what are presale tickets
Presale tickets are early-access tickets released to a limited group of people before the general public ticket sale opens.
What are presale tickets?
Presale tickets are tickets made available during a special early window to select groups such as fan-club members, past attendees, credit card holders, or email subscribers. They usually require a code or special link to access, and only a portion of the total tickets are offered in this phase.
Key idea: Presale = early access for a select group, not for everyone at once.
How presale tickets work (step by step)
- The organizer or ticketing platform sets:
- A presale time window
- Who is eligible (fan club, cardholders, newsletter, etc.)
- How many tickets will be released in presale.
- Eligible fans receive:
- A presale link or unique code, usually by email, fan-club message, or card-provider promo.
- When the presale opens:
- You enter the code on the ticket site, or access via a special link, then choose your seats and pay like normal.
- After the presale:
- Remaining tickets go on “general sale,” which is when anyone from the public can buy them, often without a code.
Why presales exist (for fans and organizers)
For fans:
- Early chance to secure tickets for high-demand events.
- Sometimes access to better seats, VIP bundles, or exclusive perks/merch.
- Feels like a reward for being loyal (fan club member, past buyer, etc.).
For organizers/artists:
- Gauges demand before the general sale, helping them tweak marketing and pricing.
- Rewards their strongest supporters or partners (fan clubs, sponsors, card brands).
- Builds buzz and momentum—“presale starts Thursday, general sale Friday,” and so on.
Presale vs general sale (at a glance)
| Aspect | Presale tickets | General sale tickets |
|---|---|---|
| Who can buy | Limited, eligible groups (fan clubs, cardholders, subscribers) | Anyone from the general public |
| Timing | Earlier window, before public sales start | Main public on-sale date and time |
| Access | Often requires code or special link | Usually no code needed |
| Ticket quantity | Limited portion of total inventory | Remaining tickets after presales |
| Perks | Sometimes discounts, VIP, early seating | Standard tickets, sometimes dynamic pricing |
Are presale tickets cheaper or better?
- Presale tickets are not automatically cheaper. Sometimes they’re discounted to reward loyal fans, other times they’re the same price, and VIP-style presales can even cost more because of add-ons.
- “Better” can mean:
- Better seat location, if those are included in the presale inventory.
- Extra perks: early entry, signed merch, meet-and-greet, etc.
- Seat quality varies because organizers choose how many and which seats they allocate to each presale.
Common presale types you’ll see
- Artist/Fan-club presale: Reward for joining an artist’s fan community; often the first presale to open.
- Venue or promoter presale: For people on a venue’s mailing list or local promoter’s list.
- Credit card presale (e.g., certain banks): For cardholders of a sponsoring bank or card brand; you might need to pay with that card.
- Sponsor/member presale: For members of a sponsor organization, club, or loyalty program.
Each one may have its own code, time window, and ticket allocation.
Important realities and myths
- “Presale guarantees a ticket” – False. Tickets can sell out quickly even in presale, especially for small or high-demand shows.
- “Presales are unfair to the public” – Platforms argue that they reward engagement (fan clubs, loyalty) rather than random access.
- “Presales are complicated to set up” – For organizers, modern ticketing tools make it mostly about picking dates, quantities, and codes.
From a concert-goer on a popular forum:
“Presales let certain fans buy tickets a little earlier… usually only a small portion of the total ticket stock is released during a presale, with the rest becoming available later for the general public.”
Quick tips if you want presale tickets
- Join fan clubs or official newsletters for your favorite artists and venues.
- Watch bank and credit-card promos that advertise presale access.
- When you receive a presale code:
- Copy-paste it exactly as written (case and spelling matter).
* Be online a few minutes before the presale start time.
* Have your payment details ready to move fast.
TL;DR
Presale tickets are early-access tickets released to select groups (fan clubs, cardholders, subscribers, etc.) before the general public sale. They may include perks or limited discounts, but they do not guarantee you a ticket, and prices are not always cheaper than general sale.
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.
