With artists such as Ariana Grande, Bruno Mars and Tame Impala announcing their tour dates for this year, 2026 seems like it’ll be the year for concerts. Many fans have been eager to get tickets for these tours; however, the process of buying tickets is more complicated than ever before. With concerts being in higher demand, getting tickets seems unlikely. But I’m here to tell you it’s not impossible. Here are some important steps to ensure your ticket-buying process goes smoothly.Â
1. Sign up for pre-sales.
When your favorite artist announces they will have a pre-sale for their tour, make sure you sign up for it! A pre-sale allows fans to have access to buying tickets before general sales, usually with a code. There isn’t necessarily a “first come first serve” method when signing up early for pre-sales either, so even if you feel like you’re signing up later than everyone else, you should still do it! For all my concerts, I make sure to sign up for the artist’s pre-sale because most of the time, they’re completely free! Compared to the general sale, you will most likely have a better chance of getting tickets during the pre-sale, and sometimes at a lower price too, because you’re buying directly, not through a reseller.Â
2. Make a plan with friends and family.
As the pre-sale date gets closer, ask around to see if anyone else can queue for a ticket with you. Tell them to sign up for the pre-sale as well to increase your odds of obtaining a ticket. Ticketmaster doesn’t allow multiple devices within one account, so it’s smart to have friends or family members with their accounts also sign up.Â
3. Know the venue.
Make sure you give the venue a look and see what seats you want to aim for. If they are out of the price range, have backup seats that you wouldn’t mind getting as well. During the pre-sale for Ariana Grande, my cousins and I all signed up for the pre-sale, giving us a better chance of getting into the sale. I was the lucky one, and I was able to get onto the seat selection with no problems and secure tickets for everyone. More people equals better chances, so don’t hesitate to ask anyone you can. Make a plan for the budget and how much everyone is willing to spend. One thing about Ticketmaster is that it gives you only a certain amount of time to purchase tickets once you have them in the cart, so confirm with your fellow attendees that those are the seats you want and have your payment set up beforehand.Â
4. Join and don’t refresh.
The day of the pre-sale, make sure you have your code copied and ready to go. 30 minutes before the pre-sale begins, the waiting room opens. Join the waiting room early, because joining early means a better queue number. Once the pre-sale begins, it might take a while for your screen to load, but whatever you do, do not refresh it on your own. The site will refresh itself, and if you do make the mistake of refreshing manually, you will lose your spot in the queue and go all the way back, something you don’t want to risk. Once you’re in the queue, you just have to wait until it’s your turn. Hopefully you’ll get a good queue number, but other times it may be bigger. Even if your number seems high, don’t lose hope, there’s still a chance you’ll get tickets.
5. Don’t take long to choose seats.
Once you can get the tickets, it doesn’t take a long time. You may watch seats disappear before your eyes, but don’t get discouraged! The faster you can click on the seat, the better. Even if the seat you wanted isn’t available anymore, there can still be seats in the surrounding section, so make sure you click on the amount you want and fast. Once you do, it will take you to the checkout area, and you will have 7 minutes to make the purchase.
6. Don’t get discouraged.
If you weren’t able to get tickets, don’t feel discouraged. Limited tickets are available for the pre-sale, so many people still get tickets from the general sale. With the general sale, there is no code, and it is far more competitive, so follow my rules even closer (except for the first one). For the general sale, I highly recommend getting as many family members as possible on board. This can mean having your mom, dad, siblings, cousins or anyone who will agree make an account to ensure you have a chance of securing that ticket! It’s not over until it’s over, so don’t give up and keep trying.Â
7. Don’t stress.
Many people find the ticketing process stressful, and I can speak from personal experience. Stress leads to a higher chance of making a mistake during the process, so it’s better to stay calm during the ticketing process. Make sure you have a plan, talk to your friends and family and be prepared for anything that can happen. It won’t be the end of the world if you don’t succeed in the pre-sale. Treat the general sale like a “second chance.” At the end of the day, it is important that you keep your head high throughout the process. Most of the time, artists announce more tour dates because of the high demand, and those serve as additional ways to see them live!
8. Have fun!
Once you do get tickets, get hype and have fun. The hard part is over; now all the fun begins. Now you have experience for the next time you want to go to another concert. Getting tickets can be hard, but it can be done if executed correctly. Hopefully, this guide prepares you for the next “Ticketmaster war” you have to face.