How to Use Mobile Tickets? When Will I Receive My Tickets?

(Updated July 2023)

When will I receive my tickets?

The most asked question we get from our customers is “When will I receive my tickets?”. The answer always depends on the delivery method determined during checkout.

If you selected UPS shipping the tickets will be shipped on or around the expected in-hand date. Tickets will be shipped at a speed of 3 business days or less depending on the delivery type selected.
For electronic tickets it can largely depend on the customer taking steps to enable the transfer of tickets into their account.

This article will help to explain terms like Electronic Transfer, Mobile Delivery and Flash Seats. We’ll also share what steps are needed before your event to easily access these tickets. Understanding how you are going to receive your tickets, will help you know what to expect as your event approaches.

Mobile Tickets have replaced Hard Stock Tickets

The world of ticketing has changed a lot over our 30+ years in business, and nowhere more than in we get tickets to our customers. When we started just about every single ticket was printed paper. Today, electronic tickets, and specifically Mobile Tickets, are the method used most often. Less than 15% of the tickets sold on TicketCity are physical tickets printed on “hard stock” (i.e.- paper tickets). That percentage continues to drop as more teams, leagues, venues and promoters adopt Mobile Tickets. The trend was accelerated greatly by Covid’s impact on the live events industry.

The venues, teams and promoters issuing the tickets control what type of tickets are issued for each event. Sometimes the seller plays a role if they have converted the tickets to electronic from a hard stock format. As a ticket marketplace, we do not control what format of ticket you will receive, but we make sure we get your tickets, regardless of ticket type, into your control as quickly and easily as possible. We want to help you know what to expect once you complete your order with TicketCity.

What is Estimated Ship Date?

A first thing to do is check for an “Estimated Ship Date” listed for the tickets you selected. That date is when the seller of the tickets estimates they will be able to ship, deliver, or transfer the tickets to you. The lack of an “estimated ship date” does not necessarily mean that the tickets will ship immediately. In many cases, the seller did not provide a ship date, but rest assured: Our guarantee states that you will receive your tickets in time for your event. The “estimated ship date” is largely a holdover from a time when tickets would be coming to a mailbox and provided a guide when you may expect them.

What are electronic tickets? Making sure you're setup before the event and make sure you have smooth event entry. — Know your delivery type, get to your seat quicker

Electronic Delivery Methods

Mobile Delivery

Mobile Delivery, or Mobile Tickets, have become the new standard ticket delivery method since the start of Covid in 2020. You’ll get an image instead of a .pdf file. This ticket type must be displayed at the entry gate on your smart phone. It will not be accepted as a print out on a sheet of paper. Many of the ticket listings on our site will have a note that indicated mobile delivery.

Some recommendations for Mobile Tickets:

Have your phone charged up when you get to the gate – It can very time consuming to get the tickets reissued at box office (if they are able to at all).
Save your mobile tickets to Apple Wallet or Google Wallet app on your phone. This way you can easily find them on your phone as you arrive at the venue entrance gate.

Electronic Transfer

Electronic transfer tickets will require you to create an account account on the venue’s platform, or a 3rd-party platform, and will ask for your basic contact information including: name, cell phone number and email address. Once you have an account on that platform, or their mobile app, then you will be sent a transfer of the tickets you can accept into that newly created account. If you’re a frequent traveler the process is very similar to using an electronic boarding pass at the airport.

We recognize that this additional step of needing to download another app, or register on the platform of another venue or ticket company, is an extra step that you have to make. We do everything in power to make the process as quick and painless as possible for you, but this policy is set by the venue, team or promoter. Many say these additional steps are for their security purposes to reduce fraud, but we know its also allows them to market to you.

Some recommendations for Electronic Transfer Tickets:

If you already have an account with the venue or team – make sure you know your password (or reset it to something you know) ahead of time, that way when its time to transfer you have one less thing to do.
Many Apps will allow you to add your tickets to Apple Wallet or Google Wallet and access them that way – we recommend doing this before you head to the gate to enter your event.

With mobile entry, you will be able to enter an event without the need of a physical ticket. No more worries about losing a ticket or realizing you left your ticket at home the moment you arrive at the venue. You can now use the mobile app or go to the primary seller’s website via the web browser on your mobile device to access your order and present the ticket bar code. The staff will scan it as if it was a physical ticket and you’re in.

You’ll get detailed instructions with your order. Below is an example of how the process usually works:

Step 1: Accept your tickets

Once we initiate the transfer (SENT TO THE EMAIL WE HAVE ON FILE, UNLESS YOU NOTIFY US OTHERWISE), you will receive an email asking you to accept the tickets.
Click to accept the tickets. From your account home page either:
- Log in to your account with your information (if you already have an account)
- Create an account with the email address to receive tickets
Once you’ve logged into your account and accepted the ticket transfer you will see your tickets listed

It’s important that you compete this step as soon as possible after we initiate your transfer. Many venues only allow the transfer to be available for a set amount of time after it’s started.

Step 2: Access them in the app

Log in to the MOBILE APP with the same information as above
In the second tab, click “Event Day Essentials” > My Tickets > Sign In – once you’ve signed in with your ACCOUNT INFO, your tickets will appear on the screen in QR code format
You will use these codes to enter the venue; simply bring them up on your phone and the staff will scan directly from there

AXS Mobile ID (previously Flash Seats)

AXS Mobile ID is a form of paperless ticketing that prevents tickets from duplication or loss. Tickets can be utilized from the AXS mobile app.

Please follow these steps on how to set up your account and access your transferred tickets:

Step 1: Accept the tickets

Once we initiate the transfer (SENT TO THE EMAIL WE HAVE ON FILE UNLESS YOU NOTIFY US OTHERWISE), you will receive an email letting you know the transfer has been initiated. Note: this will come from axs.com, so be sure to check your spam folder.

Step 2: Create an account

If you do NOT have an AXS account set up under the email address we have on file for you, you will need to click the link in the email from AXS to access the tickets and set up an account

Step 3: Access Tickets

If you are utilizing the AXS mobile app from your smartphone, simply log in with your username and password you set up the account with and they will scan the tickets from your phone; more app information here: https://support.axs.com/hc/en-us/articles/201086644-How-do-I-get-the-AXS-App-

Instant Download & Email Delivery

Print at home tickets had been the most mature electronic delivery method, where just a few years ago 40% of the tickets we sold were in this category. The rise of Mobile Tickets has taken a lot of the market from Print at Home Tickets, but they are still in use by many venues. Instant Download and Email Delivery are essentially same as far as the format of tickets you will receive. With either you will receive an email with a link to a download and print your tickets. Almost all downloads are in .pdf format. You may also find the link on your order status page if the seats are ready. Instant Download seats are typically available for print within 5 minutes of confirming the order.

Instant Download and Email Delivery tickets must be printed to guarantee admittance. Many venues will not scan this type of ticket if not printed onto a piece of paper before arriving.

What are etickets or flash seats?
Knowing your ticket delivery types can ensure a great event. — A few steps before the event can make sure you get right to the excitement.

Special Delivery

Special Delivery tickets are only used for a small percentage of events, or listed tickets, and usually require you to pick up the tickets at a pre-arranged location prior to the event. They are often used on events like the Masters golf tournament, where there is a unique ticket type (e.g.- a daily badge) or for high dollar value tickets, like Super Bowl tickets, that are not replaceable.

Special Delivery pick-up instructions will be provided to you by our customer service team in the week leading up to your event. You should not be concerned if the pick-up instructions are not included when you checkout to buy the tickets, as it is common to not share these instructions publicly – so they can instead by relayed privately and directly by email, or phone, to only the customers who purchased those particular tickets. Remember you can always call our call center directly (365 days a year) with any questions on your Special Delivery tickets.

Shipped Tickets

When we started in the ticket business, this was the most common way to get tickets to our customers. We would send them via FedEx, UPS, DHL or even the USPS. Today shipping “hard stock” tickets is rare due to the number of electronic and mobile ticket delivery types. The good news is – it’s a lot harder to lose a package in the mail, when there is mail involved! There are certain events that continue to rely on physical tickets including the Super Bowl and Masters (who uses “badges”), but these are exceptions now. That said, we still ship out thousands of packages per year to deliver tickets to our customers. The most common carrier we use is:

UPS

Most “hard stock” tickets ship via UPS. UPS Basic is the most economical choice and delivers in 2-3 days. If you or your event is not in the United States international shipping rates will apply, but shipping speed will still be around 3 business days. Near term events may require Overnight or Saturday Delivery or you can opt for Overnight delivery if you need the tickets sooner. UPS may require a signature for successful delivery, so be sure to take that into account. For all shipped tickets, please take note that there is an extra shipping fee that is shared at checkout. That shipping fee can be expensive for last-minute delivery, overnight, or Saturday delivery; so we recommend shopping early as possible. We also cannot control issues that may occur on a UPS shipment that is delayed by weather, or other carrier issues.

Questions about your delivery type? Please reach out to our call center directly where one of the customer service agents can answer your questions. Our direct line is 1-800-918-2612 or our full Contact Info is here.

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