Your credit card number could get you presale ticket access to concerts, sports games, and more — here’s how

Kevin Kane/Contributor/Getty Images

• Many credit card issuers offer access to presale, preferred seating, and VIP ticket offers.
• American Express, Citi, and Chase cardholders each have their own entertainment programs that provide a wide variety of ticket perks.
• Capital One also offers select presale access, and if you have the Capital One® Savor® Cash Rewards Credit Card, you can get 8% cash back on tickets purchased through Vivid Seats (through May 2020).
• Even if you don’t have any of these types of cards, it’s worth checking with your credit card issuer to see what entertainment benefits may be available to you.
• Read more personal finance coverage

Most people know that they can use credit cards to earn cash back and book free travel. But many credit cards come with extra perks that are lesser known, but still valuable.

There’s a good chance that your credit card can get you access to presale or VIP tickets for big concerts and events. It’s an awesome cardmember bonus that you don’t want to waste.

Let’s take a look at the credit cards that offer presale tickets to cardholders and how you can put this benefit to use.

Keep in mind that we’re focusing on the rewards and perks that make these credit cards great options, not things like interest rates and late fees, which will far outweigh the value of any points or miles. It’s important to practice financial discipline when using credit cards by paying your balances in full each month, making payments on time, and only spending what you can afford to pay back.

American Express cards

With most American Express cards, you’re eligible to buy presale tickets through the American Express Entertainment program.

American Express gives cardmembers presale ticket access to popular music festivals like Coachella and premier sporting events like Wimbledon and the US Open Golf Championship.

American Express

For certain events, your American Express card can also get you in to exclusive meet-and-greets and qualify you for concession offers or dedicated cardmember entrances. And you may be able to take advantage of By Invitation Only events too.

You can find American Express cardmember presale tickets and preferred seating offers in two ways. The first way is to visit Ticketmaster’s American Express Ticket Offers page.

The other way is to book directly through American Express Entertainment. However, you can only use this method if you have a version of the Platinum Card from American Express or the Centurion card.

Chase cards

Your Chase card can’t technically get you access to presale ticket offers, but Chase credit and debit cardmembers are eligible to take advantage of Chase Preferred Seating at events.

And, for select events, Chase may invite everyone who’s purchased a Chase Preferred Seat to enjoy a pre-event reception at a Chase Lounge.

Chase Preferred Seating and Chase Lounges are available at some impressive venues, including Madison Square Garden and Radio Music Hall in New York City, the Chicago Theater, and The Forum in Los Angeles.

Chase

To take advantage of Chase Preferred Seat offers, begin by visiting the Ticketmaster site. Then simply click on an event that you’re interested in attending. Once you’re looking at seating options, navigate to the available filters.

If the event that you’re looking at has Chase Preferred Seating options, you’ll see that as an option. And you can filter by those types of seats.

To buy the tickets, you’ll just need to use one of your Chase cards, like the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card or the Chase Freedom Unlimited, at checkout.

Oh, and once you’re at the event, your Chase card may qualify you for arena benefits like discounts on merchandise and food and beverage. 

Capital One cards

Capital One offers cardholders presale access for select events, including the iHeart Radio Jingle Ball, as well as discounts on food and merchandise at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. 

To access a Capital One presale, you’ll need to use the first 6 digits of your Capital One card as your offer code.

If you have the Capital One Savor card, you can also earn 8% cash back when you purchase tickets through Vivid Seats (through May 2020).

Citi cards

If you have a Citi credit card or debit card, you can access exclusive ticket offers through the Citi Entertainment program. Currently, Citi offers its cardmembers four different types of ticket deals:

Citi Presale Tickets

Citi Preferred Tickets

Citi Complimentary Tickets

Citi VIP Packages

Citi says its presale tickets generally go on sale 2 to 3 days before tickets are available to the public. Citi Complimentary tickets are available on a first-come, first-serve basis and you can only redeem one offer every six months.

To take advantage of one of Citi’s ticket offers, begin by visiting the Citi Entertainment site.

Citi

Once you select an offer, you may be transferred to Ticketmaster.com or LiveNation.com.

If you’re transferred to another site to finish your ticket requests, you’ll generally be asked to provide a passcode at checkout. The passcode is simply the first 6 digits of your Citi credit or debit card.

Other entertainment perks your credit card may unlock

Don’t have a credit card from one of the issuers listed above that offers presale or preferred tickets? Your cards could still offer their own set of entertainment benefits.

For instance, all Mastercard cardholders can buy tickets to various exclusive events from around the world via the Priceless Cities program. So if you have a card like the Citi®/AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ Mastercard® or the Citi® Double Cash Card, you can take advantage of this program.

If you have the NFL Extra Points Credit Card from Barclays, you can redeem points for game tickets, pre-game sideline passes, and even Super Bowl tickets.

No matter which credit card you’re currently using, there’s a good chance that it may offer some entertainment perks.

Check with your card issuer to find out what type of benefits you’re entitled to. And the next time you plan to attend an event, don’t forget to take advantage of them.

Click here to learn more about the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards card.

• More credit card coverage
• What’s the best airline credit card?
• The best cash-back credit cards
• Southwest credit card review
• Best rewards credit cards