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We discovered lots in the course of the Taylor Swift ticket frenzy of 2022, however one of the necessary classes was that having the precise bank card in your pockets can provide you a leg as much as get coveted live performance tickets.
Savvy cardholders know there’s rather more to the best rewards credit cards than simply the rewards you earn by means of spending. However many playing cards supply a significant perk past streaming credits or purchase protection: VIP entry to live shows, video games and different reside leisure.
Whereas we do not essentially suggest getting a bank card only for VIP entry, it is useful to know what’s out there to you as you propose on your subsequent live performance, huge sport or Broadway present. Plus, if you happen to’re attempting to resolve which card to get subsequent, the VIP entry choices every card gives could be one thing you need to think about.
We’ll stroll by means of the bank card applications that provide you with entry to those VIP experiences and spotlight our picks for one of the best bank card for live shows and different reside leisure purchases.
American Specific
All American Specific cardmembers obtain Entertainment Access benefits (this system title that encompasses all different advantages) that embody ticket presales and cardmember-only occasions in choose cities. Examples of occasions at this stage embody Broadway musicals similar to Sweeney Todd and Six, in addition to festivals like Coachella and NBA tickets.
Despite the fact that Leisure Entry is obtainable for all cardholders, sure occasions could require you to have a extra premium card to unlock ticket presales.
Premium American Specific playing cards, similar to The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card have entry to particular seating at sure occasions by means of the American Specific Most well-liked Seating program. Enrollment is required for choose advantages.
On the extra unique aspect, “By Invitation Solely” occasions are as they sound: you will want an invite. Presently, the occasions on this class are open to Amex Platinum and Centurion® members. These gives embody entry to associate occasions, together with a New York Instances Cooking occasion and a collection of unique wellness experiences by Equinox x American Specific.
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Amex has additionally featured suites and lounges at the U.S. Open and Wimbledon, which could return sooner or later. Moreover, Amex is F1 Americas’ Official Payments Partner, so Amex members obtain early entry tickets to F1 Grand Prix races globally and on-site advantages at races in North, Central and South America.
And past reside leisure, remember about Amex’s VIP eating choices by means of their partnership with Resy. Cardmembers have entry to the Global Dining Access program that gives members “unique reservations, precedence notification, early entry to particular experiences and a VIP Diner Badge.”
The Platinum Card® from American Specific
Undoubtedly, the Amex Platinum card unlocks essentially the most American Specific VIP entry choices. With this card, you will get three ranges of VIP occasion entry: Leisure Entry, American Specific Most well-liked Seating and By Invitation Solely.
Annual payment: $695 (see rates and fees)
Welcome bonus: Earn 80,000 bonus factors after spending $8,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. TPG values this bonus at $1,600.
Why we prefer it: Despite the fact that this card will not earn you any bonus factors for ticket purchases, the entry it gives is unbeatable. Plus, in case your live performance requires you to journey, you will earn 5 factors per greenback on flights booked instantly with the airline or by means of Amex Journey (on as much as $500,000 on these purchases per calendar yr, then 1 level per greenback) and 5 factors per greenback on pay as you go accommodations booked with Amex Journey.
For extra info, try our full review of the Amex Platinum.
Apply right here: The Platinum Card® from American Express
Associated: Best American Express credit cards
Capital One
All Capital One cardholders take pleasure in the advantages out there by means of Capital One Entertainment. These advantages embody presale tickets and VIP packages for sure occasions, particular on-site perks (similar to early and precedence entry, celeb meet-and-greets and VIP lounges) and options that permit cardholders to improve experiences at occasions or buy tickets utilizing their Capital One miles, together with sports activities, live shows, theater and extra.
Capital One additionally has a partnership with OpenTable to assist cardholders rating hard-to-get reservations in choose cities throughout the U.S. There are additionally a number of different culinary-focused occasions held all year long that yow will discover on Capital One’s website.
Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card
Annual payment: $395 (see rates and fees)
Welcome bonus: Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases throughout the first three months from account opening. TPG values this bonus at $1,388.
Incomes charges: Earn 10 miles per greenback on accommodations and automotive leases booked through Capital One Journey, 5 miles per greenback on flights booked through Capital One Journey, 5 miles per greenback on purchases made by means of the Capital One Leisure platform and a pair of miles per greenback on all different purchases.
Why we prefer it: Along with incomes 5 miles per greenback on Capital One Leisure purchases, you will get $300 in credit yearly for bookings made by means of Capital One Journey and an anniversary bonus of 10,000 bonus miles each account anniversary, beginning in your first anniversary (price at the very least $100 towards journey).
For extra info, try our full review of the Venture X.
Study extra: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Enterprise X Enterprise Credit score Card
Annual payment: $395 (see rates and fees)
Welcome bonus: Earn 150,000 bonus miles after spending $30,000 within the first three months from account opening. TPG values this bonus at $2,775.
Incomes charges: Earn 10 miles per greenback on accommodations and automotive leases booked through Capital One Journey, 5 miles per greenback on flights booked through Capital One Journey, 5 miles per greenback on purchases made by means of the Capital One Leisure platform and a pair of miles per greenback on all different purchases.
Why we prefer it: Like its private counterpart, you will get $300 in credit yearly for bookings made by means of Capital One Journey, a ten,000-mile anniversary bonus, and an up-to-$100 assertion credit score for World Entry or TSA PreCheck.
For extra particulars, try our full review of the Venture X Business.
Study extra: Capital One Venture X Business Credit Card
Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card
Annual payment: $95 (see rates and fees)
Welcome bonus: Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases throughout the first three months from account opening. TPG values this bonus at $1,388.
Incomes charges: Earn 5 miles per greenback on accommodations and rental automobiles booked by means of Capital One Travel, 5 miles per greenback on purchases made by means of the Capital One Leisure platform and a pair of miles per greenback on all different purchases.
Why we prefer it: Along with incomes 5 miles per greenback on Capital One Leisure and a pair of miles per greenback on ticket purchases, you will have entry to reimbursement on your software payment to Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.
For extra particulars, try our full review of the Venture Rewards.
Study extra: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Spark Miles for Enterprise Bank card
Annual payment: $0 for the primary yr, then $95 (see rates and fees)
Welcome bonus: Earn 50,000 miles when you spend $4,500 on purchases throughout the first three months of account opening. TPG values this bonus at $925.
Incomes charges: Earn 5 miles per greenback on accommodations and rental automobiles booked by means of Capital One Travel, 5 miles per greenback on purchases made by means of the Capital One Leisure platform and a pair of miles per greenback on all different purchases.
Why we prefer it: The Spark Miles for Enterprise earns easy rewards helpful to any enterprise with even an rare journey schedule, all with an annual payment that is waived for the primary yr.
For extra particulars, try our full review of the Spark Miles for Business.
Study extra: Spark Miles for Business
Capital One Savor Money Rewards Credit score Card and Capital One SavorOne Money Rewards Credit score Card
Each the Capital One Savor and Capital One SavorOne (see rates and fees) provide you with entry to Capital One Leisure and earn bonus factors in your leisure bills.
Annual payment: $95 for the Savor and $0 for the SavorOne (see SavorOne rates and fees)
Welcome bonus: For the Savor, earn a one-time $300 money bonus when you spend $3,000 on purchases throughout the first three months from account opening. For the SavorOne, earn a one-time $200 money bonus welcome bonus after spending $500 in purchases throughout the first three months of account opening.
Why we like them: Each playing cards pull double responsibility: you will get VIP entry by means of Capital One Leisure and likewise earn bonus rewards in your leisure purchases. With each playing cards, you will earn 8% money again on purchases by means of Capital One Leisure and bonus money again on all different leisure purchases (4% with the Savor and three% with the SavorOne), making these simply two of one of the best money again bank cards for purchasing live performance and different reside leisure tickets.
Try our full card review of the Savor and our full card review of the Savor One to study extra about their incomes constructions and what varieties of leisure purchases earn bonus rewards.
The data for the Capital One Savor Card has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or supplied by the cardboard issuer.
Study extra: Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
Associated: Best Capital One credit cards
Chase
There are completely different ranges of Chase Experiences out there to cardholders relying on which product they’ve. These experiences could be paid for with money or factors, however Chase solely lets you redeem at 1 cent in worth per level, which typically is not the best use of your Ultimate Rewards points.
Chase additionally has a partnership with culinary reservation platform Tock, which provides these with playing cards, together with the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, the flexibility to guide VIP culinary occasions (alongside standard reservations) by means of the Final Rewards part within the Chase cell app. Eating places embody HUSO in New York, Seven Causes in Washington, D.C. and the Protégé in Palo Alto, California.
Moreover, cardmembers obtain access to the Chase lounge at choose venues similar to Madison Square Garden in New York and The Chicago Theater. Chase has additionally had a lounge at the U.S. Open, which could return sooner or later.
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
If VIP entry is necessary to you, we suggest the Sapphire Reserve card. It’ll unlock all ranges of distinctive experiences Chase gives, so you will by no means miss out on the best seats or advance ticket sales.
Annual payment: $550
Welcome supply: Earn 60,000 bonus factors after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. TPG values this bonus at $1,230.
Why we prefer it: Despite the fact that it will not earn you bonus factors on your live performance or different reside leisure ticket purchases, it is a nice card to have. Along with granting you entry to one of the best of Chase’s distinctive leisure alternatives, you will get a $300 journey reimbursement to assist cowl the prices of any journey to your occasion.
For any further journey, you will earn 10 factors per greenback on accommodations and automotive leases and 5 factors per greenback on flights if you buy them by means of Chase Final Rewards. You may additionally earn 3 factors per greenback on all different travel purchases, 10 factors per greenback in your Lyft to get there (by means of March 2025) and three factors per greenback on dinner earlier than your present.
For extra particulars on why we love this card, try our full review of the Chase Sapphire Reserve.
Apply right here: Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Chase Freedom Limitless®
When you care extra about incomes factors on your live performance ticket purchases than having each VIP alternative, we suggest the Freedom Limitless. You may earn a strong 1.5 factors per greenback in your ticket purchases and nonetheless have entry to a lot of Chase’s distinctive experiences.
Annual payment: $0
Welcome bonus: Earn an extra 1.5% money again on all the things you purchase (on as much as $20,000 spent within the first yr), price as much as $300 money again.
Why we prefer it: With this card, you will earn 1.5 factors per greenback on all purchases, so you may really feel nice realizing you are incomes at a strong price, whether or not you are shopping for live performance tickets or ordering your final fan outfit to put on to the present.
Plus, you will earn 3 factors per greenback on eating and drugstore purchases in addition to 5 factors per greenback on Lyft (by means of March 2025), so you will even be rewarded for going out to dinner earlier than the present and ordering a trip to get there.
For extra particulars, try our full review of the Freedom Unlimited.
Apply right here: Chase Freedom Unlimited®
Associated: Best Chase credit cards
Citi
Citi cardholders have entry to the Citi Entertainment program, which gives presale entry to tickets, most well-liked seating and VIP packages for sports activities, leisure and eating occasions.
Present leisure gives embody tickets and packages for Billy Joel, The Chicks and P!NK, and discounted tickets for the Citi Genesis Invitational.
Citi Premier® Card
Annual payment: $95
Welcome bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus factors after spending $4,000 within the first three months of account opening. TPG values this bonus at $1,080.
Why we prefer it: Along with granting you entry to all that Citi Leisure has to supply, you will earn bonus factors with this card regardless of the way you get to your occasion. With it, you will earn 3 factors per greenback on air journey, accommodations, gasoline stations and eating places, so you understand you are coated whether or not you are driving or flying to see your present.
For a restricted time, earn 10 factors per greenback on accommodations, automotive leases, and points of interest (excluding air journey) booked on the Citi Journey℠ Portal by means of June 30, 2024.
For extra particulars, try our full review of the Citi Premier.
Apply right here: Citi Premier® Card (see rates and fees)
Associated: Best Citi credit cards
Visa and Mastercard VIP Advantages
Past your card’s financial institution, its community may additionally grant you VIP entry. Do not forget to examine your card’s community to see your full listing of VIP choices out there, similar to these that include a World Elite Mastercard or Visa Infinite card.
Backside line
So much goes into a choice to use for a bank card: the welcome bonus, incomes charges, journey advantages and extra. However one thing else to contemplate is the experiences your bank card can unlock, whether or not which means presale tickets to your favourite band, behind-the-scenes entry at Broadway exhibits or cardholder-exclusive occasions around the globe.
Benefit from your subsequent occasion by utilizing among the finest bank cards for live performance tickets and VIP entry to reside occasions.
For charges and charges of the Amex Platinum Card, click on here.
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