You’re dying to see Taylor Swift when she performs in concert in Philadelphia on Aug. 6. Or maybe you’d rather nab tickets to country superstar Kenny Chesny’s show in Des Moines on March 24.
Either way, you can grab your tickets to both superstars’ shows before the general public gets a crack at them if you happen to hold an American Express credit card.
As one of the perks it offers to cardholders, American Express runs the Entertainment Access program. At the program’s home page American Express members can scroll through thousands of concerts and other events each day. Card members can then order tickets to these events before the general public can.
Participating in the program, though, does require that American Express card members follow some rules. Fortunately, the rules are fairly simple.
Required Cards
To participate in the program, consumers must own an American Express card. The kind of card doesn’t matter; as long as it says “American Express” on it, it’s valid for the Entertainment Access Program.
Finding Shows
Consumers who want to buy concert tickets early can log onto the Entertainment Access program’s home page and search for concerts taking place near them. The site allows consumers to search by event type, location, date and individual performer.
Events are broken down into different types. Categories include concerts, films, sports, family fun and theater.
Events available recently at the site include the 2011 Wimbledon tennis championships, the already mentioned Taylor Swift concert, a concert by pop star Kylie Minogue and a performance by rock industry veterans Rod Stewart and Stevie Nicks.
Purchasing Tickets
To purchase tickets for an event or concert, consumers can click on the “Buy Tickets” button below each concert, film or event. Each event will have a presale date, or range of dates, during which cardholders can purchase their tickets before they go on sale to the general public.
The Fine Print
To participate in the Entertainment Access program, consumers must purchase their tickets with an American Express card. It’s not enough to just have one of these cards.
It’s important to note, too, that not all seats will be available. Concerts and other events are also subject to blackout dates and other restrictions.
Finally, and this is an important consideration, tickets purchased through American Express’ Entertainment Access system can’t be refunded or exchanged. All sales through the program are final.
