How to prepare for presale Ticketmaster?

Getting tickets to popular concerts and events through Ticketmaster can be incredibly competitive. That’s because there are often far more fans hoping to attend an event than there are tickets available. One way to improve your chances of scoring tickets is to take advantage of presales.

What are Ticketmaster presales?

Presales provide access to tickets before the general public on-sale date. Presales are typically available to certain groups, like fans who have signed up for an artist’s email list or who have a Citi card. This gives presale participants a head start on securing tickets before the general public has access.

There are a few key types of Ticketmaster presales:

• Artist presales – for fans signed up to an artist’s email list or fan club
• Venue presales – for members of a venue’s email list or loyalty program
• Promoter presales – for members of a concert promoter’s email list
• Spotify presales – for Spotify users who listen to an artist regularly
• Radio presales – for listeners of certain radio stations
• VIP packages – bundles with perks like meet and greets
• Chase cardholder presale – for Chase credit card holders
• Citi cardholder presale – for Citi credit card holders
• Live Nation Mobile App presale – for users of the Live Nation app

As you can see, there are lots of different presales happening for any given event. The key is finding out which presales you’re eligible for and signing up ahead of time.

Why use Ticketmaster presales?

There are a few big advantages to using presales:

• Earlier access to tickets – Presales allow you to purchase tickets before they are available to the general public. This increases your chances of getting tickets before they sell out.
• Less competition – There are typically fewer people vying for tickets during presales compared to public on-sales. Fewer fans means less competition.
• First pick of seats – By accessing tickets early, you can select seats before others get the chance to snag them.
• Special perks – Some presales come with perks like pre-show parties or exclusive merchandise.

The bottom line is that presales give you a major advantage over the average fan trying to get tickets. You have first dibs on seats before the masses flood Ticketmaster all at once.

How do Ticketmaster presales work?

Presales have a specific start date and time, just like the general public on-sale. However, you can only access presales if you have the required passcode or link. These codes are typically only sent to members of a specific group like an artist’s fan club.

Here is the basic process for accessing a Ticketmaster presale:

1. Join relevant presale groups and lists well in advance to get codes
2. Look for presale announcements on band websites, social media, email
3. Follow the instructions provided to access the presale
4. Enter the unique code when prompted on Ticketmaster
5. Search for your tickets like normal while logged into your Ticketmaster account
6. Checkout fast as tickets sell out quickly

You usually need to have a Ticketmaster account already set up to participate. Be sure you’re logged in and ready to go before the presale starts. Have payment details saved and be prepared to move fast.

How can I access Ticketmaster presales?

Here are some tips for getting access to various Ticketmaster presales:

Artist and Venue Presales

• Join an artist’s official fan club or mailing list on their website
• Follow artists, venues, promoters on social media
• Look for presale codes on an artist’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram accounts
• Join venue email lists for presale ticket access
• Check fan forums like Reddit for presale info
• Sign up for Live Nation’s Artist Access email newsletter

Citi Cardholder Presale

• Have an eligible Citi credit card like Citi Prestige or Citi Platinum
• Check the Citi Entertainment site and look under presales
• Citi emails cardholders eligible presale codes if you don’t see it

Chase Cardholder Presale

• Have a Chase credit card like Chase Sapphire or Chase Freedom
• Check Chase emails and account for presale code offers
• Codes may also be found at www.ChaseCardAccess.com

Spotify Presale

• Stream an artist regularly on Spotify to get access
• Check Spotify emails leading up to on-sale dates
• Eligible users will be emailed a code to unlock presale

The key is getting on as many relevant presale lists as possible in advance. Having access to multiple presales for one event gives you extra chances at tickets.

When do Ticketmaster presales happen?

Presales typically occur 1-7 days before the public on-sale date. Each presale has its own start time, they are not all at once.

Here is the usual presale timeline:

• Artist Presale – 7 days before on-sale
• VIP Presales – 5-7 days before on-sale
• Venue Presale – 5 days before
• Chase Presale – 2 days before
• Citi Presale – 1 day before
• Spotify Presale – 1 day before
• Radio Presale – 1 day before
• General Public On-sale – 0 days left

Presale start times are typically 10am local venue time. However, the on-sale time can vary between 10am, 12pm or rarely 2pm local time.

Study the on-sale and presale dates carefully for your event. Have all the presale dates entered in your calendar or set reminders on your phone.

How can I get presale codes for Ticketmaster?

Here are some tips for getting presale codes:

• Join artist fan clubs and mailing lists – codes are often sent to members first
• Follow bands, venues, promoters on social media
• Check Facebook groups and Reddit threads for presale info
• Look for presale announcements on artist and venue websites
• Sign up for Live Nation’s Artist Access newsletter
• Get a Citi card and use their presale codes
• Get a Chase card and use their presale codes
• Listen to Spotify frequently to get presale offers
• Join venue and radio station newsletters

Also, pay attention to any VIP ticket bundle packages. They often come with presale access. Just be sure to factor in the extra costs when budgeting.

What tips help get tickets in Presale?

Here are some handy tips to improve your chances of scoring presale tickets:

• Set up accounts in advance – Have Ticketmaster, fan club, and credit card accounts ready to go.
• Save payment details – Entering payment info wastes valuable time. Save it ahead.
• Be logged in early – Log into Ticketmaster at least 30 mins before the presale.
• Join waiting rooms early – For major events, join the waiting room as early as possible.
• Watch for queues – If you see more than a 15 min wait time, try other presales.
• Have codes ready – Copy codes into a notepad you can quickly access during checkout.
• Try alternate presales – Don’t waste time if one presale isn’t working. Move to the next.
• Search for single seats – Look for single seats instead of groups if things are selling out.
• Refresh often – Keep refreshing your search if tickets aren’t shown right away.

You have to be strategic. Have backup plans in place in case your first choice doesn’t work out. Persistence and preparation are key.

What’s the best way to buy presale tickets?

Here is a game plan for the best shot at buying presale tickets:

1. Research on-sale details – Look for presale and on-sale dates. Note all relevant times.
2. Join presale groups – Sign up for as many as you can such as fan clubs and credit card presales.
3. Set reminders – Use phone alarms for presale start times.
4. Prepare accounts – Have Ticketmaster account, fan club logins, and payment details ready.
5. Save event in Ticketmaster – Use the ‘Save Event’ option for easy access.
6. Log in early – Sign into Ticketmaster at least 30 minutes before presales start.
7. Look for waiting rooms – Join waiting rooms as early as possible if available.
8. Have backup devices – Use laptops, phones, tablets to maximize chances.
9. Keep trying – Persist through glitches and waiting queues.
10. Search single seats – Single seats often pop up after initial sellouts.

Preparation is vital for presale success. Do your homework and set up your plan of attack. Think through challenges like long waiting times and errors so you can power through. With persistence and dedication, you can absolutely score presale tickets.

What are some presale ticket buying tools?

Along with preparation, some key tools can further help improve your presale experience:

• Ticketmaster App – Mobile apps sometimes work better than desktop sites when traffic is high.
• Google Chrome – Chrome has features like autofill to expedite checkout.
• Ticketmaster Tips Twitter – Follow @TMHelp for real-time updates on high-traffic events.
• TM+ Auto-Refresh – Browser extensions that auto-refresh Ticketmaster searches.
• Password manager – Faster checkout by autofilling passwords and payment info.
• Multiple devices – Run simultaneous searches on multiple computers and phones.
• Fan Support on Twitter – Artists and teams often tweet real-time support.
• Notifications on – Enable notifications for fan clubs and venue pages.

Having the right tools in your toolbox can make a big difference during hectic presales. Install extensions ahead of time and get familiar with the options.

What are some common presale ticket mistakes?

It’s easy to make some mistakes when trying to buy presale tickets. Be aware of these pitfalls:

• Not signing up for presales more than 24 hours in advance
• Assuming all presales start at the same time
• Not thoroughly researching all on-sale and presale details
• Not having payment details saved in advance
• Getting distracted trying to find perfect seats first
• Spending too much time stuck in one waiting room
• Searching for groups of seats when many are already taken
• Getting impatient and giving up too early
• Failing to prepare backup plans and devices
• Not utilizing fan support resources on social media

It’s an easy process to botch when you’re feeling rushed and stressed in the moment. That’s why it’s so important to develop a plan well ahead of time. Think through what could go wrong so you can have solutions ready.

What are some tips for buying tickets during the general public on-sale?

If you aren’t able to score tickets during presales, all hope is not lost. Here are tips for the public on-sale:

• Get in queues or waiting rooms at least 1 hour early
• Use Ticketmaster’s Verified Fan program for popular events
• Save the event in Ticketmaster to quickly access
• Have accounts, payment details, fan codes ready to copy-paste
• Try Best Available seating to skip seat picking time
• Refresh constantly as seats are held then get released
• Search single seats instead of groups that may be gone
• Use Ticketmaster ticket alerts to get notified of new seats
• Check Ticketmaster daily as more tickets often get released over time

Public on-sales are frustratingly competitive. But preparation, persistence and patience can pay off in scoring those coveted tickets at the last minute.

Conclusion

Ticketmaster presales give you the best shot at getting tickets to the most popular live events. But you have to put in some time preparing to take full advantage. Join relevant presales lists, save your payment info, and get login details ready ahead of time. Have a game plan to power through challenges like long wait times. With preparation and persistence, you can beat the competition to score presale tickets.