American Express Preferred Seating vs. presale

Having good seats at a show can make all the difference. With an Amex card, you can access presales and member onsales for select shows. And with an eligible card, you can find premium seats reserved for Amex members.

What is American Express Preferred Seating and what is presale?

These programs offer access to tickets the general public doesn’t get. Each requires you to buy tickets with an eligible Amex card.

What is American Express Preferred Seating?

This is a program where Amex reserves premium seats at certain shows for select members. It’s different from American Express Seating or Member Onsales, where some seats are open to all Amex cardholders.

What is American Express presale?

All Amex cardholders can buy tickets for select shows before the general public during an American Express presale,
According to Ticketmaster — Amex’s ticketing partner — Preferred Seating presales are available to Amex members with select cards.

American Express Preferred Seating vs. presale: Is there a difference?

With Amex presales we’ve researched, there was no distinction between normal seating and Preferred Seating. However, this might not be the case with every show, and policies can vary based on the event and promoter.

Amex Preferred Seating vs. Amex Seating and Member Onsale

Typically, Preferred Seating offers closer seats to the stage. For example:

• It can seat you to closer sections (see the images below).
• It can seat you within a section, it might take you to the front rows while Amex Seating or Member Onsale seats you would put you farther back.

Amex Member sales vs. general onsales

Most of the time, you won’t find better seats in an Amex Member Presale than you would with a general onsale. But you will have the opportunity to buy tickets before they’re available to the general public.

Amex Member Onsales often won’t get you access to better seats than you can buy through a general onsale. For some shows, however, you can score Member Onsale seats that are better than the general public will find.

How to get American Express Preferred Seating

1. Visit the dedicated Ticketmaster/American Express ticket page.
2. Click American Express seating in the left-hand navigation bar.

1. Click Find tickets next to your chosen event.
2. Enter your Amex Offer Code in the ticket search bar. If there’s Preferred Seating available, it’ll show up on the right-hand ticket column.
   
3. Add your tickets to your cart, then check out. Use your qualifying Amex card to pay for your tickets.

How to use Pay with Points for your Ticketmaster purchase

To use Pay with Points, buy your tickets on Ticketmaster with your eligible Amex card. Then, call 800-297-3276 and ask to apply your rewards to your Ticketmaster charge.

Which credit cards offer an American Express preferred seating code?

Only select Amex cards qualify you for Preferred Seating. According to Ticketmaster, there are very slight differences between the lists of cards that qualify you for Preferred Seating presales and onsales.

Any Amex credit card qualifies you for Amex Presales and Member Onsales.

Compare American Express credit cards for Preferred Seating

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Name	Product	Filter values	Rewards	Purchase APR	Annual fee
American Express® Gold Card			3x points on directly-booked flights; 4x at restaurants; 4x at US supermarkets on up to $25,000 annually (then 1x points)		$250	Apply now View details	Earn up to 4x points on select purchases, a bevy of travel perks, and a welcome offer worth up to $600 with this upper-mid tier travel card. Rates & fees	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card			3x miles on Delta and direct hotel purchases, 2x miles at restaurants and US supermarkets and 1x miles for all other purchases	15.74% to 24.74% variable	$250	Apply now View details	This card boasts a welcome offer worth up to $720, an annual companion certificate and valuable Delta perks. Rates & fees	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card			12x points on Hilton Portfolio spending, 6x at US restaurants, US supermarkets and US gas stations, 3x on all other purchases	15.74% to 24.74% variable	$95	Apply now View details	With a big welcome offer worth up to $650, up to 12x points on spending, and free Gold status, this is an upgrade from the entry Hilton card. Rates & fees	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card			3x miles on direct Delta purchases and 1x miles on all other purchases	15.74% to 24.74% variable	$550	Apply now View details	Delta's luxury offering shines with access to Delta Sky Clubs, Centurion Lounges, an annual companion certificate and more valuable travel perks. Rates & fees	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
The Platinum Card® from American Express			5x points on directly-booked flights or on flights and hotels on Amex Travel. 1x points on all other purchases. Starting January 1, 2021, your 5x points on flights will be capped on up to $500,000 annually (then 1x points).		$550	View details	One of the most valuable premium travel cards, featuring a welcome offer worth up to $1,200, multiple travel credits and unrivaled lounge access. Rates & fees	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card			3x miles on direct Delta and hotel purchases, 1.5x miles on single purchases over $5,000 up to 50,000 miles per year, and 1x miles on all other purchases	15.74% to 24.74% variable	$250	View details	Earn 70,000 miles and 5,000 MQMs after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months. Rates & fees	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card			3x miles on direct Delta purchases and 1x miles on all other purchases on up to $150,000 in a calendar year, then 1.5x miles on non-Delta purchases the rest of the year	15.74% to 24.74% variable	$550	View details	Earn 45,000 miles and 10,000 MQMs after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months. Rates & fees	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
American Express® Business Gold Card			4x points on two categories on up to $150,000 combined annually, then 1x points after that and on all other purchases	14.24% to 22.24% variable	$295	View details	Earn 35,000 points after spending $5,000 in the first 3 months from account opening. Rates & fees	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
CardMatch™ from creditcards.com			See terms	See issuer's website	See terms	See offer View details	Use the CardMatch tool to find cards you're likely to qualify for with your credit score, without a hard pull on your credit.	Compare	loading Fetching your data...

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Bottom line

While there usually isn’t a difference between tickets in an Amex presale, Preferred Seating can often get you closer to the action than standard Amex Seating would.

Learn more about Amex Entertainment or compare American Express credit cards that let you access Amex ticket sales. For Preferred Seating, consider a premium Amex card.

Frequently asked questions

• Do I qualify for Preferred Seating with an Amex gift card or prepaid card?

  These types of cards won’t make you eligible for Preferred Seating.

• Do I have to use my Amex card for my Ticketmaster purchase?

  If you’re buying an Amex Presale or Member Onsale ticket, you must use an Amex credit card. If you’re buying Preferred Seating tickets, you must use one of the eligible Amex cards listed above.

• Is Preferred Seating more expensive than normal seats?

  Preferred Seating is usually cheaper than comparable seats you’ll find in the general onsale.