Live well. Eat well. Travel well.

In approximately 72 days, the Paris Olympics will commence. Earlier this year, I posted about how a spontaneous tickets purchase about a year before ended up to a Paris Summer Olympics planning spree. I couldn’t be more excited!

Image from olympics.com

It started with signing up for a draw that will allow you to purchase tickets back in March 2023. I missed the first sign up that happened in November 2022. I did not know it at that time. I was set to go to a Taylor Swift Eras Tour concert but got so bummed about not being able to successfully purchase tickets even though I was picked to access the presale. I searched details about the Paris Olympics instead… Alas! There was still time to register for the second sale happening on May 12, 2023. I will find out if I get to be one among the lucky ones who get selected in the draw to purchase (it was very much like the TS Eras Tour purchase process).

Ever since I registered, I received 1-2 updates every first week of the month leading up to the single ticket sale drawing. The excitement started when I got the email with the subject: “You were successful in the draw!”

Of course, I had to take advantage. A link to the Olympic Games Ticketing Guide & Prices was provided, which I studied including FAQs so I come prepared once the sale opens. I was already thinking that it was going to be like the TS Eras Tour ticket buying experience, and I don’t want to come empty handed this time.

As a first timer attending the olympics, I studied the events and prices that I was interested to attend that won’t break the bank. My strategy was to first purchase opening ceremony and beach volleyball then purchase whatever is cheap that is happening around Paris.

A few minutes before my time started, I tried to access my time slot. I was then placed into a queue and it updated every few minutes.

And then about 7 minutes after 10:00 AM, I was in the sales platform ready to purchase. I first searched up the opening ceremony but only found available tickets that were EUR 500 and above. I was only willing to purchased the cheapest available, Category E at EUR 90. I had to pass it up. I was getting anxious by this time, thinking I will come out empty handed just like my TS Eras Tour tickets purchase experience.

I searched beach volleyball and there were still reasonably priced tickets available. I purchased the max allowed tickets thinking I should be able to find folks who wants to go with me or just resell it back in the platform in case I don’t need it all. I quickly added the 6 tickets in my cart for a Category C ticket priced at EUR 50. Unlike the previous experience I had, I feel that the 2024 Paris Olympics ticket sale thought about the process efficiently. My cart remained active for 30 minutes I believe. If it was in my cart, it is reserved for me until my time is up. I was able to browse other events I can add.

After reading the descriptions, Concorde Urban Project was the next reasonable thing to get. It was a flat EUR 24 for each ticket. It was a no brainer!

They switched to all electronic ticketing this year so in order to get hard copy tickets as souvenir, you have to purchase them separately and pay for shipping. I didn’t mind since it was my first time. I purchase for all of them. After checking out and paying successfully for them, I received my confirmation email.

Since then, the Paris planning started. I asked 5 folks if they were interested to join me and of course I got a “yes”. I planned to be in Paris for 6 days and 5 nights, including arrival and departure. 2 of those days were already booked for Olympics events.

There were a few more ticket sale drops that happened after the initial sale I got lucky to purchase. There wasn’t anything interesting at that time until the November 2023 drop. I didn’t want to pack another day to the existing itinerary since some folks I will be going with will be going to Paris for the first time, so wanted some free days to explore and shop. I then saw a swimming event happening in the morning of the beach volleyball event we were attending late at night on that day.

I seriously had FOMO (fear of missing out) that time. I purchased another 6 swimming event tickets at La Défense Arena. Now from 2 events, we have 3 events to attend for 2 days. I scoped the area out and it wasn’t really far from each other. The beach volleyball will be at the Eiffel Tower.

After this, I thought that’s it. I’m happy with my purchase. And then… another news from the Paris Olympics Committee came… another ticket sales drop and all events will be available! Of course, I got excited! Hoping to maybe score opening ceremony and skateboarding.

I put April 17 in my calendar. Set my alarm 1 hour before the sale starts so I can login and queue up 30 minutes ahead.

I was in queue since 9:30 AM CET. I didn’t get in the sales platform until almost 10:25 AM CET.

True enough, all were still available. I was one of the lucky ones who scored the cheapest opening ceremony ticket available! The one I really wanted in the beginning!

I searched for skateboarding and it was still available but for Category B tickets. I waited debating whether it was worth it or not. Then as I was ready to purchase… someone else beat me to it! Only handicap access was available by then.

Searched up opening ceremony, and it was still available! at EUR 90. BOOM! Added to cart then searched for more while I still had time before my cart expires. 10 minutes left in my cart, I stopped and purchased!

So another event added to my Paris itinerary! I arrive the same day as the opening ceremony but early enough to have time to freshen up before going there in the evening!

I believe my Olympics events are lined up pretty well and the folks going with me did not have any complaints.

The resale platform opened today and of course I had to browse before I completed this post. I like how the committee thought of this… the ticket resale price is face value but buyers have to pay 15% fee while sellers 5% fee and available in the olympics resale platform only. It is better than being scammed or purchasing with a huge markup.

A little more than 2 months to go until 2024 Paris Olympics! I am excited! I will post more update about this.