Finest bank cards for live shows

Editor’s word: It is a recurring submit, often up to date with new data and presents.

We realized lots in the course of the Taylor Swift ticket frenzy of 2022, however one of the essential 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 way more to the perfect rewards bank cards than simply the rewards you earn by means of spending. However many playing cards provide a significant perk past streaming credit or buy safety: VIP entry to live shows, video games and different stay leisure.

Whereas we do not essentially advocate getting a bank card only for VIP entry, it is useful to know what’s obtainable to you as you intend to your subsequent live performance, large sport or Broadway present. Plus, when you’re attempting to resolve which card to get subsequent, the VIP entry choices every card presents is perhaps one thing you need to think about.

We’ll stroll by means of the bank card packages that provide you with entry to those VIP experiences and spotlight our picks for the perfect bank card for live shows and different stay leisure purchases.

All American Categorical cardmembers obtain Leisure Entry advantages (this system title that encompasses all different advantages) that embody ticket presales and cardmember-only occasions in choose cities. Examples of occasions at this degree embody Broadway musicals comparable to Sweeney Todd and Six, in addition to festivals like Coachella and NBA tickets.

Regardless that Leisure Entry is out there for all cardholders, sure occasions might require you to have a extra premium card to unlock ticket presales.

Premium American Categorical playing cards, comparable to The Platinum Card® from American Categorical and the American Categorical® Gold Card have entry to particular seating at sure occasions by means of the American Categorical Most well-liked Seating program. Enrollment is required for choose advantages.

On the extra unique facet, “By Invitation Solely” occasions are as they sound: you may want an invite. At the moment, the occasions on this class are open to Amex Platinum and Centurion® members. These presents embody entry to associate occasions, together with a New York Instances Cooking occasion and a collection of unique wellness experiences by Equinox x American Categorical.

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Amex has additionally featured suites and lounges on the U.S. Open and Wimbledon, which could return sooner or later. Moreover, Amex is F1 Americas’ Official Funds Companion, 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 stay leisure, do not forget about Amex’s VIP eating choices by means of their partnership with Resy. Cardmembers have entry to the International Eating Entry program that gives members “unique reservations, precedence notification, early entry to particular experiences and a VIP Diner Badge.”

The Platinum Card® from American Categorical

Undoubtedly, the Amex Platinum card unlocks probably the most American Categorical VIP entry choices. With this card, you may get three ranges of VIP occasion entry: Leisure Entry, American Categorical Most well-liked Seating and By Invitation Solely.

Annual price: $695 (see charges and costs)

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: Regardless that this card will not earn you any bonus factors for ticket purchases, the entry it presents is unbeatable. Plus, in case your live performance requires you to journey, you may 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 12 months, then 1 level per greenback) and 5 factors per greenback on pay as you go inns booked with Amex Journey.

For extra data, take a look at our full assessment of the Amex Platinum.

Apply right here: The Platinum Card® from American Categorical

Associated: Finest American Categorical bank cards

All Capital One cardholders take pleasure in the advantages obtainable by means of Capital One Leisure. These advantages embody presale tickets and VIP packages for sure occasions, particular on-site perks (comparable 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 you will discover on Capital One’s web site.

Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card

Annual price: $395 (see charges and costs)

Welcome bonus: Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases inside the first three months from account opening. TPG values this bonus at $1,388.

Incomes charges: Earn 10 miles per greenback on inns 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 may 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 (value a minimum of $100 towards journey).

For extra data, take a look at our full assessment of the Enterprise X.

Be taught extra: Capital One Enterprise X Rewards Credit score Card

Capital One Enterprise X Enterprise Credit score Card

Annual price: $395 (see charges and costs)

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 inns 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 may 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 International Entry or TSA PreCheck.

For extra particulars, take a look at our full assessment of the Enterprise X Enterprise.

Be taught extra: Capital One Enterprise X Enterprise Credit score Card

Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card

Annual price: $95 (see charges and costs)

Welcome bonus: Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases inside the first three months from account opening. TPG values this bonus at $1,388.

Incomes charges: Earn 5 miles per greenback on inns and rental automobiles booked by means of 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 and a pair of miles per greenback on ticket purchases, you may have entry to reimbursement to your utility price to International Entry or TSA PreCheck.

For extra particulars, take a look at our full assessment of the Enterprise Rewards.

Be taught extra: Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card

Capital One Spark Miles for Enterprise Bank card

Annual price: $0 for the primary 12 months, then $95 (see charges and costs)

Welcome bonus: Earn 50,000 miles when you spend $4,500 on purchases inside the first three months of account opening. TPG values this bonus at $925.

Incomes charges: Earn 5 miles per greenback on inns and rental automobiles booked by means of 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: The Spark Miles for Enterprise earns easy rewards helpful to any enterprise with even an rare journey schedule, all with an annual price that is waived for the primary 12 months.

For extra particulars, take a look at our full assessment of the Spark Miles for Enterprise.

Be taught extra: Spark Miles for Enterprise

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 charges and costs) provide you with entry to Capital One Leisure and earn bonus factors in your leisure bills.

Annual price: $95 for the Savor and $0 for the SavorOne (see SavorOne charges and costs)

Welcome bonus: For the Savor, earn a one-time $300 money bonus when you spend $3,000 on purchases inside the first three months from account opening. For the SavorOne, earn a one-time $200 money bonus welcome bonus after spending $500 in purchases inside the first three months of account opening.

Why we like them: Each playing cards pull double responsibility: you may get VIP entry by means of Capital One Leisure and likewise earn bonus rewards in your leisure purchases. With each playing cards, you may 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 the perfect money again bank cards for getting live performance and different stay leisure tickets.

Take a look at our full card assessment of the Savor and our full card assessment of the Savor One to be taught extra about their incomes buildings and what forms 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 offered by the cardboard issuer.

Be taught extra: Capital One SavorOne Money Rewards Credit score Card

Associated: Finest Capital One bank cards

There are completely different ranges of Chase Experiences obtainable to cardholders relying on which product they’ve. These experiences may be paid for with money or factors, however Chase solely permits you to redeem at 1 cent in worth per level, which usually is not the perfect use of your Final Rewards factors.

Chase additionally has a partnership with culinary reservation platform Tock, which provides these with playing cards, together with the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and Ink Enterprise Most well-liked® Credit score Card, the flexibility to ebook VIP culinary occasions (alongside commonplace reservations) by means of the Final Rewards part within the Chase cellular app. Eating places embody HUSO in New York, Seven Causes in Washington, D.C. and the Protégé in Palo Alto, California.

Moreover, cardmembers obtain entry to the Chase lounge at choose venues comparable to Madison Sq. Backyard in New York and The Chicago Theater. Chase has additionally had a lounge on the U.S. Open, which could return sooner or later.

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

If VIP entry is essential to you, we advocate the Sapphire Reserve card. It can unlock all ranges of distinctive experiences Chase presents, so you may by no means miss out on the perfect seats or advance ticket gross sales.

Annual price: $550

Welcome provide: 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: Regardless that it will not earn you bonus factors to your live performance or different stay leisure ticket purchases, this can be a nice card to have. Along with granting you entry to the perfect of Chase’s distinctive leisure alternatives, you may get a $300 journey reimbursement to assist cowl the prices of any journey to your occasion.

For any further journey, you may earn 10 factors per greenback on inns and automotive leases and 5 factors per greenback on flights whenever you buy them by means of Chase Final Rewards. You will additionally earn 3 factors per greenback on all different journey 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, take a look at our full assessment of the Chase Sapphire Reserve.

Apply right here: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Chase Freedom Limitless®

In the event you care extra about incomes factors to your live performance ticket purchases than having each VIP alternative, we advocate the Freedom Limitless. You will earn a strong 1.5 factors per greenback in your ticket purchases and nonetheless have entry to lots of Chase’s distinctive experiences.

Annual price: $0

Welcome bonus: Earn an extra 1.5% money again on all the pieces you purchase (on as much as $20,000 spent within the first 12 months), value as much as $300 money again.

Why we prefer it: With this card, you may earn 1.5 factors per greenback on all purchases, so you’ll be able to really feel nice understanding you are incomes at a strong fee, whether or not you are shopping for live performance tickets or ordering your final fan outfit to put on to the present.

Plus, you may 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 may even be rewarded for going out to dinner earlier than the present and ordering a trip to get there.

For extra particulars, take a look at our full assessment of the Freedom Limitless.

Apply right here: Chase Freedom Limitless®

Associated: Finest Chase bank cards

Citi cardholders have entry to the Citi Leisure program, which presents presale entry to tickets, most popular seating and VIP packages for sports activities, leisure and eating occasions.

Present leisure presents embody tickets and packages for Billy Joel, The Chicks and P!NK, and discounted tickets for the Citi Genesis Invitational.

Citi Premier® Card

Annual price: $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 may earn bonus factors with this card irrespective of the way you get to your occasion. With it, you may earn 3 factors per greenback on air journey, inns, fuel 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 inns, automotive leases, and points of interest (excluding air journey) booked on the Citi Journey℠ Portal by means of June 30, 2024.

For extra particulars, take a look at our full assessment of the Citi Premier.

Apply right here: Citi Premier® Card (see charges and costs)

Associated: Finest Citi bank cards

Visa and Mastercard VIP Advantages

Past your card’s financial institution, its community may also grant you VIP entry. Remember to verify your card’s community to see your full checklist of VIP choices obtainable, comparable to these that include a World Elite Mastercard or Visa Infinite card.

For charges and costs of the Amex Platinum Card, click on right here.