The Eras Tour was Taylor Swift’s fifth concert tour in support of her albums 1989, Reputation, Speak Now, Red, and Fearless. The tour began on March 17, 2018 in Glendale, Arizona and concluded on November 21, 2018 in Tokyo, Japan. The Eras Tour played 53 shows in stadiums and arenas across North America, Europe, Asia, and Oceania. It was Swift’s first tour since the Reputation Stadium Tour in 2018.
Why Was It Called The Eras Tour?
The Eras Tour was named as such because it celebrated the different musical eras of Swift’s career. Each show was split into five segments, with one segment focused on each of her first five studio albums. Swift played hits from 1989, Reputation, Speak Now, Red, and Fearless in chronological order. This allowed fans to experience the evolution of her music and performances over the years.
Ticket Prices
Ticket prices for The Eras Tour varied by city and venue. General ticket prices ranged from around $49 USD on the low end to $599 USD on the high end before fees:
Section | Average Ticket Price |
---|---|
Lower Level/Floor | $325 |
Lower Level End | $275 |
Lower Level Corner | $150 |
Upper Level End | $125 |
Upper Level Corner | $49 |
Here are some examples of average ticket prices in specific cities:
City | Average Price |
---|---|
Los Angeles | $597 |
East Rutherford | $338 |
Chicago | $293 |
Foxborough | $241 |
Denver | $203 |
As you can see, ticket prices were the highest on average in Los Angeles at around $597 before fees. The cheapest average prices were in Denver at $203. Coastal markets like Los Angeles and East Rutherford (New York metro area) commanded the highest prices.
Why Did Prices Vary So Much?
There are a few key factors that drove the variation in ticket prices for The Eras Tour:
- Venue size and location – Larger stadium venues allowed for more high-priced floor seats, while smaller arena venues had fewer. Coastal cities like LA and New York had the most demand.
- Market demand – Cities where Taylor Swift tickets sell out quickest saw the highest resale prices.
- Tour announcement – Tickets purchased pre-sale during the tour announcement were cheaper than those bought after sellouts.
- Row and section – Floor and lower bowl seats cost more than upper levels and ends.
Ultimately supply and demand economics, driven by Swift’s immense popularity, caused the wide range in what fans paid for Eras Tour show tickets.
VIP & Resale Ticket Prices
In addition to standard ticket pricing, there were more expensive VIP packages and resale tickets available for The Eras Tour.
VIP Packages
The Eras Tour had premium VIP ticket packages with extra perks like merchandise, food, and a chance to take photos on stage. Here are some of the key VIP packages and pricing:
Package | Price | Details |
---|---|---|
Snake Pit | $995 | Floor ticket, backstage tour, photo opp, merch |
Lover Lounge | $550 | Premium floor ticket, pre-show lounge, merch |
Rep Room | $299 | Early venue entry, merch |
The highest tier Snake Pit package went for nearly $1,000 while the cheaper Rep Room was around $300. These premium options gave fans exclusive experiences for 2-4 times the standard ticket costs.
Resale Prices
Due to incredible demand, The Eras Tour was one of the top-selling concert tours on secondary sites like StubHub. Here are some average resale prices fans paid:
City | Resale Price |
---|---|
Los Angeles | $1,241 |
Foxborough | $889 |
Seattle | $757 |
Chicago | $614 |
Resale prices ended up 2-5 times higher than face value prices for The Eras Tour. For example, LA tickets averaged $1,241 resale versus $597 at face value. The massive demand led to huge markups.
How Ticket Prices Compared To Other Swift Tours
Compared to Taylor Swift’s previous stadium tours, The Eras Tour had much higher average ticket prices:
Tour | Average Ticket Price |
---|---|
Fearless Tour (2009-10) | $43 |
Speak Now Tour (2011-12) | $57 |
Red Tour (2013-14) | $90 |
1989 Tour (2015) | $143 |
Reputation Tour (2018) | $239 |
The Eras Tour (2018) | $283 |
A few key reasons for the steady price increase over Swift’s career:
- More album releases and hit songs drove up demand from her expanding fan base.
- Swift graduated from theaters and arenas to large stadium venues that had higher ticket ceilings.
- Her reputation as an elite live performer increased, bolstering ticket demand.
- Higher prices for VIP experiences were introduced.
While still affordable compared to many other music icons, Swift’s average ticket prices showed her immense popularity and staying power over multiple tours and albums.
How Fans Paid For Tickets
There were a few options for fans to purchase tickets for Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour:
Primary Onsale
Tickets first went on sale to the general public through Ticketmaster for North American dates and local promoters like Live Nation for international legs. Fans could buy tickets online and through phone orders. Tickets purchased during the primary onsale were the most affordable.
Pre-Sales
Special pre-sales offered early access to tickets before the public onsale through:
- TaylorSwift.com – Fans who pre-registered had exclusive pre-sale code access.
- Spotify – Free Spotify users got limited pre-sale ticket codes.
- Citi Cardholder – Citi credit card holders got special pre-sale access.
- Venue/Radio Pre-Sales – Select local fan clubs and radio stations held pre-sales.
These presales allowed Swift’s biggest fans early access to the best seat selections.
Official Platinum Seats
Ticketmaster offered special “Official Platinum Seats” for The Eras Tour with market-based pricing, similar to airline tickets. These tickets cost 2-5x the price of standard seats.
Verified Resale
Fans reselling extra tickets through Ticketmaster’s Verified Resale program was a safe way for fans to get tickets at above face value prices.
General Resale Sites
Stubhub, Vivid Seats, SeatGeek and TickPick allowed fans to resell and purchase Eras Tour tickets, often at inflated prices compared to face value costs. These sites had the most variance in ticket pricing.
Why Did The Eras Tour Sell Out So Quickly?
When tickets first went on sale in November 2021 during the initial tour announcement, most Eras Tour dates sold out in minutes. Here are some of the key factors that contributed to the incredible demand:
- Massive fan base – Taylor Swift has some of the most loyal and dedicated fans in music with over 200 million social media followers.
- First tour in 4 years – The Eras Tour was Swift’s first stadium outing since 2018, driving huge pent-up demand.
- Celebrating past hits – Fans loved the concept of a tour through all of Swift’s musical eras and hit songs.
- FOMO – The fear of missing out and scarcity of tickets due to small venue sizes relative to her fan base fueled panic buying.
- Bots and scalpers – Computer bots and ticket resellers scooped up large amounts of tickets during onsales making them unavailable to actual fans.
The overwhelming interest, paired with limited ticket supply, meant only the luckiest and savviest fans were able to get tickets for The Eras Tour upon initial release.
When Did Additional Tour Dates Go On Sale?
Due to extraordinary demand during the tour announcement, Swift added 25 more shows in existing cities in November 2021 and April 2022. Cities like Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago got 1-2 extra dates. Fans who missed out initially got more opportunities to purchase tickets.
Top Tips For Buying Tickets
Given the immediate sellouts, getting tickets for Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour took skill and good fortune. Here are some top tips for fans trying to buy tickets to upcoming Taylor Swift tours:
- Pre-register and get pre-sale codes – This gives you first dibs before the general public.
- Be ready right at the onsale time with an account prepped – Have payment info saved so you can check out in seconds.
- Try for single seats rather than groups – Buying solo seats together gives you many more options.
- Focus on upper levels or “obstructed view” seats first – These are way cheaper and sell out slower than lower bowls.
- Use Ticketmaster over a resale site – You’ll pay 3-5x less buying from the primary ticket provider.
- Be patient and ready on resale sites if you miss out – Prices usually drop over time as tour dates approach.
While The Eras Tour ticket buying was frantic, having a strategy, being prepared, and acting quickly gave Swifties the best chance at great seats for a reasonable price.
How To Get Refunds Or Resell Tickets
For fans who aren’t able to attend a show for The Eras Tour, getting a refund or reselling can recoup some of the ticket cost:
Refund Options
Fans could get full refunds from Ticketmaster within 30 days if the tickets were:
- Purchased during presales or the Verified Fan onsale
- For a show that was rescheduled
- Along with a denied entry to the event due to COVID protocols
Outside of those scenarios, holders of non-resale tickets could resell them on authorized sites until showtime to get some money back.
Reselling Tickets
Fans could resell Eras Tour tickets through:
- Ticketmaster’s Verified Resale
- StubHub
- VividSeats
- SeatGeek
- TickPick
Prices often dropped below face value as show dates approached on these sites. Sellers recouped a portion of the original ticket price.
Buyers could get last minute deals, but paid higher fees to use these resale marketplaces.
Future Taylor Swift Tour Costs
What can fans expect to pay for the recently announced Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour in 2023? Here are some predictions:
- Average ticket prices will be $350-$450 based on The Eras Tour prices
- New VIP packages will offer more tiers at higher price points like $1,500+
- Additional shows will be added in top markets like Los Angeles and New York to help balance demand
- Pre-sale and Verified Fan registration will be more heavily utilized to reach true Swifties first
- Resale prices could reach 2-3x face value prices due to scarcity
While still a major investment, Taylor Swift tickets are an unforgettable experience for fans. The 2023 Taylor Swift tour will undoubtedly be her biggest production yet based on soaring ticket demand and prices.
Conclusion
Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour ticket prices ranged widely based on seat location, city, source, and demand. Fans paid anywhere from $49 for cheap upper level seats to over $1,200 for VIP packages and resales. Coastal cities like Los Angeles and New York saw the highest prices. Sold out shows, limited venues, and Swift’s unprecedented popularity fueled intense demand and difficult ticket buying experiences. For her upcoming 2023 tour, fans can expect even higher price points and competition to get tickets. While costly, seeing Taylor Swift live in concert is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that her true fans won’t want to miss. Careful planning and smart ticket buying strategies will be required to secure seats at reasonable prices.