Classics Guide
TCM Classic Film Festival 2027 passes will cost $399 to $2,649 when they go on sale in December
The 18th festival runs April 8-11 in Hollywood. TCM lists four pass levels and an early-bird discount, while the films and guests are still to come.
By 2020 Movie Reviews Team ·
In short
- TCM says passes for its 2027 Classic Film Festival, April 8-11 in Hollywood, go on sale to the public in December 2026, only on the festival website.
- Its four levels run from the Palace pass, $399 early bird or $449 regular, to the Spotlight pass, $2,549 or $2,649.
- By our arithmetic the early-bird price saves $100 on the three four-day passes and $50 on the three-day Palace pass. TCM has not yet dated that window.
- TCM’s FAQ says there are no one-day passes, and that standby tickets for single screenings, where available, are sold at the venue just before the show.
- The festival’s films, guests and theme have not been announced; TCM says the full schedule comes much closer to April.
Turner Classic Movies has put prices on the four pass levels for its 2027 TCM Classic Film Festival, which runs from Thursday, April 8, to Sunday, April 11, in Hollywood. The festival website lists them from $399 for the cheapest pass at the early-bird rate to $2,649 for the top level at the regular rate, and says public sales open in December 2026, only through that site. TCM warns that passes are limited, the top levels in particular. When it announced the dates of this 18th edition on August 25, TCM said pass details would follow along with the theme, the programming and the guests; the passes are now listed, but the films and guests are not.
| Pass | Early bird | Regular | Early-bird saving | Days | What it covers, per TCM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palace | $399 | $449 | $50 | Fri.-Sun., April 9-11 | Screenings at the festival venues except the TCL Chinese 6 Theatres multiplex; no Club TCM, parties or receptions |
| Classic | $849 | $949 | $100 | Thu.-Sun., April 8-11 | Film programs at all venues, Club TCM events, an opening-night welcome reception at The Hollywood Roosevelt and the closing-night event; not the Opening Night Red Carpet screening or the gala |
| Essential | $1,099 | $1,199 | $100 | Thu.-Sun., April 8-11 | Everything in Classic, plus the Opening Night Red Carpet screening at the TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX and a gift bag of festival collectibles |
| Spotlight | $2,549 | $2,649 | $100 | Thu.-Sun., April 8-11 | Everything in Essential, plus priority entry to every screening, the Opening Night Gala party and breakfasts in Club TCM from Friday to Sunday |
What the steps between passes buy
By our arithmetic, the regular Palace pass works out at about $150 for each of its three days and the regular Classic pass at about $237 for each of its four. Moving up from Classic to Essential costs $250 more and adds the opening-night red carpet screening and the gift bag. The move from Essential to Spotlight costs $1,450 more and adds priority entry, the gala party and the weekend breakfasts. TCM says the dates of the early-bird window will be announced in the coming weeks through its festival email newsletter.
TCM’s rules for buying
According to the festival’s FAQ, passes can be bought online at any hour while supplies last, but not by phone, and only with MasterCard, Visa, Discover or American Express cards. The buyer must be at least 18, and passes can be used by anyone 13 or older. One-day passes are not sold.
Without a pass
TCM says single tickets for individual screenings, when there are any, go on sale on a standby basis at the venue’s box office right before the show, and that some screenings, especially at smaller venues, may have none. There are no single tickets for the Opening Night Red Carpet screening, the poolside screenings or Club TCM events. For walk-up tickets, TCM advises arriving at least 30 minutes before the event.
Seats are not guaranteed
All seating is general admission, and the FAQ says a pass does not guarantee a seat at any one screening, though pass holders go in ahead of standby ticket buyers. If a screening fills up, TCM says, there will be repeat showings of some films, or pass holders can choose another film running at the same time. The one exception is the opening-night red carpet screening, where Spotlight and Essential holders are guaranteed entry.
Age rules apply as well. Children under 4 are not admitted, children from 4 up need their own screening ticket and a parent or guardian, and some events, the Opening Night Gala party among them, are only for those 21 and over.
Still to come
TCM says it will announce the films and guest appearances in the coming months and post the full schedule much closer to the festival. Its FAQ says the festival starts in the early afternoon of Thursday, April 8, and that the last events begin on the evening of Sunday, April 11. Until then, TCM says its classic films are on its own network and in a TCM hub on HBO Max.
Prices and rules are as TCM’s festival website listed them on November 10, 2026. TCM has not given a sale date beyond December 2026, and the details can change.
Sources
- Learn More: 2027 Festival Pass Level Information Turner Classic Movies, November 10, 2026
- FAQs Turner Classic Movies, November 10, 2026
- TCM CLASSIC FILM FESTIVAL TO RETURN APRIL 8 – 11, 2027 Turner Classic Movies (Warner Bros. Discovery), August 25, 2026
- TCM Classic Film Festival 2027 Turner Classic Movies, November 10, 2026
Researched and drafted with AI assistance, then checked against the 4 sources above in a separate fact-check on November 10, 2026. Spotted an error? Tell us.