How to get presale codes

The short answer

Never pay a third party for a presale code. Codes are given out by whoever runs the presale: the artist, the venue, the tour promoter, a credit card issuer or a radio station.

Each source announces its own code through its own channel, usually a day or two before the window opens. Getting codes is a matter of being on those lists before the tour is announced, not of hunting for a code on the day.

Where each type of code comes from

There is no single place to get presale codes because there is no single presale. A big tour runs several windows in a row, and each has its own source.

• Artist presale. Join the artist's mailing list or official fan club. The code arrives by email, often the morning of the presale. Some artists require a paid fan club membership for the earliest window and use the mailing list for a later one.
• Venue presale. Subscribe to the venue's newsletter. Venues send their code to subscribers for many of the shows they host.
• Promoter presale. The company producing the tour usually runs a window of its own. The code is posted on the event page in its app or website when the window opens, or sent to account holders by email.
• Card presale. Some credit card issuers, such as American Express and Citi, run cardholder presales. There is often no code to enter. You unlock the window by paying with the card, or the code is the first digits of your card number.
• Radio presale. Local stations announce a code on air or on their website, typically for shows they are sponsoring.
• Ticket seller account presale. The primary ticket seller sometimes runs a window for its own registered users. Following the artist inside your account is usually what triggers the email.

How to line codes up before a tour is announced

Many codes go to lists that already exist when the tour is announced, so most of the work is done ahead of time.

1. Subscribe to the newsletters of the two or three venues you go to most.

2. Join the mailing list of every artist you would pay to see. Do this now, not when the tour drops.

3. Check whether your credit card runs entertainment presales and register the card with your ticket seller account.

4. Follow the artist and the venue on social media. Codes for smaller shows are often posted there first.

5. On announcement day, read the artist's post. It normally lists every presale window, its date and time, and where its code comes from.

Where not to get codes

Do not pay for a presale code. Sites and accounts that sell codes are reselling something that was distributed free, and the code may already have been used, may be for the wrong window, or may not exist. A code that costs money is a warning sign, not a shortcut.

Do not enter codes from unrelated shows. Some promoters reuse a generic code across many events, and fans share these on forums. They sometimes work, but they only unlock the promoter's window, which is usually the last and most picked-over presale.

What to do when the code does not work

• Check the window and the spelling. Enter the code exactly as it was given, because some codes are case-sensitive. A code is only valid between the published start and end times, in the venue's local time zone.
• Check the ticket type. Some codes unlock only specific sections or ticket tiers, and the event page will say which.
• Check the source. An artist code will not work in the venue presale window, and a venue code will not work for the artist presale.
• Check for spaces. Copied codes often carry a trailing space that the form rejects.

Are presale tickets worth the effort?

Presale tickets cost the same face value as general sale tickets. What the code buys is earlier access and a better choice of seats. For a show that will sell out, that access is the difference between the section you want and the upper level. For a show that will not sell out, the same seats will be there in the general sale at the same price.

Frequently asked questions

Are presale codes free?

The code itself is never sold by whoever runs the presale. Some artists limit their earliest presale to paid fan club members, so membership can cost money, but nobody legitimate sells a code on its own.

How early do I need to sign up to get a code?

As early as you can. Mailing-list codes go to people who are already subscribed. Artist presales that need registration close at a stated deadline, often a day or more before the presale opens, and you cannot join after that.

Can one code be used more than once?

It depends on the code. A shared code works for everyone in that presale, up to the ticket limit per account. A unique code sent to you works once, for your account.

Do I need a code for every presale?

No. Card presales and ticket seller account presales often unlock automatically when you are signed in or paying with the right card.