Ticket Tips: Presale Codes

Itching to get tickets for that just-announced show from everyone’s favorite artist? Presales allow you to nab a seat to an event before the general public onsale. You just need to know where to look, how to sign up, and what to do when the presale countdown clock hits zero.

Presale access can come from different places: an artist, venue, event organizer, Ticketmaster, or even the radio. So, are all these presales the same? Not quite. Each will offer a different code and possibly different perks.

Here’s everything you need to know about presales and how to determine the best way to get a code to score tickets to an event you can’t wait to see.

What is a presale?

Presales are a way for an artist’s biggest fans to get early access to tickets. Before tickets go on sale, event organizers tell us how many tickets they want to make available, the price of the ticket, and when they want the sale, or sales, to start.

In many cases, you may see ticket sales listed as either a “presale” or “general public onsale.” Event organizers may arrange these early presales as part of promotional efforts they have with a third party, such as offering tickets to certain credit cardholders in exchange for the credit card company promoting the event to its customers, or as part of fan loyalty efforts to get tickets directly into the hands of their best fans who are members of a fan club or who pre-registered. General public onsales, on the other hand, are open to all fans and typically begin a day after the conclusion of any presales. 

Here are some of the ways you can find out about upcoming presales:

Ticketmaster Presales

Check that you’re signed up to receive special email offers from Ticketmaster. Then, for a customized experience, make sure you “favorite” all the artists, teams, and venues you love. That way we’ll know to send you notifications when any of them have presales. You can find your Favorites in My Account.

Artist or Team Presales

A common perk of being a member of an artist’s mailing list or fan club is presale access. You’ll usually receive a fan club presale code from the artist when the event has a presale. 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. 

For sports, visit your favorite team’s website for information on how to join their email list to get notified about special presales.

Event Organizer Presales

Event organizers such as Live Nation and AEG may also send email alerts about many of their upcoming presales. Make sure you’re signed up to receive email alerts from your local promoters to stay up to date on the events you care about.

Credit Cards

Credit card companies like American Express, Citi and others may offer their cardholders special presale access as a perk for being a loyal cardmember. Check with your credit card company to find out if they offer any benefits or assistance when purchasing tickets to an event.

Venues

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

Radio

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