The Ultimate Presale Ticket Guide by Seat Insiders

Every day, clients ask us: “How do you lock in seats to the biggest tours and hottest events before anyone else?” The reality is, it takes insider knowledge, preparation, and years of experience navigating presales. Below, we’ve outlined the strategies the pros use to get ahead—but if you’d rather skip the stress and guarantee access to inventory, become a client today and let our team secure the tickets for you.

Credit Card Presales

Many credit cards unlock presale access as a built-in perk, with American Express, Citi, Chase, and Capital One leading the way. Simply holding an eligible card can open the door to thousands of presales each year—sometimes across concerts, festivals, theater, and even sporting events. Of these, American Express and Citi stand out. They consistently sponsor the widest range of presales through major platforms like Ticketmaster, AXS, and others, often giving cardholders first access even before artist or promoter presales. Below are the pre-sale codes for American Express, Citi, Chase, and Capital One.

American Express

• Presale Code: The customer service phone number on the back of your Amex card. 800-327-2177 or 800-297-3333

• Program Names: American Express® Front of the Line, Preferred Seating.

Citi

• Presale Code: The first six digits of your Citi card. 412800

• Program Names: Citi® Cardmember Presale

Chase

• Presale Code: No password required for Chase Cardmember presale but you must check out with a Chase card to be eligible.

• Program Names: Chase® Cardholder Preferred

Capital One

• Presale Code: The first six digits of your Capital One card. 414709

• Program Names: “Capital One® Exclusive Seats

Fan Club/Artist Presales

Connecting directly with the artist remains one of the most reliable ways to access presale tickets. Most artists announce upcoming tours through their official mailing lists, often providing subscribers with a unique presale code before tickets are released to the general public. These early notifications can make the difference between snagging your preferred seats or missing out entirely.

In addition to email lists, many artists offer fan clubs, which may be free or paid. Fan club membership can include:

• Early access windows to presales, often before any other channel opens.

• Premium seating options, including front sections or VIP areas.

• Special packages such as meet-and-greets, exclusive merchandise bundles, or bundled experiences.

Because these presales are designed to reward loyal fans, the inventory is typically higher quality and more plentiful than what’s available during general sales. To ensure you don’t miss a presale:

• Add the artist’s email to your safe sender list.

• Enable notifications for that email address, as codes can sometimes arrive with very little notice.

• Confirm your subscription promptly after signing up to guarantee access.

Pro Tip: Signing up is simple—visit the artist’s official website, look for a “Join the Mailing List” or “Fan Club” section, and complete the registration. Treat it like a golden ticket: a few minutes of setup now could save hours of stress later.

Venue or Promoter Presales

Venues and promoters are some of the most reliable—and often overlooked—sources for presale tickets. Almost every arena, theater, or concert hall maintains its own mailing list, and subscribers are frequently rewarded with early announcements and exclusive presale codes. These codes are typically reserved for loyal fans or local subscribers, giving you access before the general public.

Major promoters like Live Nation and AEG take this a step further, running presales that cover multiple cities and tours, sometimes offering hundreds or even thousands of tickets before general sales begin. These presale notifications generally arrive via email a day or two in advance, so it’s crucial to monitor your inbox and add the sender to your safe list to avoid missing the alert.

Beyond presales, subscribing to venue newsletters can provide additional benefits:

• Early alerts for special events, limited-capacity shows, and VIP packages.

• Schedule updates for canceled, rescheduled, or relocated events.

• Exclusive bundled offers like ticket + merchandise or fan experiences that never reach the general public.

For frequent concert-goers, signing up for newsletters from multiple venues in your city can be just as valuable as joining an artist’s fan club—sometimes even more so, because it gives you access to all shows in the area, not just your favorite artist’s tour.

Pro Tip: Sign up for local venue newsletters and major promoters like Live Nation and AEG to maximize your presale opportunities and stay ahead of the crowd.