How Ticket Presales Work

Looking to get tickets for that show your favorite artist just announced? Presales allow you to grab a ticket to an event before the general sale. You just need to know where to look, how to sign up, and what to do when the presale countdown clock hits zero.

When it comes to buying tickets, presale access can come from different places: An artist, venue, Ticketmaster, Spotify, or even the radio.

So, are all these presales the same? Not quite. Each will have different requirements in order to access them.

Here’s everything you need to know about how to access presales.

What is a presale?

Presales are a way for an artist to give their fans early access to tickets. Before tickets go on sale, artists and their teams decide how many (and which types of) tickets they want to make available for individual sales, the price of the tickets, and when they want the sale(s) to start. As a result, the number and location of tickets available for any given presale will vary.

In many cases, you may see ticket sales listed as either a “presale” or “general onsale.” The artist’s team may arrange these presales as part of loyalty efforts to get tickets directly into the hands of fan club members, or those who signed up in advance. It can also be part of promotional efforts they have with a third party, such as offering tickets to credit card holders. Third-party presales are often coupled with sponsorships of the tour, which the artist team can use to offset the costs of touring and help keep ticket prices lower.

General ticket sales, on the other hand, only require fans to have an account with the ticketing company, and usually begin a day after the conclusion of any presales.

Here are some ways to find out about upcoming presales.

Fan Club Presale

A common perk of being a member of an artist’s mailing list or fan club is presale access. You’ll usually receive details ahead of time about how to access these presales, whether through a code from the artist or by signing up in advance with a service like Seated, Laylo or BandsinTown. These presale codes are managed and delivered by the sale host, not Ticketmaster. Remember that there may be a cost associated with joining an artist’s fan club or community, so be sure to read all the fine print before signing up.

Artist Presale

During an Artist Presale, you can sign up in advance through a dedicated page that allows you to select which presales you’d like to join. When an Artist Presale that requires signup ahead of time is happening on Ticketmaster, there are no codes required. As long as you sign up before the window closes, your account is recognized when you go to join the queue.

Promoter Presale

Promoters such as Live Nation and AEG may also send email alerts about many of their upcoming ticket presales. Make sure you’re signed up to receive email alerts from your local promoters, so you can stay up to date around buying tickets to the events you don’t want to miss.

Sponsor Presale

Companies like American Express, Citi, Capital One, Cash App, Verizon and T-Mobile may offer their customers special presale access as a perk. As a cardmember or subscriber, you can check with each company to find out if they offer any benefits or assistance when purchasing tickets to an event.

You can also connect your Verizon account within your Ticketmaster account to get special access to Verizon tickets.

Ticketmaster Presale

Be sure to sign up to receive emails from Ticketmaster, and add your favorite artists within the app. Once you’ve added your favorites, look out for dedicated emails from us about special presales being hosted ahead of the general sale. You may receive an email with a presale code or password for a specific sale.

Venue Presale

Local venues sometimes also host ticket presales, and will typically announce them via an email newsletter or social media. Make sure you follow your favorite venues on social media and are subscribed to their newsletters.

Spotify Presale

Spotify may select you to receive a unique presale code when you actively listen and follow your favorite artists. Make sure you’re receiving email notifications by reviewing your Spotify account.

Radio Presale

Yep, good ol’ fashioned radio. Listen to your favorite station, follow them on social media, and check out their website for details on signing up and securing passwords for presales.

How to Use a Presale Code on Ticketmaster

To use a presale code, go to the artist or event’s Ticketmaster page, select an event, and look for the Unlock button next to the Filters button. Once you enter your code in the designated field and click Unlock, you’ll be able to view available seats on the map.

For presales that have a queue, you may need to wait in the queue first, then provide the presale code once it’s time to shop.

How do I get a Ticketmaster presale code?

To get a Ticketmaster presale code or password, sign in to your account, add artists to your Favorites, and sign up to receive email notifications. You’ll start receiving emails with a presale code or password for specific sales.

How does Ticketmaster choose who gets a presale code?

For presales where codes or passwords are emailed, you may be chosen based on artists you’ve added to your Favorites, past shopping behavior, or if you’ve expressed interest in a ticket sale before.

For ticket sales where signup is required ahead of time, no codes are distributed — when you go to join the queue, your account is automatically recognized.

For presales that are organized by various parties like artists, venues, and credit card companies, codes are distributed through those channels (and aren’t decided by Ticketmaster).