Concert Presale Codes: How to Get Early Access to Tickets

Mastering Concert Presales

Presales are your best chance at getting good seats at face value. Here's everything you need to know about accessing them.

Types of Presales

1. Artist/Fan Club Presale

• For newsletter subscribers or fan club members
• Often the first sale
• Best seat access
• May require paid membership

2. Venue Presale

• For venue email subscribers
• Specific to that location
• Good inventory
• Free to access

3. Credit Card Presale

• American Express, Citi, Chase, Capital One
• Good seat selection
• Must use that card to buy
• Often overlaps with other presales

4. Radio/Sponsor Presale

• Local radio station promotions
• Listen for codes on air
• Follow on social media
• Limited quantity

5. Ticketmaster Verified Fan

• Requires registration
• Selected by lottery
• Unique code sent
• Attempts to reduce bots

How to Get Presale Codes

Artist Newsletter:

1. Sign up on artist's official website

2. Confirm your email

3. Check spam folder around announcement time

4. Code usually sent 24-48 hours before

Venue Presale:

1. Subscribe to venue mailing lists for your area

2. Create accounts on venue websites

3. Check emails when tours are announced

Credit Card:

• American Express: "AMEX" or card-specific
• Citi: "CITY" or card number
• Chase: Check Chase Experiences
• Capital One: Check their entertainment site

Verified Fan:

1. Register when prompted (usually on artist announcement)

2. Wait for confirmation/selection

3. Unique code sent if selected

4. Don't share your code

Presale Timeline

Typical tour announcement schedule:

Day

Event

Monday	Tour announced
Tuesday	Verified Fan registration opens
Wednesday	Fan club presale
Thursday	Credit card/venue presales
Friday	General on-sale

Tips for Presale Success

Before the Sale:

1. Have accounts ready on all ticket platforms

2. Payment info saved

3. Know exactly which dates/venues you want

4. Have backup choices

5. Multiple devices ready

During the Sale:

1. Log in 15 minutes early

2. Don't refresh excessively

3. Have presale code copied

4. Be ready to choose alternative seats

5. Complete checkout FAST

Verified Fan Strategies

Increase Your Chances:

• Register immediately when available
• Use a trusted email address
• Don't use VPNs during registration
• Only register once per show
• Check spam for confirmation

If You're Not Selected:

• Wait for general on-sale
• Check for additional presale opportunities
• Monitor for capacity increases
• Prices may not be much higher

Common Presale Mistakes

1. Wrong code - Double-check spelling and caps

2. Wrong date - Make sure code matches the presale window

3. Browser issues - Clear cache or use incognito

4. Slow checkout - Have payment ready

5. Too picky - Sometimes good enough is good enough

When Presales Sell Out

If you miss presale:

General On-Sale:

• Same day (Friday) or next day
• More inventory released
• More competition
• Use the same tips

Resale Market:

• Check immediately after presale
• Prices often near face initially
• Compare across platforms
• Set price alerts

Presale vs General On-Sale

Factor

Presale

General

Competition	Lower	Higher
Seat quality	Better	Variable
Price	Face value	Face + demand
Stress level	Moderate	Higher

Building Your Presale Arsenal

Long-term strategy for concert fans:

1. Email database - Sign up for all artist newsletters you care about

2. Credit cards - Consider cards with entertainment benefits

3. Venue accounts - Join loyalty programs

4. Social follows - Artists announce presales on social

5. Fan communities - Reddit and Discord share codes

Track your favorite artists on Ticket Scan to know the moment tickets go on sale.