Deciding how early to join the queue on Ticketmaster can be tricky. You want to make sure you get tickets before they sell out, but you also don’t want to wait in the virtual line for longer than necessary. Here are some tips to help you figure out the best time to join the Ticketmaster queue.
Check When Tickets Go On Sale
The first thing you’ll want to do is find out when tickets actually go on sale. This date and time will be listed on the event page on Ticketmaster or on the website/social media of the artist/team/venue. Mark your calendar for this sale start time. You can’t join the queue until it opens, so don’t try to join too early.
Factor in Demand
Consider how high demand will be for the event you’re trying to buy tickets for. Is it a massive stadium concert from an A-list performer like Taylor Swift or Beyonce? Is it a playoff game for a popular sports team? The bigger the event, the earlier you’ll need to queue up. Smaller niche events won’t require you to join the queue as far in advance.
Watch Social Media
Keep an eye on the event’s social media accounts in the hours leading up to the sale. Often they will provide updates on when you can start queuing up. For example, they may announce that the Ticketmaster queue will open 2 hours prior to the sale time. This gives you an idea of when to be ready and waiting.
Use Multiple Devices
If possible, use more than one internet-connected device to try joining the queue. You could use your desktop, laptop, tablet, and smartphone all together. This gives you multiple chances to get a spot in line before tickets sell out.
Check Fan Presales
Find out when presales for fan club members and other groups are happening. Oftentimes these presales will start 1-3 days before the general public sale. If you qualify for a presale, take advantage of it. The queues are usually much shorter than the general sale queue.
Use an Online Waiting Room
For high demand events, Ticketmaster will sometimes use an online waiting room system instead of a queue. This means you join the waiting room at the designated time and are randomly assigned a spot in line. There isn’t really a strategy for this other than joining as soon as the waiting room opens.
Have Backup Payment Options
Make sure you have multiple payment methods saved on Ticketmaster like credit cards and PayPal. This prevents any delays at checkout if your primary payment option doesn’t work for some reason.
Event Popularity | When to Join Queue |
---|---|
Massive (Beyonce stadium concert) | 1-2 hours before sale opens |
Large (NBA playoff game) | 30-60 mins before sale |
Medium (Broadway show) | 15-30 mins before sale |
Small (Obscure band club show) | 0-15 mins before sale |
This table provides estimates for when to join the Ticketmaster queue based on the size and popularity of the event you’re trying to buy tickets for. Earlier is better for huge high-demand events.
Use Ticketmaster Tips
Ticketmaster provides some tips on its website for navigating the queues and securing tickets:
- Don’t refresh the page once you’re in line – you’ll lose your spot
- Make sure your Ticketmaster account is logged in ahead of time
- Use Google Chrome or Safari for the best experience
- Double check the event date, time, location so you’re joining the right queue
Have Your Info Ready
Make sure you have all your personal info, payment details, and any presale codes ready to go so you can breeze through checkout. You don’t want to fumble for details and lose tickets while the clock is ticking.
Be Patient But Quick
Queue times can vary wildly depending on demand. You may be waiting mere minutes, or over an hour in some cases. Try to be patient but be ready to act fast once you access tickets. Have Ticketmaster open and ready to go.
Leverage Queue It
Ticketmaster’s Queue-It system lets you wait in a virtual line without refreshing a browser. This often helps avoid errors and crashed pages. If Queue-It is available for an event you want tickets for, try to use it.
Try Fan-to-Fan Resale
If you strike out getting tickets during the initial on-sale, check fan resale sites like Ticketmaster Fansale and VividSeats. Fans often resell extra tickets here for in-demand events. Prices may be higher but it’s an option.
Check Back for Releases
Venues will sometimes release held-back tickets at later dates, especially if initial sales are slow. Keep checking back leading up to the event in case more tickets become available down the line.
Conclusion
Joining the Ticketmaster queue at just the right time takes research, preparation and a little luck. Pay attention to on-sale dates and times, presales, demand and fan club options to give yourself the best shot at scoring tickets. While you may have to wait in suspense during the virtual line, the payoff of securing in-demand seats makes it worthwhile for huge shows and events.