New York Philharmonic: Subscriptions and Exchanges FAQ

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Subscriptions and Exchanges FAQ

Benefits and Privileges

What is a subscription?

A subscription is a package of concerts you purchase in advance. We offer three basic types of subscriptions; each delivers preferred seating, substantial savings, and easy ticket exchange privileges:

Full Series: sets of concerts, typically on a single night of the week, that guarantee you a specific seat for each concert. Full Series go on sale first and are seated first; they get the best possible seats, which they can renew each season for as long as they like. Full Series subscribers also are at the front of the line for upgrading their seats in future seasons.

4-Concert Series: Packages of four concerts organized by musical preference and lifestyle. There's a 4-Concert Series for those who want entertaining evenings out (Evenings On The Town), one for those seeking music that's beyond the usual (Musical Adventures), and one for those looking for an immersion in the great classics (The Masters). 4-Concert Series subscribers are seated next in priority after Full Series subscribers, and their seating may vary from concert to concert. Seating for 4-Concert Series is not renewable in subsequent seasons like Full Series are.

Why subscribe? For better seats at a lower price, scheduling freedom and much more!

Best Possible Seats
Seated before the general public, Subscribers get the best possible seats.
Best Possible Price
Receive up to 20% off regular box office prices.
Schedule Freedom
Schedule conflict? No problem. Just exchange your tickets for any other subscription concert in the season. You can exchange your tickets online, over the phone, via mail or in person.
Insider Access to Great Seats
First chance to grab tickets for the concerts you want, and exclusive access to the priority waiting list for sold-out shows.
Subscriber Premium Rewards
Save at restaurants, bookstores, parking garages, and more.

What are Add-On Tickets?
Full, 4-Concert, and Create-Your-Own subscribers can order additional individual tickets at the discounted subscription rate all year long, even after single tickets go on sale to the general public in August 2012. Thereafter, subscribers may continue to purchase Advance Purchase tickets before they go on sale to the general public in late August.

What are Advance Purchase tickets?
After the renewal period has ended, subscribers can continue to purchase additional individual tickets at full price for any concert in advance of the general public.

Can Advance Purchase or Add-On tickets be seated next to my subscription seats?
If tickets are available next to your subscription tickets we will seat you together, however this is not usually the case since subscription seats are in high-demand locations.

What if I'm unable to attend a concert?
You can exchange your tickets, donate them back to the Philharmonic for possible re-sale, or transfer your tickets to a friend. Here's how:

Subscribers may exchange tickets for another subscription concert as long as tickets are available.
- In Person: Visit the Avery Fisher Box Office up to two hours before the scheduled concert time to exchange tickets.
- By Mail: Use the ticket exchange form*, send your exchange request to:
  
  New York Philharmonic Exchange Desk
  10 Lincoln Center Plaza
  New York, NY 10023-6970
  
  Your request must be received no later than 48 hours before the start time of the concert you are cancelling.
- On the Phone: Call Customer Relations at (212) 875-5656 Monday through Saturday 10:00AM to 6:00PM and Sunday 12:00PM to 5:00PM. Phone exchanges must be completed at least two hours before the concert you wish to attend.
You can give your tickets to a friend. Now we make it easy for you to pass your tickets to your friend. Just call (212) 875-5656 before at least 2 hours before concert time to have the tickets transferred to your friend's name and held at will call.
You may donate your tickets, which qualifies as a tax-deductible contribution to the New York Philharmonic. There are no refunds of purchased tickets and subscriptions.
Exchanges and donations for the 2012-13 season will not be available until August 2012.

What is the Subscriber Rewards program?
As a subscriber, you will receive our New York Philharmonic Subscriber Card. You will receive discounts and irresistible offers from restaurants, area shops, and businesses in the Lincoln Center area. The 2012-13 Subscriber card is valid from September 19, 2012 to June 29, 2013. Simply present your subscriber card and enjoy the rewards!

How to Buy

How do I subscribe?
You have the options of ordering online, by fax, mail, phone, or in person at the Customer Relations Counter in Avery Fisher Hall. See the How to Subscribe page for details.

May I buy more than one subscription?
Yes. Many people buy a few packages so they can enjoy more concerts. You may buy or renew multiple subscriptions online in a single transaction. For more details on how to subscribe, see the How to Subscribe page.

Can I buy additional individual tickets?
Yes!

How can I get an order form?
Download the 2012-13 subscription order form here:

2012-13 Full Subscription Series

View Brochures Online

When will I receive my tickets?
Tickets will be mailed in late summer 2012 to the shipping address in your online account. We do not mail tickets internationally.

May I reserve a parking space?
Yes, you can make parking arrangements with the Lincoln Center Pre-Pay Park and Lock Garage.

Payment

May I make a contribution when I subscribe?
Yes! Contributions keep the Orchestra alive. Although our concerts are often sold out, ticket sales cover less than half of our costs. You can include a contribution whether you subscribe online, in person, or by mail, fax, or phone. (Online, you will have an opportunity to make a contribution when you check out.)

In addition to ensuring the high level of performing excellence for which the New York Philharmonic is revered worldwide, your contribution also enhances the benefits of being a subscriber! Depending on the amount of your gift, you may enjoy the benefits of being a Friend or Patron of the Philharmonic. Please include a tax-deductible gift with your subscription today! To learn more about the benefits of giving, please see the Membership Programs section. You may also call our Friends Office at
(212) 875-5381 or our Patron Office at (212) 875-5682. Thank you.

Should my payment be for my first- or second-choice section?
When you order, your first-choice seating section is used to calculate the price. If we cannot seat you in your first-choice section, you will receive a refund for the difference between your first and second choices; if your second choice is more expensive, you will be charged for the difference.

Which credit cards do you accept?
We accept major credit cards: American Express, MasterCard, Diners Club, Visa, and Discover.

May I pay with more than one credit card?
Multiple credit cards are not accepted for a single online transaction. Multiple credit cards are accepted via mail, fax, and phone.

May I pay a deposit to reserve my subscription?
We must have your payment in full in order to process your order and reserve your seats; deposits cannot be accepted.

Seating and Pricing

May I view the seating chart?
Yes. See the Avery Fisher Hall seating chart on the Seating Chart page.

What are the prices of subscriptions?
Subscription pricing is based on the number of concerts in your series and the seating section. For prices see the Subscriptions section and click on a tab to browse a series.

May I request wheelchair and other accessible seating?
Yes, you may make special seating requests when you buy subscriptions. Simply check the box beside "I require a wheelchair location" when placing your order. Please read our accessibility information.

What if a seating section is sold-out?
The most recently updated information is always available on our website. If sections in a subscription package sell out, they will be marked "sold out" on the online ordering pages.

Can I purchase additional tickets with my exchange?
Yes, subject to availability, you can purchase additional individual tickets when you exchange your tickets. Please note that the additional individual tickets are assigned the best available seating at the time that you purchase them and will NOT be seated next to your exchange tickets.

Which tickets and concerts are eligible for individual ticket exchange?
All subscription concerts eligible for exchange. Special Events and events outside of Avery Fisher Hall are not available for exchange. Tickets purchased outside of a subscription or after August 2012 and Open Rehearsals are not exchangeable over the phone and are subject to additional per-ticket exchange fees.

Do I have to exchange my tickets all at once?
No, you can exchange any number of tickets that you wish. Exchanges must happen before the concert date. Please reference "if I am unable to attend a concert" section of this FAQ.

Is there a fee for exchanging tickets?
Subscription Tickets, Add-Ons and Advance Purchase tickets can be exchanged at no additional fee. Individual ticket orders purchased outside of a subscription and after August 2012 will accrue a $10 per-ticket exchange fee. Open Rehearsals will accrue a $5 per-ticket exchange fee.

What happens if the concert and/or seating section I exchange into is more/less expensive?
All tickets can be exchanged for the section and price scale they were originally purchased with no additional fee. If you wish to upgrade into a more expensive section, or from a matinee into an evening concert, you will be charged the difference in price. Payment must be made at the time of the exchange. If you are exchanging into a less expensive seating, the difference will not be refunded.

What are Scale A, B, and C concerts?
Concerts throughout the season have different pricing scales (Scale A is the lowest, Scale C is the highest). If you exchange into a higher priced concert (such as from a Scale A to a Scale B concert), you will be charged for the difference in price.

Redeeming FlexPasses

How many concert tickets can I get with my FlexPasses?
Each FlexPass can be exchanged for one ticket to any Evening or Matinee concert, subject to availability excluding special events.

How do I redeem my FlexPasses?
You may exchange your FlexPasses for tickets to your selected concerts via online, in person, on the phone with Customer Relations, or by mail. Mail orders are seated based on availability at the time the order is processed. You must allow at least 24 hours from the receipt of your order for processing.

	Online:	You may "exchange" your FlexPass for a selected concert via these online instructions.
	In Person:	Bring your FlexPass tickets to the Avery Fisher Hall box office, Monday through Saturday 10:00AM to 6:00PM, or Sunday 12:00PM to 6:00PM. (On concert nights, the Box Office remains open until one half-hour after the concert begins.) For your convenience, you may bring a completed FlexPass exchange form* with you.
	By Mail:	Mail in a completed FlexPass exchange form and your tickets to: New York Philharmonic, Ticket Exchanges 10 Lincoln Center Plaza New York, NY 10023-6970
	On the Phone:	Call Customer Relations at (212) 875-5656 Monday through Saturday 10:00AM to 6:00PM and Sunday 12:00PM to 5:00PM. Phone exchanges must be completed at least two hours before the concert you wish to attend.
	* Exchange forms are viewable in Adobe Acrobat® (downloadable for free).

Can I purchase additional tickets when I redeem my FlexPass?
Yes, subject to availability, you can purchase additional individual tickets when you redeem your FlexPasses. Please note that the additional individual tickets are assigned the best available seating at the time that you purchase them and will probably NOT be seated next to your exchange tickets.

Which concerts are eligible for FlexPass exchanges?
Flex Passes can be exchanged for any subscription concert.

What happens if the concert and/or seating section I exchange into is more/less expensive?
All FlexPasses can be exchanged for the section and price scale they were originally purchased with no additional fee. If you wish to upgrade into a more expensive section, or from a matinee into an evening concert, you will be charged the difference in price. Payment must be made at the time of the exchange. If you are exchanging into a less expensive seating, the difference will not be refunded. (For the current 2011-2012 Season: $77 FlexPasses are valid for Orchestra 2; $48 Passes are valid for Orchestra 4 Rear and 2nd Tier Box Rear.)

Do I have to exchange my tickets and/or FlexPasses all at once?
No. You may exchange your FlexPasses at any time throughout the season, for an individual concert or for several. We urge you to redeem your FlexPasses as soon as possible. Toward the end of the season, many concerts sell out, thereby limiting the available choices. We're sorry, but unused FlexPasses cannot be returned for a refund or used the following season.

How do I exchange FlexPasses that were given to me as a gift?
FlexPasses that are given as a gift must be exchanged for tickets by mail, in person, or on the phone with Customer Relations.

By Mail: Please provide your name, address, and phone number so that we can create an account for you.
In Person: Please present FlexPasses at the time of redemption.
On the Phone: Please have the flex passes readily available. You will be asked to provide the identification code on the ticket to complete the exchange.

What should I do if there aren't any tickets and/or FlexPasses linked to my account when I log in?
Online FlexPass exchanges are only available to 2012-2013 season subscribers at this time.

If you are a subscriber and have no tickets linked to your account, it is possible you have created a duplicate account. Please call (212) 875-5656 (press 2 at the prompts), or email CustomerService@nyphil.org for assistance.

Please note that if you received FlexPasses as a gift, they will not appear linked to your account. FlexPasses must be redeemed in person at the Avery Fisher Hall Box Office, by mail, or on the phone with Customer Relations. If you are a 2011-2012 subscriber and believe you have received this message in error, please contact Customer Relations at (212) 875-5656 and press 2 at the prompts. Customer Relations is available Monday through Saturday from 10:00AM to 6:00PM and Sunday 12:00PM to 5:00PM.

Is there a fee for exchanging FlexPasses?
There are no fees for exchanging tickets or FlexPasses. You should NOT enter your credit card number unless you are upgrading your seat location.

Can I pick specific seats online?
You will be able to select your seating section, and the best available seats within that section will be selected for you.

Location and Event Information

Where do the concerts take place?
Unless otherwise note, all concerts take place at Avery Fisher Hall, the Home of the New York Philharmonic. Avery Fisher Hall is located at Lincoln Center, 65th and Broadway in Manhattan's Upper West Side.

How do I get to Avery Fisher Hall?
Unless otherwise note, all concerts take place at Avery Fisher Hall, the Home of the New York Philharmonic. Avery Fisher Hall is located at Lincoln Center, 65th and Broadway in Manhattan's Upper West Side.

What if dates, artists or programs change?
Occasionally there are unavoidable changes to the originally-announced concert date, guest artist or program, and we strive to notify you via phone or email when this happens. Your tickets for such concerts are valid regardless of the change and are not refundable.

If you deposit my check does that guarantee my seating?
No, we deposit all checks immediately upon receipt as a matter of sound financial practice. If an adjustment to your bill is subsequently required due to a change in seating, we will make the adjustment at that time.