Frustrated music fans eager to bypass the gridlock en route to Coachella are shelling out hundreds of dollars in a bid to skip the chaos.
Millions flock to the traffic-heavy California valley for the famous music and arts festival, and some participants are opting for a faster but pricier mode of transport.
‘This is my fifth Coachella, and I have never experienced such poor organization for car camping. I’ve been here for hours, passed through security, and there is no movement at all,’ shared a Reddit user, reflecting the widespread grievances regarding the festival’s traffic issues.
But convenience comes at a cost.
To avoid the hours-long wait, some festival-goers are spending anywhere from $200 to $800 for quicker travel options.
One alternative that has emerged is JSX, a semi-private airline in the US, offering premium flights to Coachella-goers seeking to avoid the traffic delays on the roads.
The sub-one-hour flight from Burbank, California, to Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport – just seven miles from the festival grounds – starts at around $500 one-way.
Passengers choosing the luxe option can show up just 20 minutes before takeoff and enjoy a 30-seat jet experience, complete with the option to bring pets – for an added fee -, according to JSX spokesperson Ben Kaufman.
The airline is also offering return flights once the festival ends on April 20, with prices starting at $295, according to SFGate.
As millions descend on Coachella Valley for the iconic, weeks-long music and arts festival , some savvy attendees are opting for a faster – albeit pricier – alternative to the gridlocked drive in
In anticipation of the star-studded kickoff on April 11, JSX – short for ‘joyful, simple experience’ – announced a series of high-priced, semi-private ‘pop-up’ flights to the valley throughout the weekend
Meanwhile, excitement around the highly-anticipated festival has already been met with early frustration.
With gates barely open, some attendees have already labeled this year’s edition ‘the worst in history,’ comparing the scene to the infamous Fyre Festival.
On X, formerly Twitter, some users claimed that they were waiting up to 12 hours to reach the campsite.
‘Hearing lots of reports of Coachella getting off to a rough start for campers today — some have waited as long as 12+ hours to reach a campsite, including one person who sent the DM below,’ one account wrote, as they shared a screenshot of a text they had received from a person stuck in traffic.
‘Not only did we show up at 2am to get in line to get a good spot, but now have waited OVER 12 hours to even get to the security check,’ they claimed.
‘No porta potties in sight as we waited from 2am until 3pm now. The only porta potties available were at the security checkpoint inside the gates. We were turned down all 12 hours and were forced to pee on the side of the roads. A lot of people running out of gas and not restrooms,’ the message continued.
‘This is the worst organization I have ever seen at a festival and this is Coachella for god sakes.’
In the official Coachella thread on Reddit, where ticket holders regularly share updates, advice and complaints, one attendee sparked the discussion with a post that read: ‘Car campers need either a partial or full refund.
Coachella appears to have already descended into ‘chaos’ as cars line the streets leading into the Coachella Valley in the Colorado Desert
Car campers have taken to social media in their droves this morning to relay the carnage in the car parks
On X, formerly Twitter, some users claimed that they were waiting up to 12 hours to reach the campsite
‘We’ve waiting nine hours to get inside this festival. No bathroom, no food. Likely won’t be returning.’
And others were quick to share that they too were struggling.
‘For real what’s going on with car camping?
Similarly, other guests branded the wait at the camping line as ‘chaos’ and ‘bonkers,’ before adding: ‘What is the hold up once you get past security?
‘What is ‘security’ even doing??? Confused.’
‘Wait times. After doing this for thus many years.
‘You’d think they’d have figured out how to get cars through the queue. This is INSANE,’ another weighed in.
‘Whoever is responsible for planning and logistics should be fired and forced to give us all a personal apology. Joking… but not really.’
Another disgruntled ticket holder simply asked: ‘This has to be the worst day zero in history, right?’
The iconic music festival held in California , which runs across two weekends every year, will open its gates later today to a sea of A-list celebrities and ticketholders (attendee waiting to get into car camping area)
Similarly, other guests branded the wait at the camping line as ‘chaos’ and ‘bonkers,’ before adding: ‘What is the hold up once you get past security?’ (attendees waiting to get into car camping area)
On its website, Coachella brands car camping as its ‘most popular overnight option,’ where guests can ‘build an oasis for you and your crew’
On its website, Coachella brands car camping as its ‘most popular overnight option,’ where guests can ‘build an oasis for you and your crew.’
For Weekend One, this option starts at a cost of $160 with the site stating: ‘If you’ve never camped, have you really experienced everything Coachella has to offer?’
DailyMail.com has contacted Coachella for comment.
Fans of Justin Bieber are also convinced that he is in Palm Springs this week because he’s planning to make a surprise Coachella appearance.
While Bieber has never headlined the festival, he has performed as a special guest at Coachella four times in the past.
