Now, we’re not naming any names, but one of our RadioTimes.com team went to the cinema the other month, and two cinema tickets cost them £32; that’s more horrifying than the original The Texas Chainsaw Massacre film!
Whereas going to the cinema used to be a cheap date, the prices nowadays are borderline daylight robbery. However, there’s something about sitting in a theatre watching the latest film with the snacks you’ve sneaked in that we find really enjoyable.
Although we love the ease of streaming services — being able to come home after a long day in the office and switch on some soothing reality TV or gripping drama (depending on our mood) is blissful — we semi-agree with director Martin Scorsese’s rant that subscription services are devaluing the art of cinema.
After all, blockbusters like Parasite, Avengers: Endgame, and Dune, were destined to be enjoyed on the big screen.
So with all of this in mind, we’ve been determined to find ways of making the cinema cheap again!
From monthly passes and two-for-one discounts to a nationwide £3 cinema day and summer holiday specials for youngsters, these are the best ways to get cheap cinema tickets.
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- How to get cheap cinema tickets
- Best cheap cinema tickets and deals at a glance
- Best cheap cinema tickets and deals for September 2022
How to get cheap cinema tickets
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Before booking a cinema ticket, it’s important to check if you can get discounted tickets because, more often than not, you’ll be able to knock a few quid off your bill.
If you have a phone or broadband contract, chances are, they will offer a rewards scheme to get discounted tickets for concerts, theme parks, and, of course, the cinema. Vodafone, Three UK, O2, and Virgin Media are amongst the providers who offer cheap cinema tickets.
Shop around. Buying from the cinema’s website or at the door won’t be the best way to bag cheap tickets. Sites like Fever and Tastecard are brilliant for discounted cinema tickets, and if you’re looking to turn a cinema trip into something a bit more special, Buyagift has plenty of great packages.
Unfortunately, like with things such as train tickets, buying cinema tickets in advance won’t lower the price. Plus, most cinemas release tickets only a week in advance anyway. But do not fear our cinema-loving readers, we’ve got plenty of ways to help you claim cheap cinema tickets.
Finding cheap tickets is something of our speciality! Check out how to get cheap Alton Towers tickets, how to get cheap theatre tickets, and how to get cheap football tickets.
What day is 2-for-1 cinema tickets?
This varies depending on where you claimed the offer from, but 2-for-1 cinema days are usually weekdays (off-peak time, typical!).
With Meerkat Movies, you can grab 2-for-1 ODEON cinema tickets every Tuesday or Wednesday for a whole year when you buy a qualifying product from Comparethemarket.com.
What day is the cheapest to go to the cinema?
Typically, weekdays are the cheapest to go to the cinema as places, such as Meerkat Movies, offer the 2-for-1 cinema ticket promotion during the week. However, we have some brilliant deals below, from Tesco Clubcard, Fever, Vodafone, and more, that get you discounted cinema tickets on weekends.
Best cheap cinema tickets and deals at a glance
- £3 tickets for National Cinema Day 2022
- Discounted cinema tickets at Fever
- Up to 70% off cinema tickets with Groupon
- Save on the latest films with Tastecard
- Cinema experiences with Buyagift
- Save when you become a cinema member at ODEON
- Save when you become a cinema member at Cineworld
- Two tickets for £7 for Vodafone customers
- Turn Clubcard vouchers into cinema tickets
- £3 cinema tickets with Three UK
- Cheap cinema tickets for kids at Cineworld
- Cheap cinema tickets for kids at ODEON
- Cheap cinema tickets for kids at Empire
- Cheap cinema tickets for kids with Kids Pass
- Free cinema tickets with Priority
Best cheap cinema tickets and deals for September 2022
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£3 tickets for National Cinema Day 2022
What’s the deal: On Saturday 3rd September, over 600 cinemas across the UK are offering £3 tickets to cinema-goers for National Cinema Day. It’s not just huge cinema chains that are taking part in the discount day, there’s a whole host of smaller cinemas, too.
Why we chose it: If you were to book an adult ticket at ODEON in Richmond, it would set you back £9 on any normal day. On National Cinema Day, you’ll save two-thirds of the price, so you can either watch three films for the price of one, or pocket the extra £6.
Book £3 cinema tickets at Cineworld
Find out more about what cinemas are taking part at National Cinema Day
Discounted cinema tickets at Fever
What’s the deal: Participating cinemas in London are offering discounted tickets via Fever. See the latest film from just £3.99 at Vue, and from £6.99 at ODEON. Plus, there’s the option to join waiting lists for soon-to-be-released movies, such as Don’t Worry Darling.
Why we chose it: If I wanted to see Bullet Train at London Piccadilly on a weekday evening, it would set me back £9.99 at Vue. If I was to see the same film at the ODEON in Richmond, it would cost me £9.
Buy cinema tickets from £3.99 at Fever
Up to 70% off cinema tickets with Groupon
What’s the deal: Groupon has some fantastic deals to help you bag a cinema ticket for less. There are 40% off tickets at ODEON and Cineworld, and discounts on two or five tickets at ODEON.
Why we chose it: Two ODEON tickets for £10 (£5 each) and five ODEON tickets for £22 (£4.40) each are deals not to be sniffed at. If you’re living in London, be sure to make the most of these offers.
Get up to 70% off cinema tickets at Groupon
Save on the latest films with Tastecard
What’s the deal: First of all, what is Tastecard? Tastecard is a one-stop shop for discount codes for your favourite restaurants, cinemas, and shops. Tastecard has partnered with high street and independent cinemas to bring you up to 40% off cinema tickets.
Why we chose it: The money you save on cinema tickets can be spent on snacks instead — smart? We think so.
Join Tastecard for cheap cinema tickets
Cinema experiences with Buyagift
What’s the deal: If you fancy making a day or an evening out of your cinema trip, Buyagift has just the experience packages for you. Some of our favourites include cinema tickets with dinner, a hidden vintage cinema with cocktails, and tickets to Bristol Film Festival with wine tasting.
Why we chose it: Despite some of the vouchers not saving you a huge amount of money, there are some real gems on the Buyagift website. Plus, the experiences can be claimed at various locations across the UK.
Buy the Cinema Tickets with Dinner Experience Box for £59.99 at Buyagift
Save when you become a cinema member
What’s the deal: Many cinemas offer memberships where you can pay a monthly fee and see as many films as your heart desires, for example, myLIMITLESS from ODEON offers unlimited films, savings on food and drink, and exclusive screenings from £14.99 a month. Similarly, experience as many movies as you like with Cineworld Unlimited from £9.99 a month.
Why we chose it: A lot of the time, you’d only have to visit the cinema twice a month to get your money’s worth.
Become a myLIMITLESS member from £14.99 a month at ODEON
Get Cineworld Unlimited from £9.99 a month at Cineworld
Two tickets for £7 for Vodafone customers
What’s the deal: Vodafone customers can redeem this Vue offer — two tickets for £7 — once a week. The offer will appear on the My Vodafone app every Monday. There is a tiny bit of small print, however: you’ll need to have a monthly or small business contract, or if you’re a pay-as-you-go customer, you’ll need to have topped up at least ten quid in the last 60 days.
Why we chose it: The offer covers any 2D movie, and can be redeemed on the weekend, which is a huge rarity as that’s the most popular time to go.
Bag discounts on the My Vodafone app
Not already a Vodafone customer? Check out the phone deals
Turn Clubcard vouchers into cinema tickets
What’s the deal: Is there anything Tesco Clubcards can’t be used for? If it’s not saving us that vital 50p on our meal deal, it’s getting us cheap tickets for Thorpe Park. Now, you can get three times the value on your Clubcard vouchers — for example, 50p becomes £1.50 — when exchanged for a Cineworld or Picturehouse code.
Why we chose it: ‘Every little helps’ as Tesco would say! Any amount of money off a cinema ticket is a win in our eyes, and the offer is versatile, too, for example, if you have at least £10 in Clubcard vouchers, you can use them towards a Cineworld Unlimited card.
Get a Tesco Clubcard to bag great savings
£3 cinema tickets with Three UK
What’s the deal: Another great deal you can bag by simply having a phone contract, and this time, it’s from Three UK. Three Mobile customers will get a weekly code for £3 cinema tickets on the Three+ rewards app.
Why we chose it: Like with the Vodafone offer, the code can be redeemed on any 2D movie, and you can use it on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday — prime cinema-going days.
Get huge discounts on the Three+ rewards app
Not already a Three Mobile customer? Check out the plans
Cheap cinema tickets for kids
What’s the deal: An offer you can use during the summer holidays and beyond! A selection of UK cinemas offer discounted tickets for children aged 14 and under, and their accompanying adult. Tickets start from just £2.50 at Cineworld and ODEON, and £2 at Empire.
Plus, Kids Pass offers up to 40% off cinema tickets at a range of cinemas nationwide.
Why we chose it: Keeping kids entertained, particularly during the summer holidays, can be expensive. That’s why any deal that keeps the cost of family days out down will be shared with you with the utmost priority!
Movies For Juniors from £2.50 at Cineworld
ODEON Kids from £2.50 at ODEON
Get 40% off cinema tickets with Kids Pass
Free cinema tickets with Priority
What’s the deal: What’s better than discounted cinema tickets? Free ones! O2 phone and Virgin Media broadband customers will love this deal: each week, Priority releases 10,000 free ODEON tickets for any 2D screening on a Sunday or Monday, and if you’re in the first 10,000, you’ve just bagged yourself a free ticket.
Why we chose it: It’s completely free as there’s no booking fee.
Discover rewards with O2 Priority
Not an O2 phone customer? Take a look at the mobiles
Looking to switch to Virgin Media broadband? Check out the packages
As much as we’d love to, it’s practically impossible to go to the cinema every day, so be sure to check out our Disney Plus offers and BritBox offers to watch films from home.