This article explains how to create, configure, and analyze promotional codes (promo codes) for your paid events.
PREREQUISITES
- The payment module must be activated for the event.
- At least one paid ticket or add-on must exist in the event.
- Works with both the standard checkout and the express checkout.
OVERVIEW
With promo codes, you can create promotional codes for your paid events and distribute them to your guests. The guest enters the code during checkout and receives a discount on the entire order, including tickets and add-ons.
All codes are managed per event. For each code, you individually set the discount amount, usage limit, and validity period. Usage and revenue impact can be viewed at any time in the overview.
| Note: Promo codes complement the existing price control via guest groups and ticket types. For permanent price differentiations (e.g., VIP prices, employee discounts), guest groups remain the recommended approach. |
HOW IT WORKS
FOR YOU AS EVENT ORGANIZER
1. Navigate to Event → Tickets & Add-Ons → Promotional Codes.
2. Click on “New Code” and create the code.
3. Configure discount type, value, usage limit, and validity period.
4. Distribute the code to your target audience (email, social media, partners, etc.).
5. Track redemptions and total discount in the overview table.
FOR YOUR GUESTS AT CHECKOUT
1. The guest expands “Do you have a promo code?” at checkout.
2. After entering the code, the discount is immediately shown in the order summary.
3. The code and discount appear in the confirmation email and on the PDF ticket.
CODE SETTINGS
| Setting | Options | Default |
| Discount Type | Percentage (1–100%) or fixed amount (from €0.01) | Percentage |
| Usage Limit | Unlimited or limited number of redemptions | Unlimited |
| Valid From | Immediately or scheduled date with time | Immediately |
| Valid Until | Ticket sales end or scheduled date with time | Ticket sales end |
| Note: Allowed characters in the code: letters, digits, and special characters - _ ( ) / \ + @ . — up to 256 characters. No spaces. Input is not case-sensitive. |
DISCOUNT LOGIC
Scope
- The discount applies to the entire order (tickets + add-ons).
- Free items (€0.00) are excluded.
- One code per order.
- Codes cannot be combined.
- If the guest changes the cart after entering the code, the discount is automatically recalculated.
Discount Types
| Type | Calculation | Example |
| Percentage | Percentage of the gross amount of all paid items | 20% on €195.00 = €39.00 discount |
| Fixed Amount | Fixed amount is deducted from the gross total amount | €10.00 on €260.00 = €250.00 |
| Note: The AirLST platform fee (4% of the gross cart value) is calculated on the discounted total amount, not on the original cart value. |
| Attention: VAT is automatically recalculated after the discount is applied. For mixed VAT rates, the allocation is done proportionally. |
DISPLAY IN CHECKOUT
This is how an order with a promo code looks to your guest:
|
Your Booking ───────────────────────────────── 2x VIP Ticket €100.00 1x Workshop Add-on €50.00 Discount code SUMMER20 (20%) -€30.00 ───────────────────────────────── Total €120.00 incl. VAT €19.16 |
The code and discount amount also appear in:
- Confirmation email including invoice, in the order overview.
- Bookings & invoices, in the order details section.
CODE STATUS
Each promo code goes through a lifecycle with four possible statuses:
| Status | Meaning | Editable? |
| Scheduled (blue) | Start date is in the future | Yes (all fields) |
| Active (green) | Within the validity period | Limited* |
| Exhausted (orange) | Usage limit reached | No |
| Ended (gray) | End date exceeded | No |
| *Note: For active codes, you can extend the end date and increase the usage limit. The discount value can no longer be changed. |
MANAGEMENT AND EXPORT
You can find the promo code overview under Event → Tickets & Add-Ons → Promotional Codes.
The table shows at a glance:
| Column | Content |
| Code | The code string |
| Value | e.g., “20%” or “€10.00” |
| Usage | e.g., “45 / 100” or “12 / ∞” |
| Status | Active, Scheduled, Ended, or Exhausted |
| Actions | Edit, Delete |
You can search by code name and filter by status. For unused codes, multi-selection with bulk delete is available.
CSV Export
The export contains per code: code, discount type, discount value, usage limit, redemptions, remaining uses, total discount, first and last usage, and status.
ERROR MESSAGES IN CHECKOUT
If a code is not accepted, your guest will see one of the following messages:
| Error | Message (DE) | Message (EN) |
| Invalid Code | “Dieser Code ist ungültig” | “This code is not valid” |
| Exhausted | “Dieser Code wurde vollständig eingelöst” | “This code has been fully redeemed” |
| Not Yet Active | “Dieser Code ist noch nicht aktiv” | “This code is not yet active” |
| Expired | “Dieser Code ist abgelaufen” | “This code has expired” |
If you have any questions, our Customer Service Team is always available to assist you.