A “Regal Cinemas” line on your bank or credit card statement is a charge from the Regal movie theater chain, almost always for a ticket bought through RegMovies.com or the Regal mobile app. The amount you see usually is not just the ticket price. Regal adds a non-refundable online convenience fee, and depending on the showing it may also include surcharges for premium formats, premium seating, or a “high-market” location.
What the Online Charge Includes
When you buy through the Regal website or app, the total is built from the base ticket price plus a booking fee. The convenience fee varies by ticket type and format, so an IMAX or 4DX seat carries a higher fee than a standard 2D screening.1Regal Cinemas. Gift Card Terms and Conditions
On top of that, extra surcharges can apply for premium formats such as IMAX, RPX, ScreenX, 4DX, and 3D, for premium or recliner seating, and for theaters in “high-market” areas of California, New York, and New Jersey.1Regal Cinemas. Gift Card Terms and Conditions The high-market surcharge runs roughly $1.50, though the exact figure varies by location.2PEFMBP. Regal Premiere Tickets
Tickets bought in person at the box office skip the online convenience fee. Format and high-market surcharges can still show up on those purchases.1Regal Cinemas. Gift Card Terms and Conditions
If you subscribe to Regal Unlimited, reservations made through the app carry a reduced convenience fee of $0.50 per ticket plus tax.3Regal Cinemas. Regal Unlimited Help Subscribers still pay surcharges for premium formats, premium seating, and visits to theaters in a higher subscription tier than their plan covers, at rates between $1.50 and $3.00 per ticket.4Regal Cinemas. Regal Unlimited
Why the Total May Not Match the Ticket Price You Saw
If your statement shows a bigger number than the ticket price advertised on the showing page, the difference is almost certainly the booking fee and any applicable surcharges. That gap was the basis for a class action lawsuit filed in December 2023 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, Jones v. Regal Cinemas, Inc. (Case No. 1:23-cv-11145-MMG).5ClassAction.org. Jones v. Regal Cinemas Complaint
The plaintiff alleged that Regal’s guest checkout on RegMovies.com displayed only the base ticket price when a customer picked a showing, and revealed the booking fee only at the payment screen. That, the complaint argued, violated Section 25.07(4) of New York’s Arts and Cultural Affairs Law, which requires ticket sellers to disclose the total cost, including all ancillary fees, before a ticket is selected for purchase, and forbids the price from rising during checkout.6New York State Senate. Arts and Cultural Affairs Law Section 25.07
The $2.5 Million Settlement
Regal denied wrongdoing but agreed to a $2.5 million settlement. The court granted preliminary approval on November 20, 2024, held a final approval hearing on March 5, 2025, and entered final judgment the next day, dismissing the case with prejudice.7Justia. Jones v. Regal Cinemas Final Judgment
The settlement class covered U.S. residents who bought electronic tickets to any film screening at a New York Regal theater through RegMovies.com’s guest checkout between July 31, 2023, and July 15, 2024. Regal Crown Club members and certain related parties were excluded.8Regal Ticket Fee Settlement. Settlement Home Page Eligible class members who filed a timely claim received a pro rata cash payment based on their share of the booking fees collected during the class period.9ClassAction.org. Jones v. Regal Cinemas Settlement Agreement The claims deadline was April 21, 2025, and the portal is now closed.10Regal Ticket Fee Settlement. Settlement Claims Portal
Regal also agreed to keep purchase flows on its website that clearly disclose a ticket’s total cost, booking fee included, before the ticket is selected at New York theaters, and to comply with the state statute unless it is amended or repealed.11ClassAction.org. Regal Cinemas Settlement Resolves Class Action Over Online Movie Ticket Booking Fees
One boundary worth noting: the FTC’s Rule on Unfair or Deceptive Fees, which took effect on May 12, 2025 and requires total-price disclosure for live-event tickets and short-term lodging, does not apply to movie screenings. The FTC has stated that movies are not live events covered by the rule.12Federal Trade Commission. Rule on Unfair or Deceptive Fees FAQ State laws like New York’s remain the main tool for challenging hidden fees on movie tickets.
If You Don’t Recognize the Charge
Check the date on the statement against recent ticket purchases, including any bought by other people on your card, gift purchases, and app orders where the confirmation email may have gone to a shared inbox. A Regal Unlimited membership will also post to your card on its billing cycle. If nothing lines up, contact Regal customer service before disputing the charge with your bank, since the booking fee, format surcharges, and high-market fees are legitimate additions that often make the posted amount higher than the ticket price you remember.