How Do the Same-Day Half-Price Ticket Outlets in Las Vegas Work?

Can you please explain how the half-price tickets outlets work? We see them around town, often with long lines of people waiting to get to the counter. What happens when they get there?

One way to buy discounted Las Vegas show tickets is from the half-priced ticket outlets around town. These are discounters that sell unsold tickets the day of (and sometimes the day before) the show.

We've heard great things about them. We've also heard not-so-great things about them. The range of experiences with the same-day ticket discounters is pretty wide, depending on your tolerance for uncertainty.

To wit: If you just want to see a show and don't have much of a preference, and if you don't mind waiting in a slow line the day of the show to get to the counter, and if the so-called discount is better than you can do elsewhere, even in advance, and if you don't mind not knowing where you're sitting when you pay for your voucher, and if you don't mind fending off upsells for other attractions and amenities, and if you don't mind bringing the vouchers to the box office to exchange them for your actual seats, then you have a good chance of getting a nice discount on your tickets.

The main complaints we've fielded, as listed above, are availability, whether or not you're getting an actual exclusive discount, and convenience. We'll take them in order.

As for what shows are available, you can check what they have for sale on their websites; you can also compare their discounts with what you might be able to buy in advance from other discounters, such as our own Deals.

In terms of convenience, unless you get to a discount-ticket kiosk early in the day (before around 10 a.m.), you'll have to wait awhile; the line moves slowly as customers try to decide what show to see and whether or not to go for an upsell, then have the whole redemption procedure explained to them.

If you do buy, you then have to exchange the voucher you get from the half-price discounter for actual tickets at the casino where the show takes place. And you don't know where your seats are until you see a seating chart at the box office (they don't show you one at the kiosk). The whole process from getting in line to actually having your tickets in hand can take half a day.

Also, since there are no refunds or exchanges, if you don't get to the show, you're out the money. And if you don't like your seats, you might be stuck.

One company sells half-price tickets for same-day shows in Las Vegas: Tix4Tonight, which has 10 outlets in Vegas, eight on the Strip, one at Town Square south, and one downtown at the Four Queens.

We'd love to hear from anyone who's used Tix4Tonight and how the process went.

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Comments

[email protected] Nov-30-2017

A Mixed Blessing?

You don't have to get in line to check the prices. There is a rolling list visible outside or inside the places. The best discounts are exhibits and attractions such as: "Titanic" MB Aquarium, Tussaud's, restaurants and buffets, and golf! We have beat their prices at MGM box office, which also offer an M card discount! Our worst "bargain" years ago was seats in almost the last row at "Hairspray". Our best (thru MGM) was "Love" 4 rows from the front and barely $60 a pair in late February.

Kevin C Nov-30-2017

Used Tix4Tonight several times

Since we dscovered tem on our second trip, over 20 years ago, we have used Tix4Tonight and one other same day discounter who since became art of or eaten by Tix4Tonight. I don't recall any outright BAD experience, but I do clearly recall not purchasing from them some occasions because their price or availability didn't match our desire. When we have used them, the result has been anywhere from adequate to great - but mostly in the adequate range.

Dave Nov-30-2017

Tix4Tonight rules!

Yeah, the lines can be long. And waiting outdoors in the dessert might suck. 

Instead, if you have a car, go to Town Square Mall. The booth there rarely has more than one person in line.

Kevin Rough Nov-30-2017

It was okay

On our first trip in 2009, we bought tickets for a trip out to Hoover Dam with lunch somewhere in Boulder City that I've since forgotten and a stop at Ethel M in Henderson on the way back to town.  That was a good trip and a good deal.  We also bought tickets to see Penn and Teller.  Seats weren't good and price was less than 50% off.  But it was ok.  Another trip we bought tickets to see Craig Ferguson at the Palazzo.  Those were good seats and he were in a nice showroom.

Since I have found better deals online that I can purchase ahead of time.  You usually still have to stop by the box office that day.  But the prices tend to better.  We have gone through goldstar.com.  They don't have the variety of Tix4Tonight but the prices tend to be lower.

Question of the Day - 30 November 2017

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