10 Types of Tickets Every Event Host Should Know

Figuring out the right types of tickets for your event can feel like solving a Rubik's Cube in the dark. General admission? VIP? Early bird? It's a lot—especially when you're already juggling a dozen other things for your workshop, supper club, or community festival.

Your tickets aren't just a way to get people in the door. They're a revenue tool, an audience filter, and the first touchpoint of your event experience. Get them right, and you create a smooth, professional vibe. Get them wrong, and you're stuck with spreadsheet headaches and confused attendees.

We're cutting through the noise. This is a practical playbook for real organizers—no corporate buzzwords, no irrelevant categories. Just the ticket types your customers actually buy.

1. General Admission Tickets

This is your baseline: entry to the event with open access to the venue. Attendees choose their own spot—standing room, festival grounds, or open seating. It's the simplest, most flexible option for both you and your guests.

When to use: Perfect for festivals, networking events, pop-up dinners, markets, or any event where assigned seats don't matter. If you're running a casual, high-energy gathering, this is your go-to.

Pro-tip: Keep the purchase process dead simple. One click, one price, one QR code. Don't overcomplicate what should be frictionless.

2. Reserved Seating Tickets

Assigned seats give attendees certainty and help you maximize venue capacity. Each ticket corresponds to a specific seat, row, and section—critical for theaters, conferences, or any seated performance.

When to use: Theaters, conferences, formal galas, sporting events. Anywhere sightlines and personal space matter.

Pro-tip: Use a seating chart tool that lets buyers pick their own seats. Give early purchasers first dibs to create urgency. Make seat assignments crystal clear on the ticket to avoid door confusion.

3. Digital & Mobile Tickets

This isn't a separate ticket type—it's the modern delivery method. QR codes sent straight to email or mobile wallets. No paper, no printing, no lost tickets.

When to use: Every event. Full stop. Digital is now the default for speed, security, and sustainability.

Pro-tip: Remind attendees in your pre-event email to charge their phones and turn up screen brightness. Use a scanning app that works offline—Wi-Fi always flakes out at the worst moment.

4. Early Bird Tickets

A pricing strategy disguised as a ticket type. Offer a limited number of discounted tickets to reward early commitment and create momentum.

When to use: Launch ticket sales 2-3 months out with a clear deadline. Works for every event type—conferences, festivals, workshops.

Pro-tip: Make the discount meaningful (15-30% off) and the quantity truly limited. The scarcity drives urgency. Promote the deadline heavily; the FOMO is real.

5. Tiered Pricing Tickets

Progressive price levels that escalate as the event approaches. Early Bird → Regular → Last Chance. Same access, different price points based on timing.

When to use: When you want to incentivize early sales without locking yourself into one discount tier. Great for multi-day festivals or high-demand conferences.

Pro-tip: Be transparent about your tiers. Show the savings from buying early. Name your tiers clearly ("Early Bird," "Regular," "Late Bird") so buyers understand the urgency.

6. VIP & Premium Experience Tickets

The upgrade path for your biggest fans. VIP includes perks like backstage access, meet-and-greets, premium seating, or exclusive lounges. You're selling an elevated experience, not just entry.

When to use: Any event where you can create a clear value-add. Concerts, food festivals, conferences, even intimate workshops can have a "Chef's Table" tier.

Pro-tip: Spell out every perk in detail. "VIP" is vague; "Includes 1-on-1 workshop with keynote speaker" is tangible. Price it at least 2-3x general admission to feel premium.

7. Group & Bulk Tickets

Discounted tickets sold in bundles of 5, 10, or more. Lowers the per-person cost to encourage word-of-mouth and fill seats faster.

When to use: Perfect for company outings, school groups, or friend crews. Works for theaters, team-building workshops, or festivals.

Pro-tip: Tier your group discounts. "Buy 4, get 10% off; buy 8, get 15% off." The threshold should be just above the average group size to nudge people to add one more friend.

8. Discount & Concession Tickets

Reduced-price tickets for specific groups—students, seniors, military, or locals. This is about accessibility and community building, not just filling seats.

When to use: When you want to broaden your audience and signal inclusivity. Museums, community festivals, educational workshops benefit most.

Pro-tip: Require ID verification at check-in to prevent misuse. Promote discounts clearly on your sales page—a "Student Night" can become its own marketing hook.

9. Season & Subscription Passes

One purchase grants access to multiple events or a full season. Turns occasional attendees into loyal community members and gives you predictable cash flow.

When to use: Recurring series like supper clubs, workshop semesters, theater seasons, or weekly markets. If you have a calendar of related events, this is gold.

Pro-tip: Offer a genuine discount (20-30% off individual ticket prices). Add exclusive perks—early access, member-only events—to make pass holders feel like insiders.

10. Complimentary & Press Access

Free tickets issued to staff, volunteers, press, sponsors, or influencers. They're strategically tracked to control capacity and fulfill sponsorship agreements.

When to use: For anyone adding value without paying: media covering your event, sponsors getting their promised passes, your volunteer team.

Pro-tip: Create a separate, non-public ticket type for each group ("Press Pass," "Sponsor Guest") to track usage and prevent resale. Treat comps with same professionalism as paid tickets—they represent key relationships.

Quick Comparison: Which Tickets Should You Use?

Ticket Type	Complexity	Best For	Key Advantage
General Admission	Low	Festivals, casual events	Fast, flexible, easy to sell
Reserved Seating	Medium	Theaters, conferences	Max capacity, customer certainty
Early Bird	Low	All events	Drives early sales momentum
Tiered Pricing	Low-Medium	Multi-day festivals	Creates urgency without single discount
VIP/Premium	High	High-margin events	2-3x revenue from superfans
Group/Bulk	Low	Community events	Word-of-mouth growth engine
Discount	Low	Accessible events	Broadens audience, builds goodwill
Season Pass	Medium-High	Recurring series	Loyalty + predictable revenue
Raffle/Lottery	Low	Fundraising events	High profit margin for causes
Complimentary	Low-Medium	Media, sponsors, staff	Controlled free access

Note: "Raffle/Lottery" excluded from main list as it's a fundraising mechanism, not admission. Add only if legally compliant and relevant.

Stop Overthinking Tickets. Start Building Your Event.

That's the playbook. Your tickets are your first handshake with attendees—make it firm and clear, not confusing.

Your action plan:

Start with one or two types. Most events only need General Admission + maybe Early Bird or VIP.
Match tickets to your goals. Max revenue? Add VIP and tiered pricing. Build community? Focus on group discounts and season passes.
Pick a tool that doesn't fight you. You shouldn't need a tutorial to sell tickets to a workshop. Look for flat-fee pricing, instant payouts, and zero complexity.

Mastering this isn't about becoming a ticketing guru. It's about spending less time on admin and more time doing what you love.