Key Points
- Credit card presale access usually beats redeeming points for concert tickets, since most issuer ticket portals offer weak redemption rates.
- American Express, Capital One, Citi, and Chase all offer some form of cardholder ticket access, but the value and exclusivity vary widely by issuer.
- The Chase Sapphire Reserve and Capital One Venture X stand out for travelers who want both event perks and strong everyday rewards.
If you've ever watched a show sell out in minutes, you already know the appeal of a credit card that gets you in the door early. Using your points and miles strategically for live events is one of the more overlooked perks in the points and miles world, and it's becoming a bigger part of how issuers compete for your spending.
The good news is that almost every major card issuer now offers some kind of concert or event access program. The less good news is that these programs are not created equal, and redeeming your hard-earned points directly for tickets is often one of the weaker ways to use them. This guide breaks down exactly how each major program works, what your points are actually worth when you redeem them this way, and which cards are worth carrying if concerts and live events are a real part of your travel and entertainment budget.
Quick Answer
Credit card presale and cardholder-exclusive ticket access, like Amex Presale Tickets or Capital One Entertainment's VIP packages, are usually worth more than directly redeeming points for face-value tickets. If you do want to use points, transfer your rewards to a travel partner for a flight or hotel instead, and pay cash for the concert. You'll typically come out ahead.
How Credit Card Companies Got Into the Concert Business
Card issuers have quietly built out entire entertainment divisions over the past several years. American Express has the longest track record here, partnering directly with Ticketmaster as its official card. Capital One followed with a platform powered by Vivid Seats. Chase and Citi built their own cardholder experience programs that lean more on presale access and on-site perks than direct point redemptions.
The strategy makes sense from the issuer's side. Concerts and live events drive emotional, high-intent spending, and getting cardholders in early creates loyalty that a sign-up bonus alone cannot. For you, it means more than one path to good seats, assuming you know which card to pull out of your wallet and when.
American Express: The Presale Leader
American Express has the most mature ticketing benefit on the market, largely because of its long-running Ticketmaster partnership.
Amex Presale Tickets and Amex Reserved Tickets
Amex Presale Tickets are available to eligible American Express card members for events exclusive to cardholders. As the official card of Ticketmaster, Amex offers card members exclusive access to presales and Preferred Seating across many major Ticketmaster events. Once you link your card to your Ticketmaster account, your eligibility carries forward automatically, unlocking Preferred Seating whenever you're logged in for an eligible event. American Express + 2
What makes Amex's program stand out is accessibility. Nearly any American Express card qualifies for presale access, not just premium products like the Platinum or Gold. That said, presale tickets are sold through third party sellers and you must complete the purchase using an eligible American Express card to lock in access. FreepresalecodeWalletHub
For cardholders who want more than just early access, the Platinum Card from American Express layers on invitation-only experiences and venue perks that go well beyond standard presales, including statement credits on concessions at partner venues. If you attend live events regularly and already lean on Amex for travel, applying for the Platinum Card is worth a serious look.
Where Amex Falls Short
Amex's ticket programs are built around card-based purchasing and presale timing, not point redemptions. You won't find a straightforward "X points equals Y dollars off tickets" structure here the way you do with some other issuers. That makes Amex Presale Tickets a stronger access benefit than a points redemption play.
Capital One Entertainment: Best for Redeeming Rewards Directly
If you specifically want to redeem points or miles for concert tickets rather than just getting early access, Capital One Entertainment is the most straightforward option on the market.
Capital One Entertainment is powered by Vivid Seats, an online marketplace for tickets to sporting events, concerts, and theater performances, and replaced the issuer's previous entertainment platform, Capital One Access. To access it, eligible rewards cardholders need to be at least 18 years old and the primary cardholder of an account in good standing. The Points GuyCapital One
Here's where it gets interesting for points strategy. For Venture-family cards, you redeem miles at a flat rate of 0.8 cents each through this portal. That is meaningfully lower than what you can typically get transferring Capital One miles to airline or hotel partners, so think of this redemption option as a convenience play rather than a value play. The Points Guy
Earning rates through the portal are more generous than the redemption rate, though. Cardholders using a Savor-branded card earn 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases, while Venture X, Venture X Business, Venture, and Venture Business cardholders earn an elevated 5X miles on purchases made through the platform. If you're buying tickets anyway, running that purchase through the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card turns a routine ticket purchase into a strong rewards-earning event, even if you pay cash instead of redeeming miles. Still deciding between Capital One's travel cards? Our breakdown of why the Venture X might be better than the Sapphire Reserve digs into the everyday tradeoffs. NerdWallet
Capital One also runs cardholder-exclusive experiences you cannot buy your way into otherwise. Past offerings have included preshow soundcheck parties at iHeartRadio concerts and presale access with expedited entry at SummerStage shows in New York. Those moments are the real value here, not the mile redemption math. Capital One
Chase and Citi: Presale Access Without the Redemption Complexity
Chase and Citi take a simpler approach. Rather than building out a points-for-tickets marketplace, both issuers focus on presale windows, preferred seating, and on-site perks tied to specific cards.
Chase cardholders generally get access to Chase Experiences, which includes presale tickets, special cardholder seating, and discounts at merchandise and concession stands, with a long-standing presence at events like the U.S. Open. The Chase Sapphire Reserve sweetens this further with statement credits that apply directly to ticket spending. The card offers up to $300 in annual statement credits, paid out in $150 biannual increments, on purchases made with StubHub and Viagogo through the end of 2027. That is one of the more practical event-related perks available on any travel card right now, since it works like cash back on tickets you were already planning to buy. For the full rundown of what else is bundled in, see our Chase Sapphire Reserve credits breakdown. CNBCThe Points Guy
Citi takes a similar presale-first approach. Citi cardholders get access to Citi Entertainment for presale tickets, preferred seating, and VIP packages, plus statement credits on select brands including Live Nation through the card's Splurge benefit. The Points Guy
Neither Chase nor Citi positions these programs as ways to redeem points directly for tickets. Think of them as access and discount benefits layered on top of whatever rewards strategy you're already running with that card.
How to Decide Which Approach Is Worth It
With four different issuer approaches on the table, here's how to think through which one actually fits your situation.
- If you go to a handful of shows a year and mostly want a shot at good seats before they're gone, an Amex card you already carry is probably enough. You do not need a premium product just for presale access.
- If you attend events often enough that the earning rate matters, running purchases through Capital One Entertainment with a Venture X or Savor card adds real value on top of ticket purchases you'd make anyway.
- If you're a heavy StubHub or Viagogo buyer, the Chase Sapphire Reserve's statement credit functions like a built-in discount that pays for itself if you attend even a couple of resale-market shows a year.
- If you're sitting on a large stash of flexible points and want to use them for tickets specifically, recognize you're likely getting weaker value than you would transferring those same points to a flight or hotel for the trip surrounding the show.
If you're still weighing Chase against Capital One overall and not just for this one perk, our comparison of Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Reserve vs. Citi Double Cash vs. Venture X is a good next stop.
A Smarter Way to Use Your Points for Concert Trips
The biggest mistake points-and-miles enthusiasts make with live events is treating the ticket itself as the redemption target. In most cases, your points stretch further covering the flight and hotel around the show, while you pay cash, ideally backed by a card that earns a strong rate on entertainment or travel purchases, for the ticket itself.
This is especially true if the concert means travel to another city. Booking flights through a transfer partner or a premium travel portal, then layering on presale access from whichever card gets you in the door first, captures more total value than redeeming points directly at the ticket counter. For destination shows or festivals, pairing your Chase Sapphire Preferred with smart transfer partner redemptions for the flight, and your event-access card for the tickets themselves, is usually the better play. New to the card and not sure it's worth the fee? Our piece on whether the Chase Sapphire Preferred is still worth it walks through the math.
If your concert plans happen to be in Las Vegas, where residencies and arena shows are part of the draw, Caesars Shows is worth checking alongside your card's presale benefits, since it covers ticketing for shows across Caesars Entertainment properties that issuer portals typically don't touch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a premium credit card to get concert presale access?
No. Most issuer presale programs, especially Amex's, extend to a wide range of cards, not just premium products. Standard rewards cards from Capital One and Citi also typically qualify for their respective entertainment platforms.
Is it worth redeeming points directly for concert tickets?
Usually not, if you have flexible points that transfer to travel partners. Capital One's 0.8 cents per mile redemption rate through its entertainment portal, for example, is lower than what most travelers get transferring those same miles for flights or hotels.
Which credit card is best for frequent concertgoers?
It depends on your habits. The Chase Sapphire Reserve is strong if you buy resale tickets through StubHub or Viagogo. The Capital One Venture X is a better fit if you want elevated earning on entertainment purchases alongside presale access.
Can I use my Amex Membership Rewards points to pay for tickets?
In some cases, yes. Certain Amex Experiences events allow you to apply Membership Rewards points toward your purchase, though availability varies by event, and paying with points generally is not the best value compared to other Membership Rewards redemptions.
The Bottom Line
Concert and event perks have quietly become one of the more valuable, and most overlooked, benefits in the credit card world. Amex still leads on pure presale access, Capital One Entertainment is your best bet if you specifically want to redeem rewards for tickets, and Chase and Citi reward cardholders who lean on resale platforms for hard-to-get shows. Before your next must-see event goes on sale, check what your existing cards already unlock, and consider whether one of these issuers deserves a spot in your wallet if live events are a real part of your year.
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