If you purchased tickets through Ticketmaster and your card details have changed since then, you may be wondering if you can get a refund. The short answer is yes, it is possible to get a refund from Ticketmaster if your card has changed, but there are some steps you need to take.
Notifying Ticketmaster of your card change
The first thing you should do is contact Ticketmaster to notify them that the card you used to purchase the tickets is no longer valid. You can do this by calling their customer service line at 1-800-653-8000 (1-800-745-3000 for their TicketsNow service). When you call, make sure to have your order number ready so they can easily access your account.
You’ll need to provide them with details on the card change – whether your card number changed, it expired, was lost/stolen, etc. They’ll make note of this on your account. You should also ask them at this point what the options are for getting a refund.
Getting a refund to your original card
If at all possible, Ticketmaster will simply process a refund back to the original card used for purchase. This is the easiest option if that card is still open and valid. The funds will be returned back to your account just like any other refund.
However, if that original card is no longer active, they will not be able to process a standard refund back to it. In that case, you have a couple other options for getting your money back.
Getting a refund to a new card
If your original card is completely invalid and you’ve provided Ticketmaster with new, valid card details, they may be able to process the refund to that replacement card instead. To do this, they will need:
- The full card number
- Name as it appears on the card
- Expiration date
- Security code (CVV code)
Providing this updated information gives them what they need to refund the charges back to your new account. Do keep in mind it is ultimately up to their discretion whether they will refund to a new card or not.
Getting a refund via check
If Ticketmaster is unable to refund charges back to a valid credit or debit card, your remaining option is to have them issue a refund check. This check would be mailed to the billing address they have on file for you.
To have a refund check issued, you’ll need to provide your current mailing address. Make sure it’s an address where you can receive and deposit a check. Once Ticketmaster has your address on file, they will proceed with issuing and mailing the refund check.
How long does a Ticketmaster refund take?
The amount of time it takes to get your Ticketmaster refund depends on the method:
Refund Method | Time Frame |
---|---|
Refund to original card | 5-10 business days |
Refund to new card | 7-14 business days |
Refund via check | 4-6 weeks |
As you can see, the fastest turnaround is if they can process the refund back to your original card used for purchase. Refund checks take the longest to receive since they have to be printed and mailed.
Troubleshooting issues with Ticketmaster refunds
Hopefully you can get your Ticketmaster refund processed smoothly by following the steps outlined above. But what should you do if you run into any problems getting your money back?
Here are some steps to take if your refund seems to be stuck or not going through:
- Double check that you provided Ticketmaster with the right card details and billing address if you asked for the refund method to be changed.
- Call their customer service line and ask for an update on the status of your refund request.
- If it has been over 30 days since your refund was initiated, follow up again asking why it is delayed and when you can expect it.
- Be persistent and continue following up every week or so if your refund still does not come through.
- Escalate your issue and ask to speak with a supervisor who may be able to better assist you.
- Contact your bank/credit card company for assistance – they may be able to look into the refund delay on their end.
The most important things are persistence and diligence. Keep contacting Ticketmaster for status updates and escalate your case higher up the chain if needed until you finally receive your refund. Be sure to document names of representatives you spoke with and any tracking or reference numbers they provide.
How do I cancel a ticket refund with Ticketmaster?
If you initially requested a refund through Ticketmaster but have since changed your mind and no longer need the refund, you may be able to cancel it. Here is how to go about canceling a refund if it has not yet been processed:
- Contact Ticketmaster as soon as possible by phone and request to cancel the refund.
- Provide the order number, ticket details, event details and the reason you no longer need the refund.
- Make sure to get confirmation during the call that they will cancel the pending refund request.
- Follow up via email as well, reiterating your request to cancel the refund so you have it in writing.
- If your refund was being processed to a new card, make sure that card is not already refunded before canceling.
- Act quickly, before the refund is finalized and funds are released back to you.
The sooner you contact Ticketmaster to cancel the refund, the more likely you are to successfully stop it before the money is released. But once a refund goes through, it cannot retroactively be canceled. At that point, you would need to repurchase tickets if you still wished to attend the event.
Can I get a refund for non-refundable Ticketmaster tickets?
Ticketmaster designates some tickets as non-refundable when you go through the purchase process. This means that under Ticketmaster’s standard policy, you cannot get a refund on these types of tickets.
Types of tickets that are usually non-refundable include:
- Resale tickets purchased through Ticketmaster’s resale marketplace
- Platinum tickets for high-demand events
- Premier or VIP tickets with special access
When you buy non-refundable tickets on Ticketmaster, you typically cannot request a standard refund from them. However, there are some exceptions where you may still be able to get your money back:
- If the event is canceled and not rescheduled, you can get a refund.
- If you can no longer attend due to a medical issue, you may be eligible for a one-time refund with documentation.
- If you are military personnel who gets deployed, Ticketmaster may make an exception.
- If you can transfer or resell the tickets, you can try to get your money back that way.
Outside of limited exceptions, though, non-refundable tickets purchased through Ticketmaster are usually not eligible for refunds. Always carefully review the full refund policy before purchasing tickets designated as non-refundable.
Can I get a refund on Ticketmaster convenience fees?
Along with the ticket prices, Ticketmaster also charges fees like “convenience fees” and “processing fees” on each ticket purchase. These fees are intended to cover their costs for providing ticket services.
When you get a refund for ticket purchases through Ticketmaster, here is how it works with the fees:
- The face value of the ticket purchase will be refunded.
- Convenience fees are non-refundable if the ticket was already sent to you.
- Processing fees are non-refundable in all cases.
So if you received digital tickets that were never used, the convenience fees would be refunded along with the ticket cost. But if hard copy tickets were already mailed out, then only the base ticket price gets refunded.
Processing fees are never refundable since they cover Ticketmaster’s upfront costs for handling the original ticket order. You can minimize fees by choosing e-tickets when possible, but the processing fees cannot be refunded after a purchase.
Can I get a refund on tickets purchased from a third party?
If you purchased tickets through a third-party ticket reseller such as StubHub, VividSeats, or SeatGeek, then you would need to go through their refund process rather than Ticketmaster.
Many third-party resellers have their own guarantees in place where you may be able to get a refund under certain conditions, such as:
- The event is canceled altogether
- You can no longer attend due to a covered reason (medical issue, military deployment, etc.)
- The tickets sold were found to be fraudulent/invalid
Review the specific reseller’s policy for issuing refunds to see what options they provide. Their process, timeframes, and requirements will likely be different than Ticketmaster’s.
If the tickets were resold through an unauthorized channel or scalper, then there is no recourse for a refund. Always use reputable, authorized Ticketmaster resale partners to have refund protections.
Can I dispute a credit card charge if Ticketmaster won’t refund?
If you have exhausted all options trying to get a refund directly through Ticketmaster to no avail, your last resort may be disputing the charge with your credit card company.
You can dispute a charge if:
- Ticketmaster improperly refused your refund request
- You requested a refund but never received it from Ticketmaster
- Tickets purchased were fraudulent or misrepresented
To dispute a credit card charge:
- Contact your credit card issuer by phone or submit an online dispute form.
- Provide the transaction date, amount, and merchant details along with the reason for dispute.
- Include any documentation you have such as refund requests submitted or Ticketmaster order details.
- Your credit card company will open an investigation into the dispute.
- If found in your favor, you will receive a credit to your account for the amount of the disputed charge.
Just keep in mind that disputing a charge should be a last resort option after you’ve unsuccessfully tried resolving the issue directly with Ticketmaster. But it is an option if you are left with no other way to obtain a refund.
Can I get a refund if I purchased tickets from Ticketmaster as a gift?
If you purchased Ticketmaster tickets as a gift for someone else, you have a few options if you need to cancel the tickets and get a refund:
- Non-transferable tickets – If the tickets are non-transferable, only the original ticket purchaser (yourself) can request the refund from Ticketmaster.
- Transferable tickets – If the tickets can be transferred, you can sign in to your Ticketmaster account, transfer the tickets to the gift recipient, and then have them request the refund.
- No recipient account – If the tickets are transferable but your gift recipient does not have their own Ticketmaster account, you would need to request the refund yourself using the tickets in your account.
So for any gifts purchased through your Ticketmaster account, you will likely need to be the one to handle canceling the tickets and getting money back if needed. Make sure the recipient does not already use the tickets before you submit a refund request.
Conclusion
Getting a refund for Ticketmaster tickets is possible if your card details have changed since the purchase was made. The key steps are:
- Contact Ticketmaster immediately to notify them of your card change.
- Provide any required new card/account details to receive the refund.
- Allow 5-14 business days for the refund to process to your account.
- Follow up persistently with Ticketmaster if the refund is delayed.
In some cases, you may not be eligible for a refund if the tickets were sold as non-refundable or you bought from an unauthorized third party. But for standard Ticketmaster tickets, they can reissue a refund to your new card account as long as you notify them about the card change right away and follow their refund procedures.