Get cheap movie tickets so you don’t pay over the odds
If I can, I always try to see films at the cinema. The big screen, surround sound and darkened room make all the difference (though I’m not so fond of people chatting or checking their phones). Still, this is an expensive hobby so I do everything I can to get cheap movie tickets.
And I do pretty well at it too. It’s very rare for me to pay more than £5 or £6 – even in central London where prices are usually well over a tenner. In fact, out of the 19 films I saw at the cinema last year I managed to get the bulk of my tickets for free. Of the two were I parted with cash, one was a couple of quid to upgrade to 3D and the other wasn’t much more thanks to a 50% off voucher and off peak price.
These aren’t the only ways to get cheap movie tickets (we’ve listed all the tricks and deals in our huge cinema savings deals page) but these tricks show whatever day you want to see a movie, there’s a way to pay less – and even nothing at all.
Some articles on the site contain affiliate links, which provide a small commission to help fund our work. However, they won’t affect the price you pay or our editorial independence. Read more here.
Midweek cinema deals
The cheapest days to go are always Monday to Thursday. Most cinemas have lower prices on these days, and cheaper still before 5pm. So it’s worth looking to see what your local cinema offers. However, there are ways to save even more so your ticket should cost less than £5.
Tuesday & Wednesday – 2 for 1 tickets with Meerkat Movies
This is a fantastic saving at most cinemas. You need to buy an insurance policy via Compare the Market (there’s a trick so this costs just £1), and you’ll then get access to Meerkat Movies for 12 months.
Meerkat Movies gives a code so you can buy one ticket and get one free. The promotion is valid on Tuesday and Wednesday, though you can only take advantage of the offer once a week.
Everyman: 2-4-1 on Wednesdays via Times+
If you subscribe to the Times you’ll get access to Times+ offers, including a rare two-for-one ticket to Everyman cinemas. You can claim one code each week and it can only be used on Wednesdays.
There’s often a free or cheap trial available for the Times so you can try it out or just get it for a one-off visit.
Odeon: £4 ticket via Amazon
Amazon Prime members can get two tickets for £10 to be used Monday to Thursday. You can get a code once a month.
Weekend only cinema deals
Cinemas charge a fair bit more from Friday to Sunday, and there are less deals that will save you money at the weekend. Personally I’d save any tickets that can be used any day of the week for the weekend (more of these in the next section).
Friday to Sunday – £3 ticket for Cineworld or Picturehouse via Three
The Three+ loyalty app has a cinema deal and at £3 a ticket it’s a decent saving for Cineworld and Picturehouse.
You can show the code at the box office to get your ticket, but if you book online there’s a 75p to 90p fee on top.
You can get the Three+ app even if you’re with a different network thanks to a trick where you top up a Three Pay-as-you-go SIM every 90 days. If you’re going on a weekly basis that could be worth it, even once a month could save you cash – depending on the full price of a ticket at your local.
All week cinema deals
These are all good deals, but I’d prioritise using these tickets for more expensive weekend showings rather than cheaper mid-week screenings so you get the best value.
Six free tickets for Vue or Odeon via Lloyds
If you open up a Lloyds Club current account you’ll be given six free cinema tickets every year. You can choose between Vue or Odeon, though you can’t mix and match.
You can only have one personal account, though couples can also get a joint account. So between the two of your that’s 18 tickets up for grabs.
There is a fee of £5 a month for this account, but it’s not charged if you pay in £2,000 a month. This might seem like a lot, but it doesn’t need to stay in your account nor be added in one go. You can transfer the money in when you get paid, then straight back out again.
Get the best of our money saving content every Monday & Thursday, straight to your inbox
Plus, new Quidco customers get a high paying £18 welcome offer
Free tickets via Sky or Vitality
If you have Sky Cinema you can get two free Vue tickets each month – though it might not be the cheapest option for your TV, so it’s not a reason to stick around.
While anyone with Vitality, perhaps health insurance via work, can claim a free Odeon or Vue ticket each month if they hit enough activity points.
Up to 40% off with other memberships
There are a number of schemes and memberships that give discounts at most big cinema chains and many independent ones too. Though the schemes look similar, prices might be different so it can be worth looking at one for two.
Often these are available via your employer’s “work perks” scheme, but Santander customers can also get access for free via Santander Boosts, and Lidl often gives free membership too via it’s Lidl Plus app.
Other ways to take advantage are paid for, though look for free trials. Tastecard is another good one that also gives restaurant discounts (here are the best deals), while Kids Pass gives additional savings for children’s attractions.
However, these don’t always work out cheaper, so check the prices at your local cinema before buying tickets via these schemes, but you can get cheap trials of both to give them a go.
Featured switching deal
Our top pick
Customer rating
3.8/5
- Switch bonus£200
- Offer endsUnknown
- Extra bonus£25 Amazon Gift Card
- FSCS Protected? Yes
- Switch bonus requirements Switch using the Current Account Switch Service and close your old account within 60 days of starting the switch
- Deposit requirements Deposit £1,500 in the first 60 days from opening the account
- Direct debits transferred over Set up two Direct Debits before or after the switch from a selected list of household bills
- Existing customers? Can't have held any Santander current account on 1 January 2025
- Restrictions Can't have received a switching bonus from Santander already, offer limited to once per person
- Eligible accounts Open a new or hold an existing Everyday, Edge, Edge Up or Edge Explorer current account
- £25 Amazon Gift Card requirements To qualify for the gift card, you need to complete a full switch using CASS, and make five debit card transactions within 30 days of opening the account
£4.50 Vue tickets via O2 and Octoplus
Those with Octopus energy can get two Vue tickets for £8 every week. Just go to the Octoplus loyalty tab in your account. Vouchers last seven days.
The O2 Priority mobile SIM loyalty programme cinema deal is similar. You can pick up two tickets for £9, or four for £18, meaning you’ll pay just £4.50 each. From time to time it’s cut to £7 for two. Codes are released at the start of each month.
You’ll get access to O2 Priority if your phone is with O2 or broadband is via Virgin Media, though this hack means anyone can buy a PAYG SIM and top up by £10 every six months (at the most) to get access.
£4 Odeon tickets via Vodafone
There’s a similar offer for Vodafone users, this time for Odeon tickets. You can get two tickets for £8 or four for £16, though with a £1 booking fee. However you can only use them in a single booking.
One Vue a month & more via Monzo for £7
£7 a month for a Vue ticket via a Monzo Perks current account isn’t going to be the best deal out there. But for the fee you also get an annual railcard, Uber One membership and a weekly Greggs freebie. Take advantage of these and that ticket could actually cost you just a few quid.
Get a membership
If you go on a weekly basis then memberships can work out cheaper. We’ve written here about the different schemes which run at Odeon, Cineworld, Curzon and Everyman.
Other cheap movie ticket deals
There are always other special offers running that could get you cheap or free tickets. These include discounted gift cards (which you can use alongside other offers as payment) and flash sales.
We’ve listed special offers and other tricks to save at all the major and independent chains in our ultimate cinema savings page. Have a look to see what the latest offers are.
Our pick of the best offers in our dedicated cinema deals page
Can’t believe that a simple visit to the cinema can be so complicated. I’m a complete techna phobe. Born before brains were wired for technology .
Managed to find my local cinema , checked films showing on specific days times etc checked prices , discount before 5pm individual prices for children, adults , OAP’s etc Off I set to meet a friend excited that film was still showing .
Going to the cashier I was directed to a wall mounted machine, wrong I had cash (sorry to swear) wall machines don’t take cash, Asked for two OAP TICKETS , shock £10.50 each ?
Queried as £5 quoted on line for entry before 5pm, it was 6.30pm so expected to pay quoted £6.95 not available to be purchased at cinema? Why ? How has such a simple activity suddenly become a mine field of complex , time, day and film category choices .I feel I have been victimised because I choose to use currency albeit English currency .Penalised because I choose not to use technology , and victimised a second time because I am elderly and don’t understand technology . When the numbers attending the cinemas is declining why rule out a generation for the sake of having one till cash only .
Being charged £3.55 over the price I expected to pay and likewise my companion it totally spoilt the outing which we had been looking forward to . Yes we could have refused to pay
but we had already invested . What else do you buy that has so many price tags ?
.
Yes, and sadly this technology penalty isn’t just at the cinema.
I like to go late at night to see movies. I live within walking distance of a Odeon cinema. I went today to see West Side Story tonight which tells the story of two fictional gangs in America and their families. If you can bring your own food and drink. The entire movie in question was good and bad.
My top bit of advice is to check out the website in order first to find out about the current student deals and important details about the shown films. Get a printed out membership card. Or you can ask the man or woman working about that type of thing.