There are many types of tickets available on SeatGeek! The format and delivery timeline will always depend on the policies set by your event and may vary, but we have compiled the most common ones, as well as some FAQs, below.
Electronic and mobile tickets
Electronic tickets include any ticket which is sent to you in electronic form (including PDF print-at-home tickets). Mobile tickets are tickets which are sent to you via a specific online or mobile app platform and must be displayed from your mobile device (i.e. smart phone).
Instant Download
Instant Downloads are e-tickets that are delivered directly to your SeatGeek account. Some may need to be printed at home and will say so. Most are available just minutes after you purchase them.
Mobile Transfer
Mobile transfers are tickets that are delivered via an email or link from a third-party (often venue or team-specific platforms) and need to be presented at the event gate in the format they are sent (outside of your SeatGeek account) with an Android device or iPhone. Mobile Transfers are sometimes available right away, but most are not made available by the venue until 24 to 48 hours before the event. For more information, click here.
AXS or AXS Transfer
AXS is a platform used by many venues to house and send their tickets. Much like Mobile Transfers, these will be sent via an email with a link to accept your tickets, but many AXS tickets are rolled into a single Mobile ID (a mobile QR code which contains all tickets within an AXS account). AXS tickets are usually available around 24 hours before the event. For more information, click here.
Box Office
Box office tickets are sold on SeatGeek directly from the venue's box office. These are mobile QR code tickets which will be displayed in your SeatGeek account - usually within a few minutes of placing your order! Sometimes, box office tickets will be made available at a later date closer to the event. For info on all of SeatGeek's box office partners, click here.
Physical and shipped tickets
Physical and shipped tickets are just what they sound like! These include traditional paper or card stock tickets, as well as wearable tickets like lanyards and wristbands. some must be shipped to you prior to the event while others may be made available at the Venue.
If tickets need to be shipped to you, you will receive a tracking number after placing your order. We suggest checking that tracking number as the event draws near as tickets are often not printed and shipped until closer to the event date.
Paper or Hardstock
Hardstock tickets are traditional paper (or card stock) tickets that will be shipped to you via UPS or FedEx. Often times, tickets are shipped out a couple weeks before the event, but sometimes it is closer to the event date, in which case they may not arrive at your door until only a day or two before the event. SeatGeek is not able to expedite, influence, or change these dates and we are not always made aware of the shipping date beforehand. But not to worry! If you are expecting to travel to your event, we recommend selecting a delivery address nearby the venue (like your hotel, AirBnB, or a UPS location).
Local Pick-up and Will Call
Local Pick-Up tickets are physical tickets that need to be picked up in person. These include tickets that are left for you at will call and tickets that need to be picked up from a representative from the broker's ticket offices. Local Pick-Up tickets are very rare but are sometimes required and most must be picked up on the day of the event. You will receive all the information (address, time, date...etc) of the pick up as the event draws near.
Lanyards and Badges
Some events require attendees to wear their tickets as lanyards or badges. This is most often seen in golf tournaments like the Masters Tournament and may need to be returned at the end of an event. These types of tickets will either be delivered by mail a couple days before the event or will be available to pick up on the day of the event at Will Call. Your order confirmation email will let you know which to expect.
Wristbands
Wristbands are a type of physical ticket worn around the wrist. They might be paper or plastic with a sticky glue closure, or they may be fabric or thread with a tightening or tie-on closure. Wristbands are most commonly used by multi-day music and arts festivals. These types of tickets will either be delivered by mail couple days before the event or will be available to pick up on the day of the event at Will Call. Your order confirmation email will let you know which to expect.
Note:
Wristbands are usually not re-usable and, once they are closed or tightened, they generally cannot be opened or loosened. Wristbands which are broken, cut, lost, worn out, or heavily faded due to actions taken by their owner will be invalidated by event staff and SeatGeek will not be able to replace them. Because of this, we encourage you to only put your wristband on once you are on the way to your event, not before.
What if I bought my tickets on the day of the event?
Listings for tickets which must be shipped or organized at Will Call prior to event day will generally be removed from SeatGeek on the day of the event, as there will not be enough time for the tickets to be prepared or shipped. E-tickets, however, can often be purchased right up to the start of an event (depending on event policies)! There may still be a slight delay in receiving your tickets if you purchase them on the day of the event. Remember that, in many cases, the broker must manually send you your electronic tickets.
If you purchase tickets and the event is within a couple hours, you will receive your tickets in time for the event start. If the event is in less than an hour or has already started, you should receive your tickets within a matter of minutes.
Can I change the format of my tickets or ticket type?
No, the format and delivery method are not things that can be changed as these are decided upon at the sole discretion of the venue prior to tickets being sold. SeatGeek and our sellers cannot change or influence the format or type of ticket sold for any event. For example, if a ticket is a mobile ticket or electronic ticket, it cannot be shipped to you as a paper ticket.
Before placing an order, ticket formats will always be displayed on the ticket listings page and at checkout. After placing an order, the ticket format will be displayed in your account's Tickets section and in your order confirmation email. While rare, some events may have multiple ticket formats. If you prefer one format over another, you can filter ticket listings or check multiple listings for different methods of entry.
Can I get shipping or delivery expedited?
Generally speaking, no. The event venue will decide when tickets are made available, and short delays may occur for tickets which are not marked as Box Office or Instant Download due to the manual nature of ticket brokers having to send or ship out tickets. SeatGeek will always offer you options, including the fastest shipping available, for tickets which must be sent through the mail.
Your order is backed by our Buyer Guarantee, so we make sure you'll receive your tickets in time for the event or we make it right. If you haven't received your tickets within their respective timeframe, please contact us by scrolling down and tapping Contact Support while viewing your order in the SeatGeek app. Click here to see how.
My phone doesn't support apps. Can my tickets be mailed instead?
Many venues are changing to mobile-only tickets which require the use of an app or website to be displayed. SeatGeek cannot change the delivery method for your tickets (For example, we cannot mail tickets which are meant to be displayed from a mobile device), but if your phone does not support the use of apps, here are a couple ways you may still be able to use your tickets:
- Check your SeatGeek account Tickets section to see if your tickets may be printed instead.
- If your phone can access the internet, try looking up the home page of the ticket platform (SeatGeek or the third-party sender of your tickets) and logging into your account there instead of the app. Mobile tickets can usually be displayed from the mobile web.
- Use a mobile device other than your phone if the venue will allow you to bring it inside (you could use the app on a tablet, for example).
- If you are going to the event with other people, send your tickets to them so they can display them off one of their phones or mobile devices.
Remember that the delivery method and format is included in all listings on SeatGeek before checkout so always double check the delivery method before placing an order.