The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has introduced a groundbreaking rule banning hidden “junk fees” often added to concert tickets and other event purchases at checkout. Under the new regulation, companies must display all fees upfront during the purchasing process rather than surprising buyers with extra charges at the final stage. The rule applies not only to event tickets but also to costs associated with hotel and vacation rental reservations.

“People deserve to know upfront what they’re being asked to pay, without worrying that they’ll later be saddled with mysterious fees that they haven’t budgeted for and can’t avoid,” FTC Chair Lina M. Khan said. “The FTC’s rule will put an end to junk fees around live event tickets, hotels and vacation rentals, saving Americans billions of dollars and millions of hours in wasted time. I urge enforcers to continue cracking down on these unlawful fees and encourage state and federal policymakers to build on this success with legislation that bans unfair and deceptive junk fees across the economy.”

Ticketing giant Live Nation welcomed the new mandate, highlighting its existing “all-in pricing” model implemented in late 2023. “We’ve led the industry by adopting all-in pricing at all Live Nation venues and festivals and applaud the FTC’s industry-wide mandate,” the company stated. Within six months of its policy change, Live Nation reported an 8% increase in ticket sales.

This rule is expected to benefit consumers, particularly traveling concertgoers, who will now know the total cost of both tickets and lodging before checkout. While ticket prices themselves remain a concern, transparency in fees aims to reduce buyer frustration.