AMC Stubs A-List
https://www.amctheatres.com/amcstubs/alist
The AMC Theaters have come out with a fantastic economic awe-inspiring movie pass at their theaters called the “A-List”. It is the companies alternative to the once inspiring “Movie Pass (which is collapsing and should be avoided at all costs). I switched over from Movie Pass back in August when it started to limit only watching 3 movies a month (vs. one a day) and restricted what and when you could watch. I gave up the Movie Pass $9.95/month and the Netflix 13.95/mo for the AMC A-List 19.99/month. It was the best move I could ever make (though I do miss Netflix – just not in my budget. I do still have Amazon prime though for at-home watching still.). It’s a guarantee A-List is better than Movie Pass.
AMC A-List, for $19.99/month, allows you to watch up to three new releases a week, with the ability to reserve tickets well in advance (no extra cost/free), and be able to see them in IMAX, Dolby Cinema, RealD 3-D, or any of the premiere viewings (something you never got with MoviePass) – there are no restrictions, no blackout dates. You can watch the same movie again and again. You can hold up to 3 reservations at a time. You also get AMC Stubs Premiere status – up to 10% back on food/drink purchases, and priority lanes. In addition, free size upgrades and refills of drinks and popcorn, discounts on concessions, and AMC Stubs point excelling to the ability to get $5 vouchers every time you hit 5,000 points. The only downfall is having to show your ID when checking in (no waiting in lines though) and your app ticket on the phone. Unfortunately, you can only use the movie for yourself, and can’t say use two of your three tickets to take your son to the movies. But you can reserve/pay for their tickets on the phone app alongside yours so you can sit together. Obviously, this deal only works at participating AMC theaters. (I’ve only run into one AMC that doesn’t participate out of the several dozen I’ve gone to across the country) Smart move on AMC’s side, gaining dedicated customers through the deal, as I no longer go to movies at any other theater than AMC now. (or at least since I’ve joined 4 months ago) In fact A-List this week announced it just hit over 17 Million members.
2026 Update: I still think the value of A-List is phenomenal, but unfortunately this year – I’m stepping back and quitting the program. Its a sad farewell, but time-wise, economics, and the growing sprawl of congestion/traffic/travel of the Emerald sludge-pit known as Seattle … I’m just not into the commute. I live an hour away from the closest AMC, so for the 4 movies a week for $25/month package to be worth it, I wound up having to do two double-features each week to make it profitable. Given the hour commute each way, the fact the AMC near me isn’t timing the movies properly for double-features, and the annoying fact that AMC feels like we should have to watch 20-30 minutes of previews and ads before we watch the movie … its just too much. AMC … you can do better. (Also odd experience a couple weeks ago when I bought the large refillable popcorn … instead of refilling the bucket like they used to as much as you like, this time they took the bucket and gave me a smaller plain cardboard “box” filled with popcorn … it felt cheap and ending. I have no clue if you can refill for a third, it makes it feel unwelcomed. At the absorbant price of popcorn at the movies, no thanks. So I bid you farewell AMC A-List, for now at least, its not worth the 14 hour committment a week to use you. (Monday: hour drive to theater, movie 1: approx 2 hours plus 1/2 hour ads. 1/2 hour – hour between movie showings. Another 1/2 hour ads. 2 hour movie, hour commute home. Thursday: same thing: = at least 14 hours in traffic, congestion, and aggressive drivers = no thanks). I bid you farewell on March 11th when my paid subscription lapses.