What is front of the line by American Express Ticketmaster?

Front of the line access is a benefit offered by Ticketmaster to American Express cardmembers that allows them to get earlier access to tickets for concerts, sports events, and more. This perk can help cardmembers secure seats to popular events before the general public has a chance to buy tickets.

How does front of the line work?

Here’s an overview of how front of the line access works for American Express cardmembers who want to purchase tickets on Ticketmaster:

• Eligible cardmembers receive a presale code and presale window timing via email from Ticketmaster before a presale begins.
• During the presale window, cardmembers can use their presale code to access tickets and make purchases before the general public.
• Presales typically begin 1-7 days before the general public on-sale date.
• Cardmembers can get earlier access to tickets for concerts, sports events, theater shows, and more.
• Front of the line typically offers access to some of the best seats at an event.

So in summary, American Express sends cardmembers presale codes and details on timing, which grants them early entry to buy tickets before non-cardmembers can. This helps them score seats before inventory sells out.

What American Express cards offer front of the line access?

Here are the American Express cards that include front of the line presale ticket access as a standard benefit:

• The Platinum Card® from American Express
• American Express® Gold Card
• American Express® Green Card
• American Express® Corporate Green Card
• American Express® Corporate Platinum Card
• Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

As you can see, front of the line access comes with American Express’ premium consumer and business cards. It’s not offered for all of their cards, so double check when applying or speak to a representative.

What types of events does front of the line work for?

American Express front of the line presales provide early access to purchase tickets for the following types of events booked through Ticketmaster:

• Concerts – Rock, pop, hip hop, country, jazz, and more
• Sports – Baseball, football, basketball, hockey, soccer, UFC, WWE, and more
• Theater – Broadway, comedy shows, Cirque du Soleil, and more
• Arts & Entertainment – Festivals, museums, theme parks, zoos, and more
• Family Events – Disney on Ice, monster trucks, family shows

The great thing is that front of the line access applies to a wide variety of events. As long as the tickets are sold through Ticketmaster, cardmembers can typically get earlier presale access.

How often are presales available?

Presale frequency and timing varies depending on the event. Here are some estimated guidelines:

• Major concerts – 1-3 presales in the 1-2 weeks leading up to public on-sale
• Sports seasons – Multiple presales throughout a season for individual games
• Broadway shows – 1-2 presales before on-sale dates for new show blocks
• Arts/entertainment events – 1-3 presales per event if demand is high

Typically the bigger the event, the more presale dates will be offered to manage demand. Cardmembers may get access to an exclusive AmEx presale, newsletter presale, artist presale, and more.

What is the typical presale window?

Here are the most common presale window options:

• 24 hours – Gives cardmembers an exclusive 1 day advance window
• 12 hours – Gives a half day to purchase presale tickets
• 6-8 hours – A shorter presale of under a work day
• 2-4 hours – A very limited presale of just a few hours

The duration will depend on the predicted demand. Really popular events may have shorter windows to create urgency. Less popular events may have longer presales.

How are presale codes obtained?

There are two main ways cardmembers can get American Express presale codes for Ticketmaster events:

1. Email – Ticketmaster will email eligible cardmembers before a presale with code and timing details
2. Online Account – Codes can also be accessed by logging into a Ticketmaster account and viewing the presales section

The email method allows AmEx to target communications. But members can also self-serve access codes if they don’t receive an email by checking their Ticketmaster account.

Does front of the line provide better seats?

Accessing Ticketmaster presales through front of the line can help cardmembers obtain better event seats. Here are some examples:

• Concerts – Floor seats, lower bowl, closer to stage
• Sports – Lower level, closer to field, between goals/baskets
• Theater – Orchestra, front mezzanine, center orchestra
• Family shows – Floor seats, lower bowl seats, center/front rows

With less competition from the general public, presales provide the opportunity to purchase seats in more desirable sections and locations.

Does it work for popular events?

Front of the line access works for both popular and less popular events. However, it is most valuable for high demand situations when tickets sell out quickly. Here are some examples of popular events that often offer presales:

• Major concert tours – Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Harry Styles
• Professional sports playoffs and finals – Super Bowl, Stanley Cup Finals, NBA Playoffs
• Broadway blockbusters – Hamilton, Wicked, The Lion King
• Theme park events – Disney World 50th Anniversary, Food and Wine Festivals

The advantage is more significant for hot events when regular tickets may sell out in minutes or hours. Presales give cardmembers a shot at securing seats before that happens.

What are the limitations?

While front of the line presale access is a valuable perk, there are some limitations to be aware of:

• High demand still exists during presales that may limit inventory
• Only a portion of seats are available during presales
• Specific seat locations cannot be guaranteed
• Presales are not offered for every event, concert, or show
• Promoter and artist fan club presales may occur before AmEx presales

So while presales provide an advantage, popular tickets can still sell out before cardmembers purchase. It’s not an absolute guarantee you’ll get seats.

Tips and strategies

Here are some tips to maximize your chance of success using American Express front of the line presales on Ticketmaster:

1. Log in right when the presale starts to avoid missing out on inventory
2. Be flexible about seat location – Take what’s available if your goal is just to get tickets
3. Check Ticketmaster regularly – Presales are not always emailed in advance
4. Use Ticketmaster’s interactive seat maps – Visually pick seats instead of best available
5. Coordinate with friends – Sit together by buying all tickets in a single purchase
6. Plan ahead – Purchase well in advance of events instead of waiting

Following these tips can help cardmembers have a smooth experience and successfully purchase seats.

Front of the line overview

In summary, here is an overview of the front of the line benefit for American Express cardmembers:

• Early presale ticket access before general public
• Available for concerts, sports, theater, arts, family events
• Presale codes provided via email or online account
• Typically 1-7 days before public on-sale
• Offers chance for better seat locations
• Valuable for high demand, sellout events
• Limitations exist based on presale inventory

This presale ticketing perk can be extremely valuable for both popular and niche events when planning ahead and buying tickets early.

Conclusion

Front of the line access provides a way for American Express cardmembers to improve their ticket buying experience by accessing presales. While not a guarantee, it gives them an advantage over the general public in securing better seats. This perk enhances high value cards like the Platinum and Gold cards. However, presales are not offered for all events, so cardmembers need to strategically take advantage of the benefit when available to get the most out of it.