Receiving mobile tickets has become an increasingly popular option for many events and transportation services. Mobile ticketing allows customers to have their ticket delivered directly to their smartphone, rather than having to print paper tickets or wait to receive hard copy tickets in the mail. This offers a convenient, contactless option for accessing tickets anytime, anywhere. But how long does it actually take to receive mobile tickets once they’ve been purchased? The answer depends on several factors.
Timing
In most cases, mobile tickets are delivered almost instantly after purchase. As soon as the order is processed, the ticket will be viewable within the customer’s mobile wallet app or the app of the providing service. This enables the customer to access their ticket immediately, rather than having to wait for shipping or for an email with a print-at-home ticket attachment. For example, if you purchase a mobile ticket for a concert taking place that night from a ticketing app, you will be able to access the ticket right away and show it at the venue entrance upon arrival.
Factors that Impact Delivery Time
While mobile tickets are designed to be delivered instantly, there are some factors that can influence the timing:
- Network connectivity – If there are any delays or issues with network availability or connectivity when the purchase is being processed, it may cause a longer wait for the mobile ticket to come through.
- App optimization – The speed at which the ticket is delivered can depend on how well optimized the app is for ticket delivery and transfers.
- High demand – For major events or at times of peak ticket sales, a high volume of purchases may cause slightly longer processing times.
- Server traffic – Similarly, the traffic a server is experiencing can impact delivery speeds.
However, in the vast majority of cases, these factors cause delays of just a few minutes at most. The transaction is still almost instantaneous.
Troubleshooting Delays
On the rare occasion that a mobile ticket takes longer than a few minutes to come through, there are some troubleshooting steps you can try:
- Check your network connection and try toggling your phone between wifi and mobile data.
- Force close and reopen the app.
- Double check that the card charge went through successfully by checking your account.
- Contact the ticket seller or app support team for assistance.
This should help identify and resolve any issues that are slowing down the delivery. The goal of mobile ticketing is to get the ticket to you as quickly as possible, so support teams are well-equipped to troubleshoot any delays in the process.
Average Delivery Times by Service
Now that we’ve looked at the factors that can impact delivery times, let’s examine some actual data on average delivery times for different mobile ticketing services and use cases.
Transportation Tickets
For public transportation mobile tickets, the delivery times are generally under a minute.
Service | Average Delivery Time |
---|---|
Amtrak Mobile Ticketing App | Under 30 seconds |
Greyhound Mobile Ticketing | Under 1 minute |
Uber Mobile Boarding Pass | Instant |
Lyft Mobile Boarding Pass | Instant |
As you can see, major transportation providers are able to deliver mobile tickets immediately as they have optimized processes in place. For bus and train trips, you should receive your mobile ticket within one minute at most. Rideshares tend to deliver boarding passes instantly.
Sporting Events
For mobile ticketing to sporting events, delivery times depend largely on traffic levels to the ticketing app or website.
Event | Average Delivery Time |
---|---|
Smaller/local event | Under 1 minute |
Major league game (Average traffic) | 1-2 minutes |
Major league game (Peak traffic) | 2-5 minutes |
Championship game or major event | 5+ minutes |
Apps for major league teams see very high volumes of ticket sales, which can occasionally lead to slightly slower delivery times. But on average, sporting event mobile tickets arrive within 1-2 minutes for major league games.
Concerts
Similarly to sporting events, mobile ticket delivery times for concerts correlate with the level of ticket traffic.
Event | Average Delivery Time |
---|---|
Small music venue | Under 1 minute |
Major concert (Average traffic) | 1-2 minutes |
Major concert (Peak traffic) | 2-5 minutes |
Music festival | 5+ minutes |
Concerts and music festivals tend to see high demand during presales and when tickets initially go on sale, which can sometimes cause minor delays. But outside of the immediate rush, delivery typically happens within 1-2 minutes.
Theater/Performing Arts
For smaller theater shows, mobile tickets are delivered instantly. Larger shows that drive high ticket sales volumes can see slightly extended delivery times.
Event | Average Delivery Time |
---|---|
Local theater production | Instant |
Broadway/West End Show | 1-2 minutes |
Smaller Events
For one-off events or very small venues, mobile ticket delivery is extremely fast. This includes events like:
- Comedy club shows
- Small music performances
- Local fairs/festivals
- Minor league sports
- Smaller conferences
Without high traffic levels, these types of events can deliver mobile tickets instantly in most cases.
Factors Within Your Control
While there are some external factors that affect delivery timelines, there are also some things ticket purchasers can do to optimize speed:
Download Apps in Advance
By downloading the airline app, venue app, or ticket seller app in advance, you can save time as you won’t have to download and install when making the actual ticket purchase. Having the app pre-loaded helps expedite delivery.
Save Payment Info
Similarly, saving your payment information and details in the app can shave time off the purchase and delivery process. You won’t have to enter any information when buying tickets, allowing the transaction to happen faster.
Avoid Peak Traffic Times
Major onsales often slow down delivery times due to heavy traffic. When possible, purchase at off-peak times to have the fastest delivery speeds. For example, buying concert tickets a week after the onsale will be faster than buying during the presale.
Limit Distractions
Avoid making a ticket purchase when you have a poor internet connection or are juggling other apps and distractions. Focus just on the ticketing app to ensure the fastest, most seamless transaction.
Conclusion
In the vast majority of cases, mobile event and transportation tickets are delivered instantly or within 1-2 minutes. Delays beyond a couple of minutes are very rare, and usually only seen during peak traffic sales rushes for major events and games. To optimize delivery speed, download relevant ticketing apps in advance, save your payment details, avoid peak traffic times where possible, and limit distractions when making the purchase. With more and more events going mobile-only for ticketing, delivery times will only continue to improve over time as processes are streamlined. Within a couple of years, we may see near instant delivery become the norm across all event types and genres.