This is a common question for anyone who has purchased tickets through Ticketmaster. Concert tours, sporting events, and other live entertainment can sometimes be cancelled unexpectedly. When this happens, fans are often left wondering about their ticket purchases and whether they can get a refund from Ticketmaster.
The Short Answer
The short answer is yes, Ticketmaster does issue refunds if an event is cancelled. However, the exact refund policy can vary depending on the event and where the tickets were purchased. Generally speaking, if an event is cancelled completely, Ticketmaster will provide refunds to ticket holders. The process may take some time as they work to refund large volumes of orders. Ticket holders need to be patient as it can take weeks or months to process all refunds.
Ticketmaster’s Official Refund Policy
According to Ticketmaster’s official purchase policy, if an event is cancelled completely with no rescheduling, they will refund the full ticket price and service fees to the original purchaser. The refund is generally processed back to the original mode of payment used to make the purchase. Some key points on their refund policy include:
- Refunds only apply to cancelled events, not postponed or rescheduled events.
- Refunds back to the original form of payment can take 30 days or more to process.
- For online purchases, refunds go back to the card used for purchase.
- For in-person purchases with cash, a check will be issued for the refund.
- Tickets transferred to a new buyer are not eligible for refunds.
The refund policy applies to tickets purchased directly via Ticketmaster online, phone, mobile app, or in-person at a box office location. However, for tickets purchased through third party resellers, the exact refund rules can vary.
Refund Eligibility for Tickets Purchased from Third Parties
Many fans don’t purchase their tickets directly from Ticketmaster and instead go through an approved ticketing partner or third party reseller site. In these cases, the refund rules become more complicated when events are cancelled.
Each resale marketplace can set their own rules regarding refunds in the event of a cancellation. For example, Stubhub and VividSeats may offer users credits or coupons instead of cash refunds in some cases. Ticket holders will need to carefully review the policies for whichever resale platform they used to purchase tickets.
If tickets were purchased via fan-to-fan resale rather than an official reseller, refunds also are not guaranteed. Sellers may refuse to provide a refund since Ticketmaster will not offer them a refund on already resold tickets. Buyers take on more risk when purchasing second-hand tickets versus buying them directly from Ticketmaster’s site.
How Long Does it Take to Get a Refund from Ticketmaster?
The timing for Ticketmaster refunds largely depends on the size and scale of the event being cancelled. If it was a small scale concert, refund processing may only take a few weeks. But for major events like huge concert tours or playoff games, it can take much longer to refund hundreds of thousands of tickets.
In general, Ticketmaster says to allow 30 days for refunds to be processed back to the original mode of payment. But in reality, it often takes much longer than that. After major concerts like Taylor Swift’s cancelled 2020 tour dates, some fans reported waiting months before seeing refunds hit their credit cards and bank accounts.
Here are some general guidelines on how long Ticketmaster refunds can take:
- Small Concerts: 4-8 weeks for refund processing.
- Major Concerts: 12-20 weeks for refunds.
- Sporting Events: Up to 20-25 weeks in some cases.
The way Ticketmaster handles major event refunds is to process them in batches over a period of many weeks. So most refunds are not issued on a first come, first served basis. As long as a refund has been officially approved, Ticketmaster says customers do not need to contact them to check on the status. All refunds will be processed automatically in due time.
Being Patient for Your Refund
The most important thing fans can do when seeking a Ticketmaster refund is be patient. Even if the 30 day processing window has long since passed, it does not mean refunds will not still be coming. Major events with hundreds of thousands of tickets sold can take 6 months in some cases to fully complete refunds.
Constantly contacting Ticketmaster to check on your refund status will not make it come any faster. All customers can do is wait for the credited funds to hit their account again. Ticket purchases are protected as long as the refund has been officially approved by Ticketmaster after a cancellation occurs.
Pursuing Refunds through Your Credit Card Company
If a substantial amount of time has passed without a refund from Ticketmaster, purchasers do have one other option. You can go directly through your credit card company to dispute the charge and request a refund that way. Banks and card issuers often allow customers to dispute charges up to 120 days later in certain situations.
To pursue a refund through your credit card provider instead, typically you will need to provide information on:
- Date tickets were purchased
- Merchant the purchase was made from (Ticketmaster)
- Date the event was cancelled
- Proof the purchase has not been refunded yet
This initiates a process where the credit card company contacts Ticketmaster directly to inquire about the refund. If Ticketmaster cannot provide evidence they are processing the refund, the credit card issuer can remove the charge from the customer’s account directly. This provides a workaround if Ticketmaster is dragging their feet on refunds for cancelled events.
When Refunds Are Not Possible
While full refunds are generally provided for cancelled events, there are certain exceptions where Ticketmaster may not offer refunds:
- If an event is postponed/rescheduled rather than outright cancelled.
- If tickets were purchased via fan-to-fan resale rather than directly from Ticketmaster.
- If tickets were marked as “no refunds” when initially purchased.
- If sections of an event are cancelled but the full event still takes place.
For postponed and rescheduled events, Ticketmaster instead rolls tickets over to the new event date. If fans can still attend the new date, they are not eligible for refunds. Tickets can sometimes be donated or resold in these cases.
There also are no refunds in cases where only parts of an event are cancelled. For example, if an opening act backing out of a concert but the headliner still performs. Or a few games in a sporting playoff series get cancelled but the series itself still takes place. Partial refunds are not offered if any portion of the event described on the ticket still happens.
Options if Your Tickets are Non-Refundable
In some cases, tickets are marked as non-refundable at the time of purchase. This means that under any circumstances, even if the event is cancelled, fans cannot get their money back. Why would an event have non-refundable tickets? Usually it indicates that tickets are deeply discounted below face value, in exchange for fans taking on the risk of cancellation.
If you end up with non-refundable tickets to a cancelled event, there are still a few options to try recovering some value:
- Sell them. List the tickets for resale and recoup some of your costs. Even non-refundable tickets retain some value.
- Donate them. You can donate non-refundable tickets to charity so they do not go to complete waste.
- Use as a credit. Some artists allow non-refundable tickets to be used as a credit towards future concerts or merchandise.
- File a credit card dispute. Like normal refundable tickets, you can try disputing the charge through your credit card issuer as a last resort.
Reselling non-refundable tickets is often the best way to get some value back. Sites like StubHub and VividSeats offer fan-to-fan exchanges where buyers are willing to take on the cancellation risk for big discounts on ticket prices.
Steps for Getting Your Refund from Ticketmaster
If an event is cancelled and your tickets are refundable, here are the steps to go through to get your money back from Ticketmaster:
- Wait for an official cancellation announcement of the event. Refunds cannot be issued until the cancellation is confirmed.
- Watch your email inbox for a message from Ticketmaster regarding the refund process.
- Once you receive confirmation of your refund approval, allow ample time for it to process based on the event size.
- Keep an eye on your credit card statements and bank account for the refunded amount.
- If the refund has still not come after several months, consider disputing the charge with your credit card provider.
The most important thing is allowing enough time. While Ticketmaster refunds should come eventually, massive events can take 3-6 months to fully process based on the huge volume. Have patience and avoid pestering them for refund status updates, which will not expedite the process.
Key Takeaways on Ticketmaster Refunds for Cancelled Events
- Full refunds are issued if an event is completely cancelled with no rescheduling.
- Allow ample time, even several months, for large event refunds to process.
- Refunds go back to the original payment method used to purchase tickets.
- Contact your credit card provider if refunds are severely delayed past 6 months.
- Non-refundable discounted tickets have no guarantees in cancellation situations.
The COVID-19 pandemic brought this issue into focus more than ever before, with thousands of concerts, sports seasons, and live events being cancelled or postponed. Even in normal times, events may be cancelled due to low ticket sales, weather, travel issues, or other unforeseen circumstances.
Being aware of the ins and outs of the Ticketmaster refund policy provides useful knowledge in case your event plans unexpectedly change. While getting your money back may require some patience, cancelled ticket holders can rest assured knowing their purchases are protected by Ticketmaster’s refund guarantees in most cases.
Event Size | Estimated Refund Processing Time |
---|---|
Small Club Concert | 4-8 weeks |
Major Arena Concert | 12-20 weeks |
Pro Sporting Event | 20-25 weeks |
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take Ticketmaster to refund tickets if an event is cancelled?
It typically takes Ticketmaster anywhere from 4 weeks to 6 months to process refunds when events are cancelled. Smaller events may refund quickly within 2 months, while large concerts and pro sporting events could take up to 25 weeks for all refunds to be issued.
Can I get a refund if my concert is postponed instead of cancelled?
No, Ticketmaster does not issue refunds if an event is postponed or rescheduled to a new date. Tickets are instead transferred to the new event date. Only if an event is outright cancelled with no makeup date will refunds be provided.
What if my event refund still hasn’t come after 6 months?
If it has been over 6 months since a cancellation announcement and your refund still has not come, you should contact your credit card provider to dispute the charge. The credit card company can then work directly with Ticketmaster to secure your refund.
Are all tickets refunded if only part of an event is cancelled?
No, full refunds are only issued if an entire event is cancelled. If just a portion is cancelled, like an opening act not performing but the headliner still putting on the show, then refunds are not offered.
Can I get a refund on non-refundable tickets if cancelled?
No, the terms on non-refundable tickets indicate no refunds will be given under any circumstances. If an event with non-refundable tickets is cancelled, you will need to resell them to try recouping some of the cost.