How to get free tickets to top acts like Lady Gaga

AN organ hums, a blaze of red lights dance across the venue and an enormous ruby-red object emerges from thick fog, creeping slowly towards the front of the stage.

Outside, Paris shivers under a smattering of snow, but inside the Accor Arena an audience is hot with anticipation.

Then, Lady Gaga suddenly appears among a blur of sequin-clad dancers and theatrical fire spurts, making the 20,000-seat arena buzz with energy.

But you may be shocked to learn that none of the people immediately around me have paid to attend this sell-out gig.

I was partying in a prime section of the stadium with Gaga lovers who had bagged their tickets through the ALL Accor scheme.

And gigs by some of music’s biggest names are just one of the many perks you can pick up for free as an ALL Accor customer.

WAIL OF A TIME

I drove Irish Route 66 with deserted golden beaches and pirate-like islands

TEMPTED?

Tiny ‘Bali of Europe’ town with stunning beaches, €3 cocktails and £20 flights

The loyalty scheme is a points-based system directly linked to your personal spend with Accor hotels, which includes budget brands such as Ibis as well as fancier ones Sofitel and Fairmont.

When you stay at an Accor site, you’ll accumulate points which can be redeemed in a number of countries, for gigs but also hotel stays and transport, including Eurostar.

Hotel chains Hilton, Marriott and IHG have similar schemes, too, and all save you a fair whack.

Recent research from consumer watchdog Which? found nine out of ten times it’s cheaper to book a hotel as a member, instead of through online sites such as Booking.com and Hotels.com.

I’ve written before about how I’m a big fan of loyalty programs, particularly when so many of us are strapped for cash.

Getting something for nothing – or just by spending what you do ordinarily – seems like a no-brainer.

Getting something for nothing – or just by spending what you do ordinarily – seems like a no-brainer

And with travellers ever savvier with their spend, hotel loyalty schemes are likely to grow and grow.

My trip to Paris could have been paid for almost entirely with ALL points.

From 15,000 points per night, ALL Accor customers can stay at the same fancy hotel as I did, the 4H Pullman Paris Eiffel Tower – where many rooms look on to the landmark.

A return Eurostar train fare from London to Paris would cost just over 13,000 ALL Accor points.

Gigs are a little more complicated to calculate, with a bidding system in place for tickets – although winning bids for concerts at the Paris Accor Stadium start at 20,000 points (around 400 euros) for two tickets.

You can earn ALL Accor points at 4,200 hotels globally – and not just by booking a stay.

Dining in an Accor hotel restaurant, booking a spa treatment and spending on your in-room TV, phone or mini bar all earn you points.

Easiest of all, if you “skip the clean”, meaning you ditch the housekeeping and towel changes for your room, you can earn up to 100 points a day.

With ALL Accor, points earned vary according to your status (Classic, Silver, Gold, Platinum or Diamond) and the brand you spend on.

But if you’re a loyal spender, do check out what’s on offer.

You could be stomping your feet at a Lady Gaga gig in no time.