Grinding through our day to day routines is much more enjoyable when our calendars are chock-full of events to look forward to and the second half of 2024 is coming in hot with some of the biggest names in music set to take over North American arenas. Billie Eilish, Green Day and Sabrina Carpenter are among the best of the best that will perform in front of sold out crowds. Speaking of selling out, do you have your tickets yet?
From Swifties to Beyonce’s BeyHive, Ed Sheeran’s Sheerios to Adele’s Daydreamers, superfans the world over know first hand the disappointment when Ticketmaster sells out an anticipated show. Occasionally, tickets will sell out before they’re even opened up to the general public. Presale ticket events alone create a frenzy, then even more tickets can be reserved specifically for the record label, opening act or media. By the time you’re ready to log-in for the public ticket sale, your chances of scoring a seat may be slim to none. Chappell Roan’s fans suffered this exact frustration just a few short weeks ago.
It’s still possible to get tickets to sold-out concerts — you’ll just have to look beyond the initial point-of-purchase website. And with fan-to-fan resale options, along with cancellation guarantees, you can rest easy that you won’t get scammed (even though you might pay more than you expected). So what are your options when you can’t count on Ticketmaster? We’ll let you in on the shows we’re excited about and share some tips on how to save money while creating lifelong memories.
Why Do Concert Tickets Sell Out So Quickly?
The simple answer, according to Ticketmaster, is that thousands of fans are trying to buy tickets the second they’re available online. But not everyone would say it’s that simple. A 2022 class-action lawsuit against Ticketmaster, filed by ardent Taylor Swift fans, accused the company of violating California’s Unfair Competition Law, NPR reported at the time. Ticketmaster issued a statement about its website crashing and Swift fans’ disappointment, adding that it was committed to providing a better user experience in the future. Still, fans can expect to see sold-out concerts in the future, especially from big-name artists like Swift.
With that in mind, here are all of the places to check for sold-out concert tour tickets — you just might score those dream seats after all. And to save some dough once you’ve scored the tickets, here’s how to save money at music festivals.
StubHub
How it works and what kind of tickets it offers: StubHub’s resale options are by fans, for fans. And thanks to the site’s Price Alert options, you can get notified when tickets within your budgeted price range go on sale. No more refreshing the site every day, hoping an affordable option will appear.
Safeguards against scammers: StubHub’s FanProtect Guarantee means that every purchase on the site is backed by the company. In the rare event that you buy resale tickets that aren’t valid, you’ll get a full refund through StubHub’s program.
How to score deals: In addition to StubHub’s Price Alert notifications, customers can save money just by being loyal fans of the site. StubHub’s best customers get “loyalty perks,” according to the company, and you may even get lucky enough to score a “surprise seat upgrade.” And if you buy last-minute tickets on StubHub, you could also score a lower price (provided, of course, that tickets are still available). Plus, don’t forget to use RetailMeNot to get cash back on StubHub purchases.
Ticketmaster
How it works and what kind of tickets it offers: Ticketmaster offers fan-to-fan resale of verified tickets, as well as original ticket sales and resale.
One drawback, however, is that tickets relisted by third-party sellers may come at significantly higher costs than the original sale value. If the concert you’re looking at is already sold out, the resale cost could be several times higher than the initial price. For concertgoers on a budget, look for Ticketmaster’s pink “Fan-to-Fan resale” button, which means that resale tickets are listed by “other fans,” rather than third-party sellers.
Safeguards against scammers: Ticketmaster’s third-party ticket sales are final, but the company still has protections in place for buyers. And if the event is canceled, you’ll get a full refund.
However, it’s worth noticing that, per Ticketmaster’s Purchase Policy, the company does “not guarantee the authenticity of tickets purchased from any non-authorized third-party reseller.” Ticketmaster has a blog post about how to avoid common ticketing scams, but in some cases, you may need to file a claim with your credit card issuer, rather than expecting a refund from Ticketmaster itself, per Norton.
How to score deals: If you’re traveling out of town for a concert, Ticketmaster offers hotel bundles with your ticket purchases to save you money on the trip overall. You can even book hotel stays on Ticketmaster if you’ve bought a ticket through another vendor — and you’ll still save up to 43% on your stay.
Aside from hotel discounts, Ticketmaster’s Ticket Deals section makes finding affordable options a breeze. The page offers discounts of up to 50% off, as well as 2-for-1 and 4-pack deals. You can also filter the site’s offerings by “tickets under $40” in the Ticket Deals section to ensure you stick to your budget. And, of course, don’t forget to score cash back at Ticketmaster through RetailMeNot.
Vivid Seats
How it works and what kind of tickets it offers: Vivid Seats offers tickets to concerts, as well as to theater productions and sporting events. The company’s resale tickets are from verified resellers, so you don’t have to worry about getting scammed. (Resellers can, however, still mark up the cost of the tickets.)
Safeguards against scammers: With Vivid Seats’ 100% Buyer Guarantee, you can rest assured that your tickets will be valid or you’ll get your money back. The company also works exclusively with vetted resellers, so you can shop with confidence and peace of mind. And, of course, you’ll be refunded if the event is canceled.
How to score deals: While Vivid Seats doesn’t have a sale section on its website, the company does promise to “accommodate virtually any budget.” The site also has a rewards program — once you’ve bought 10 concert tickets, the 11th one will be free. Fine print: The free ticket is actually a credit worth the average price of your previous 10 tickets. There are also “surprise seat upgrades” and birthday rewards for members. Plus, you can earn cash back at Vivid Seats through RetailMeNot.
SeatGeek
How it works and what kind of tickets it offers: While SeatGeek is more commonly known for offering tickets to live sporting events, the site offers concert ticket resale options, too. You can browse events by music genre or by concert location, and you can even pay with Affirm at checkout.
Safeguards against scammers: SeatGeek’s Buyer Guarantee lets fans shop with confidence. All ticket listings are from licensed sellers, the box office directly or other fans. And if your tickets aren’t valid or aren’t delivered on time (aka, you get scammed), the Buyer Guarantee will get you a full refund. Likewise, you’ll be refunded if the event is canceled.
How to score deals: With SeatGeek’s “Deal Score” offering, you can see whether or not a listed ticket resale price is actually a good value for the money. Of course, a “good deal” is subjective when it comes to seeing your favorite artists live. But the Deal Score can give you a better idea of whether or not it’s a good time to buy tickets, or if you should wait for a potential better price. You can also score $10 off a $250 purchase and cash back at SeatGeek with RetailMeNot.
Which Concerts & Tours We’re Most Excited About
Green Day – The Saviors Tour
See them perform both best-selling albums, Dookie and American Idiot, in their entirety across the U.S. this year. There are resale tickets available at Chicago’s iconic Wrigley Field with prime club box viewing for $365 on Ticketmaster. In comparison, Vivid Seats has tickets in the same section up to an even $300.
Taylor Swift – The Eras Tour
With just 9 more shows remaining in the U.S., it’s no surprise that you won’t find any tickets available on Ticketmaster. StubHub has seats for Miami dates starting at $2000 while her New Orleans shows start around $1800. SeatGeek has Miami shows for slightly less but if you can make it to Toronto, those start just under $1600.
Billy Joel
He will be touring with “one night only” stops in just 5 select U.S cities. Ticketmaster has verified resale tickets available from $116 if you want to see him with Rod Stewart in Cleveland Ohio. Prefer to see him on-stage with Sting instead? Head to SeatGeek for San Antonio tickets in the $40 price range.
Billie Eilish – Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour
The Oscar winning singer will perform 31 shows from coast to coast this fall. On Ticketmaster, Billie Eilish has opted to use Face Value Exchange where you can only resell your ticket at the original face value. That being said, sadly there are not any tickets currently available for sale on Ticketmaster. If you’re up for Minnesota in the winter though, SeatGeek has tickets starting at $100.
Kacey Musgraves – Deeper Well World Tour
Step off of the casino floor and onto the T-Mobile Arena floor in Las Vegas when you purchase floor general admission tickets on Ticketmaster for $175. Vivid Seats has different standing room only options for the same show (much further away from the stage) priced at $45.
PINK – Summer Carnival 2024 Tour
Starting in early August, PINK will perform 32 shows in 28 cities across the United States. Prices are averaging $135 in Detroit on both Ticketmaster and StubHub. Normally tickets would be pricier for California venues but checkout Vivid Seats for the San Diego show. Upper outfield tickets are on sale for just $27 right now.
Olivia Rodrigo – GUTS World Tour
With only ten shows to go on the U.S leg of her tour, Olivia is slated to play four nights at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California. There are no tickets to be found on Ticketmaster for any of those performances. You can find some available on SeatGeek and StubHub, starting around $400.
Post Malone – F-1 Trillion Tour
Posty will be playing 26 shows throughout September and October with many of those stops being smaller venues along the East Coast. Lawn tickets are available on Ticketmaster for the Charlotte, North Carolina show for $130. Prices are exactly the same on StubHub for lawn tickets in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
Sabrina Carpenter – Short N’ Sweet Tour
The singer-songwriter’s upcoming tour to stage support for her new album will kick off in September at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. Verified resale tickets for opening night can be purchased on Ticketmaster starting at $320. Unfortunately, those seats offer a limited view. Get a better view with club level tickets for the same night on Vivid Seats for about double that.
Jelly Roll – Beautifully Broken Tour
Considering his rise to stardom, Jelly Roll has recently extended his 2024 tour through November. Surprisingly, regular admission tickets to attend one of the newly announced shows in Austin, Texas are available for $69 on Ticketmaster. Or, snag tickets to the Houston show a few days earlier on StubHub for just $50.
How to Save on Concert Tickets
While it’s fun to fill up your calendar, it’s smart to save while doing it. The rising costs of concert tickets on resale sites might leave you wondering if there are even ways to save on this type of entertainment. Good news, there are endless ways to save money when you check RetailMeNot for a coupon code and the following sites are no exception.
There are also opportunities to earn cash back for your purchases at these same resale sites by checking our cash back offers frequently. And by frequently, we mean stalking is acceptable in this instance. When you discover a percentage back you’ll know it’s the right time to buy. One time there was a 20% cash back offer for StubHub! With cash back at that rate, you could even splurge on new concert attire.
If you haven’t already, now is the time to become a RetailMeNot member to maximize your savings on ticket purchases and more. Simply create a RetailMeNot account and connect your Paypal or Venmo account. Then be sure to log in when you shop to take advantage of deal stacking benefits only available to our members.
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