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We realized lots in the course of the Taylor Swift ticket frenzy of 2022, however one of the vital necessary classes was that having the precise bank card in your pockets can provide you a leg as much as get coveted live performance tickets.
Savvy cardholders know there’s far more to one of the best rewards bank cards than simply the rewards you earn by way of spending. However many playing cards provide a serious perk past streaming credit or buy safety: VIP entry to concert events, video games and different stay leisure.
Whereas we do not essentially suggest getting a bank card only for VIP entry, it is useful to know what’s out there to you as you intend in your subsequent live performance, huge sport or Broadway present. Plus, for those who’re making an attempt to determine which card to get subsequent, the VIP entry choices every card presents is perhaps one thing you need to think about.
We’ll stroll by way of the bank card packages that offer you entry to those VIP experiences and spotlight our picks for one of the best bank card for concert events and different stay leisure purchases.
American Categorical
All American Categorical cardmembers obtain Leisure Entry advantages (this system title that encompasses all different advantages) that embrace ticket presales and cardmember-only occasions in choose cities. Examples of occasions at this degree embrace Broadway musicals corresponding to Sweeney Todd and Six, in addition to festivals like Coachella and NBA tickets.
Regardless that Leisure Entry is on the market for all cardholders, sure occasions could require you to have a extra premium card to unlock ticket presales.
Premium American Categorical playing cards, corresponding to The Platinum Card® from American Categorical and the American Categorical® Gold Card have entry to particular seating at sure occasions by way of the American Categorical Most popular Seating program. Enrollment is required for choose advantages.
On the extra unique aspect, “By Invitation Solely” occasions are as they sound: you may want an invite. Presently, the occasions on this class are open to Amex Platinum and Centurion® members. These presents embrace entry to associate occasions, together with a New York Instances Cooking occasion and a collection of unique wellness experiences by Equinox x American Categorical.
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Amex has additionally featured suites and lounges on the U.S. Open and Wimbledon, which could return sooner or later. Moreover, Amex is F1 Americas’ Official Funds Accomplice, so Amex members obtain early entry tickets to F1 Grand Prix races globally and on-site advantages at races in North, Central and South America.
And past stay leisure, remember about Amex’s VIP eating choices by way of their partnership with Resy. Cardmembers have entry to the World Eating Entry program that gives members “unique reservations, precedence notification, early entry to particular experiences and a VIP Diner Badge.”
The Platinum Card® from American Categorical
Undoubtedly, the Amex Platinum card unlocks essentially the most American Categorical VIP entry choices. With this card, you may get three ranges of VIP occasion entry: Leisure Entry, American Categorical Most popular Seating and By Invitation Solely.
Annual charge: $695 (see charges and charges)
Welcome bonus: Earn 80,000 bonus factors after spending $8,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. TPG values this bonus at $1,600.
Why we prefer it: Regardless that this card will not earn you any bonus factors for ticket purchases, the entry it presents is unbeatable. Plus, in case your live performance requires you to journey, you may earn 5 factors per greenback on flights booked immediately with the airline or by way of Amex Journey (on as much as $500,000 on these purchases per calendar yr, then 1 level per greenback) and 5 factors per greenback on pay as you go lodges booked with Amex Journey.
For extra data, take a look at our full overview of the Amex Platinum.
Apply right here: The Platinum Card® from American Categorical
Associated: Greatest American Categorical bank cards
Capital One
All Capital One cardholders take pleasure in the advantages out there by way of Capital One Leisure. These advantages embrace presale tickets and VIP packages for sure occasions, particular on-site perks (corresponding to early and precedence entry, movie star meet-and-greets and VIP lounges) and options that enable cardholders to improve experiences at occasions or buy tickets utilizing their Capital One miles, together with sports activities, concert events, theater and extra.
Capital One additionally has a partnership with OpenTable to assist cardholders rating hard-to-get reservations in choose cities throughout the U.S. There are additionally a number of different culinary-focused occasions held all year long that yow will discover on Capital One’s web site.
Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card
Annual charge: $395 (see charges and charges)
Welcome bonus: Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases throughout the first three months from account opening. TPG values this bonus at $1,388.
Incomes charges: Earn 10 miles per greenback on lodges and automotive leases booked through Capital One Journey, 5 miles per greenback on flights booked through Capital One Journey, 5 miles per greenback on purchases made by way of the Capital One Leisure platform and a couple of miles per greenback on all different purchases.
Why we prefer it: Along with incomes 5 miles per greenback on Capital One Leisure purchases, you may get $300 in credit yearly for bookings made by way of Capital One Journey and an anniversary bonus of 10,000 bonus miles each account anniversary, beginning in your first anniversary (value a minimum of $100 towards journey).
For extra data, take a look at our full overview of the Enterprise X.
Be taught extra: Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card
Capital One Enterprise X Enterprise Credit score Card
Annual charge: $395 (see charges and charges)
Welcome bonus: Earn 150,000 bonus miles after spending $30,000 within the first three months from account opening. TPG values this bonus at $2,775.
Incomes charges: Earn 10 miles per greenback on lodges and automotive leases booked through Capital One Journey, 5 miles per greenback on flights booked through Capital One Journey, 5 miles per greenback on purchases made by way of the Capital One Leisure platform and a couple of miles per greenback on all different purchases.
Why we prefer it: Like its private counterpart, you may get $300 in credit yearly for bookings made by way of Capital One Journey, a ten,000-mile anniversary bonus, and an up-to-$100 assertion credit score for World Entry or TSA PreCheck.
For extra particulars, take a look at our full overview of the Enterprise X Enterprise.
Be taught extra: Capital One Enterprise X Enterprise Credit score Card
Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card
Annual charge: $95 (see charges and charges)
Welcome bonus: Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases throughout the first three months from account opening. TPG values this bonus at $1,388.
Incomes charges: Earn 5 miles per greenback on lodges and rental automobiles booked by way of Capital One Journey, 5 miles per greenback on purchases made by way of the Capital One Leisure platform and a couple of miles per greenback on all different purchases.
Why we prefer it: Along with incomes 5 miles per greenback on Capital One Leisure and a couple of miles per greenback on ticket purchases, you may have entry to reimbursement in your software charge to World Entry or TSA PreCheck.
For extra particulars, take a look at our full overview of the Enterprise Rewards.
Be taught extra: Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card
Capital One Spark Miles for Enterprise Bank card
Annual charge: $0 for the primary yr, then $95 (see charges and charges)
Welcome bonus: Earn 50,000 miles when you spend $4,500 on purchases throughout the first three months of account opening. TPG values this bonus at $925.
Incomes charges: Earn 5 miles per greenback on lodges and rental automobiles booked by way of Capital One Journey, 5 miles per greenback on purchases made by way of the Capital One Leisure platform and a couple of miles per greenback on all different purchases.
Why we prefer it: The Spark Miles for Enterprise earns simple rewards helpful to any enterprise with even an rare journey schedule, all with an annual charge that is waived for the primary yr.
For extra particulars, take a look at our full overview of the Spark Miles for Enterprise.
Be taught extra: Spark Miles for Enterprise
Capital One Savor Money Rewards Credit score Card and Capital One SavorOne Money Rewards Credit score Card
Each the Capital One Savor and Capital One SavorOne (see charges and charges) offer you entry to Capital One Leisure and earn bonus factors in your leisure bills.
Annual charge: $95 for the Savor and $0 for the SavorOne (see SavorOne charges and charges)
Welcome bonus: For the Savor, earn a one-time $300 money bonus when you spend $3,000 on purchases throughout the first three months from account opening. For the SavorOne, earn a one-time $200 money bonus welcome bonus after spending $500 in purchases throughout the first three months of account opening.
Why we like them: Each playing cards pull double responsibility: you may get VIP entry by way of Capital One Leisure and likewise earn bonus rewards in your leisure purchases. With each playing cards, you may earn 8% money again on purchases by way of Capital One Leisure and bonus money again on all different leisure purchases (4% with the Savor and three% with the SavorOne), making these simply two of one of the best money again bank cards for purchasing live performance and different stay leisure tickets.
Take a look at our full card overview of the Savor and our full card overview of the Savor One to study extra about their incomes buildings and what sorts of leisure purchases earn bonus rewards.
The data for the Capital One Savor Card has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or supplied by the cardboard issuer.
Be taught extra: Capital One SavorOne Money Rewards Credit score Card
Associated: Greatest Capital One bank cards
Chase
There are totally different ranges of Chase Experiences out there to cardholders relying on which product they’ve. These experiences may be paid for with money or factors, however Chase solely lets you redeem at 1 cent in worth per level, which usually is not one of the best use of your Final Rewards factors.
Chase additionally has a partnership with culinary reservation platform Tock, which supplies these with playing cards, together with the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and Ink Enterprise Most popular® Credit score Card, the flexibility to guide VIP culinary occasions (alongside customary reservations) by way of the Final Rewards part within the Chase cell app. Eating places embrace HUSO in New York, Seven Causes in Washington, D.C. and the Protégé in Palo Alto, California.
Moreover, cardmembers obtain entry to the Chase lounge at choose venues corresponding to Madison Sq. Backyard in New York and The Chicago Theater. Chase has additionally had a lounge on the U.S. Open, which could return sooner or later.
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
If VIP entry is necessary to you, we suggest the Sapphire Reserve card. It would unlock all ranges of distinctive experiences Chase presents, so you may by no means miss out on one of the best seats or advance ticket gross sales.
Annual charge: $550
Welcome provide: Earn 60,000 bonus factors after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. TPG values this bonus at $1,230.
Why we prefer it: Regardless that it will not earn you bonus factors in your live performance or different stay leisure ticket purchases, this can be a nice card to have. Along with granting you entry to one of the best of Chase’s distinctive leisure alternatives, you may get a $300 journey reimbursement to assist cowl the prices of any journey to your occasion.
For any extra journey, you may earn 10 factors per greenback on lodges and automotive leases and 5 factors per greenback on flights once you buy them by way of Chase Final Rewards. You may additionally earn 3 factors per greenback on all different journey purchases, 10 factors per greenback in your Lyft to get there (by way of March 2025) and three factors per greenback on dinner earlier than your present.
For extra particulars on why we love this card, take a look at our full overview of the Chase Sapphire Reserve.
Apply right here: Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Chase Freedom Limitless®
For those who care extra about incomes factors in your live performance ticket purchases than having each VIP alternative, we suggest the Freedom Limitless. You may earn a stable 1.5 factors per greenback in your ticket purchases and nonetheless have entry to a lot of Chase’s distinctive experiences.
Annual charge: $0
Welcome bonus: Earn an extra 1.5% money again on every little thing you purchase (on as much as $20,000 spent within the first yr), value as much as $300 money again.
Why we prefer it: With this card, you may earn 1.5 factors per greenback on all purchases, so you’ll be able to really feel nice figuring out you are incomes at a stable charge, whether or not you are shopping for live performance tickets or ordering your final fan outfit to put on to the present.
Plus, you may earn 3 factors per greenback on eating and drugstore purchases in addition to 5 factors per greenback on Lyft (by way of March 2025), so you may even be rewarded for going out to dinner earlier than the present and ordering a trip to get there.
For extra particulars, take a look at our full overview of the Freedom Limitless.
Apply right here: Chase Freedom Limitless®
Associated: Greatest Chase bank cards
Citi
Citi cardholders have entry to the Citi Leisure program, which presents presale entry to tickets, most popular seating and VIP packages for sports activities, leisure and eating occasions.
Present leisure presents embrace tickets and packages for Billy Joel, The Chicks and P!NK, and discounted tickets for the Citi Genesis Invitational.
Citi Premier® Card
Annual charge: $95
Welcome bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus factors after spending $4,000 within the first three months of account opening. TPG values this bonus at $1,080.
Why we prefer it: Along with granting you entry to all that Citi Leisure has to supply, you may earn bonus factors with this card regardless of the way you get to your occasion. With it, you may earn 3 factors per greenback on air journey, lodges, fuel stations and eating places, so you understand you are coated whether or not you are driving or flying to see your present.
For a restricted time, earn 10 factors per greenback on lodges, automotive leases, and points of interest (excluding air journey) booked on the Citi Journey℠ Portal by way of June 30, 2024.
For extra particulars, take a look at our full overview of the Citi Premier.
Apply right here: Citi Premier® Card (see charges and charges)
Associated: Greatest Citi bank cards
Visa and Mastercard VIP Advantages
Past your card’s financial institution, its community may also grant you VIP entry. Do not forget to test your card’s community to see your full checklist of VIP choices out there, corresponding to these that include a World Elite Mastercard or Visa Infinite card.
Backside line
Loads goes into a choice to use for a bank card: the welcome bonus, incomes charges, journey advantages and extra. However one thing else to contemplate is the experiences your bank card can unlock, whether or not meaning presale tickets to your favourite band, behind-the-scenes entry at Broadway reveals or cardholder-exclusive occasions around the globe.
Take advantage of your subsequent occasion through the use of among the best bank cards for live performance tickets and VIP entry to stay occasions.
For charges and charges of the Amex Platinum Card, click on right here.