiasco and Ongoing Legal Challenges
The pricing transparency initiative follows increased scrutiny of Ticketmaster after the Taylor Swift “Eras Tour” ticketing disaster in 2022, when the site crashed during a presale event, leaving thousands of fans without tickets despite hours spent waiting in digital queues. This high-profile failure brought renewed attention to Ticketmaster’s dominant position in the industry and their business practices. In response, the company has improved its queue system, providing real-time updates on ticket availability and more accurate wait time estimates.
More significantly, the Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against Ticketmaster and its parent company Live Nation for allegedly monopolizing and inflating ticket prices. This legal challenge represents the most serious threat to Ticketmaster’s dominance in the U.S. concert venue market. The company controls ticketing for an overwhelming majority of major venues, giving them exceptional leverage in setting pricing structures and determining fee amounts. The current changes to pricing transparency may be viewed as an attempt to address some consumer complaints while the more substantial monopoly case proceeds through the courts.
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Ticketmaster will finally show the full price of your ticket up front
As Biden-era ‘junk fee’ rule takes effect, Ticketmaster says it will display fees more clearly
