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It’s become common practice for credit card providers to offer incentives and benefits for adding an authorized user to your card account. Some of the perks offered are for the primary cardholder, while others are benefits the authorized user receives for holding the card.
Cards like the American Express Platinum Card® provide benefits to authorized users, such as lounge access and complimentary elite status. Plus, the fee to add the authorized user account is much lower than if that person applied for their own primary card.
The list of carryover benefits differs for each card, as does the cost of adding authorized user accounts. We're not covering cards in this post that provide bonus points to the primary cardholder for adding an authorized user, as we've covered those authorized user bonuses in another post. Instead, this post is aimed at the perks that authorized users receive.
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Benefits of Adding an Authorized User to Your Credit Card
There are several benefits of adding an authorized user to your card — for both the primary cardholder and the authorized user.
Benefits for the primary cardholder
- Track spending and expenses: Adding an authorized user is a great way to keep track of your monthly expenditures. Whether it’s an authorized user card for the kids or additional cards for employees, you’ll have an easy time tracking purchases made with your account.
- Earn additional points and miles: Additional cards typically mean more spending power, which in turn means earning more points. Any spending done on authorized user cards earns points that deposit directly into the rewards account of the main cardholder.
- Help meet minimum spending and threshold bonuses: Many minimum spend and spending threshold bonuses require thousands — if not tens of thousands — of dollars to reach. That may be a difficult obstacle for some people. Having two or more cards racking up purchases makes hitting those high spending thresholds a little easier, helping you reach the big payoffs like unlocking guest privileges to the Centurion Lounge when you spend $75K on American Express Platinum Card® or The Business Platinum Card® from American Express in a calendar year.
- Help the authorized user build a credit file: Adding an authorized user to your account can help that person establish a positive credit file before making the jump into the credit market themselves. If the card has been open for a long time, an authorized user can add years to their credit file with minimal effort.
- Gift cheap/free benefits to authorized user cardholders: Many rewards cards offer top benefits for authorized user accounts without the high annual expense of being a primary cardholder. For instance, want a free Priority Pass membership? Get added as an authorized user to a family member’s The Ritz-Carlton™ Credit Card card. You’ll receive your own Priority Pass membership with no annual fee for adding the authorized user card!
- Receive the benefits before getting the bonus: As an authorized user, you can receive many of the benefits of holding the card while keeping open the opportunity to get the signup bonus on the same card at a later date. Before committing to applying for the card and paying the annual fee, you can sample the benefits first.
It's important to understand that, in most cases, you can still get a signup bonus when opening your own card account, even if you were previously an authorized user on someone else's account for the same card.
Related: Benefits of Capital One Venture X Authorized User Cards
Benefits for Credit Card Authorized User Accounts
The table below covers the carryover benefits on the most popular premium rewards credit cards. Outside of the typical Visa Infinite/Signature, Mastercard, and Amex benefits, which are provided to both primary and authorized user accounts, these are tangible benefits that authorized user accounts receive each year.
| Card | Authorized User Card Benefits | Authorized User Annual Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card | Full Priority Pass membership with same guesting privileges plus all the travel insurance and Visa Infinite perks offered to primary cardholders. Don't receive a separate $300 travel credit or Global Entry/TSA PreCheck fee credit. | Four complimentary authorized users |
| Chase Sapphire Reserve® (Rates & Fees) | Full Priority Pass membership with same guesting privileges plus all the travel insurance and Visa Infinite perks offered to primary cardholders. Don't receive the $300 travel credit. | $195 |
| American Express Platinum Card® | Receive the full suite of Platinum Card® benefits except for the travel & Uber Credits. This includes all lounge access perks, elite status benefits across multiple programs, plus each card receives a Global Entry/TSA fee statement credit up to $120. For some benefits enrollment is required. | $195 for each additional Platinum Card® for Authorized Users (Rates & Fees) |
| Citi Strata Elite℠ Card | Complimentary Priority Pass Select membership with the same guest privileges. Don't receive a separate hotel benefit, Splurge Credit, or Blacklane credit. | $75 |
| Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® | Full Admirals Club membership with same guesting privileges. A same day boarding pass on American or partner airlines is required for entry. | $175 for the first three authorized users, then $175 each |
| Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card | Access to Delta Sky Clubs (up to 15 visits per year) and American Express Centurion Lounges when on a same-day Delta-operated flight. | $175 |
| The Ritz-Carlton™ Credit Card | Full Priority Pass membership with same guesting privileges and can use the $100 Visa Infinite Airline Discount and insurance benefits. Don't receive the $300 airline credit or Global Entry fee credit. | $0 |
Note that lounge access for authorized users of the Capital One Venture X is changing in February 2026. You'll still be able to add an authorized user for free, but the authorized user will not receive complimentary lounge access. If you want the user to be able to access Priority Pass and Capital One Lounges, you'll need to pay an annual fee of $125. And don't think you can just bring them in the lounge as a guest when traveling together. Starting in February 2026, Capital One Venture X cardholders will pay $45 per guest per visit.
Outside of the premium cards listed above, mid-tier and no-annual-fee cards restrict carryover benefits for AUs to those listed in the card's Guide to Benefits. On cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, for example, this includes a powerful set of travel and purchase protection perks like primary rental car insurance, trip cancellation and interruption insurance, and excellent trip delay coverage.
Potential Downsides to Adding an Authorized User
- Your credit score is on the line: You are legally responsible for any charges your authorized users make. Thus, adding an authorized user account puts your credit score at risk. Be cautious about who you make an authorized user on your account.
- Additional fees: Additional annual fees put a dent in the profit made from earning points and miles. As an example, if the annual fee for adding an authorized user is $69, and the points are worth 1.5¢ a piece, you’d need to spend an additional $4,600 at 1 point per dollar before you break even. It’s crucial to do the math before you add an authorized user to ensure it’s worth the added cost.
- Can impact card applications: One of the issues many points and miles fans run into with Chase’s 5/24 policy is that authorized user accounts may be counted against the total number of recent accounts they have opened, even though they're not the primary account holder. That can cause a Chase credit card application to be automatically denied due to 5/24, even if you thought you were under the five-card limit. While it’s a fairly easy situation to rectify by speaking to a human directly, it’s something to be aware of before becoming an on someone else's account.
Beware that credit providers do not always clearly lay out the benefits available to authorized users on a specific card. The benefits guide or card's terms and conditions may not fully explain the benefits available to authorized user cardholders. In that case, contact your card provider to clarify the cost and exactly what’s included before adding an authorized user to your card.
Related: Delta Amex Authorized User Benefits
Best Rewards Card to Add An Authorized User
For authorized user perks, it’s hard to go past the Platinum Card®. Even with the higher-than-average annual fee (Rates & Fees), it can still make a lot of sense to add an authorized user to your Platinum card. With the exception of the travel credit and a few fringe perks, authorized users gain access to the full suite of Platinum perks, including Centurion Lounge and Delta Sky Club® access, a full Priority Pass membership, a Global Entry/TSA fee credit for each card, and elite status benefits across multiple programs, including Hilton and Marriott (Enrollment is required for select Amex benefits.).
- You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you're approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount - all with no credit score impact. If you're approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Get more for your travels with 5X Membership Rewards® points on all flights and prepaid hotel bookings through American Express Travel®, including Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection bookings. You earn 5X points on flights purchased directly from airlines or through American Express Travel® on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.
- More Value! With over 1,550 airport lounges - more than any other credit card company on the market* - enjoy the benefits of the Global Lounge Collection®, over $850 of annual value, with access to Centurion Lounges, 10 complimentary Delta Sky Club® visits when flying on an eligible Delta flight (subject to visit limitations), Priority Pass Select membership (enrollment required), and other select partner lounges. * As of 07/2025.
- More Value! $200 Uber Cash + $120 Uber One Credit: With the Platinum Card® you can receive $15 in Uber Cash each month plus a bonus $20 in December when you add your Platinum Card® to your Uber account to use on rides and orders in the U.S when you select an Amex Card for your transaction. Plus, when you use the Platinum Card® to pay for an auto-renewing Uber One membership, you can get up to $120 in statement credits each calendar year. Terms apply.
- More Value! $300 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $25 in statement credits each month after you pay for eligible purchases with the Platinum Card® at participating partners. Enrollment required.
- More Value! $600 Hotel Credit: Get up to $300 in statement credits semi-annually on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection* bookings through American Express Travel® using the Platinum Card®. *The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
- New! $400 Resy Credit + Platinum Nights by Resy: When you use the Platinum Card® to pay at U.S. Resy restaurants and to make other eligible purchases through Resy, you can get up to $100 in statement credits each quarter with the $400 Resy Credit benefit. Plus, with Platinum Nights by Resy, you can get special access to reservations on select nights at participating in demand Resy restaurants with the Platinum Card®. Simply add your eligible Card to your Resy profile to book and discover Platinum Nights reservations near you, enrollment required.
- More Value! $209 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps get you to your gate faster by using unique facial attributes to verify you are you at 50+ airports nationwide. You can cover the cost of a CLEAR Plus Membership* with up to $209 in statement credits per calendar year after you pay for CLEAR Plus with the Platinum Card®. *Excluding any applicable taxes and fees. Subject to auto-renewal.
- $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees, such as checked bags and in-flight refreshments, are charged by the airline to the Platinum Card® Account*. American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases. If you do not see a credit for a qualifying incidental purchase on your eligible Card after 8 weeks, simply call the number on the back of your Card. Qualifying airlines are subject to change. See terms & conditions for more details.
- Start your vacation sooner, and keep it going longer. When you book Fine Hotels + Resorts® through American Express Travel®, enjoy noon check-in upon arrival, when available, and guaranteed 4PM check-out.
- New! $300 lululemon Credit: Enjoy up to $75 in statement credits each quarter when you use the Platinum Card® for eligible purchases at U.S. lululemon retail stores (excluding outlets) and lululemon.com. That's up to $300 in statement credits each calendar year. Enrollment required.
- $155 Walmart+ Credit: Receive a statement credit* for one monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) after you pay for Walmart+ each month with the Platinum Card®. *Up to $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. Plus Ups not eligible.
- $100 Saks Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases at Saks Fifth Avenue or saks.com on the Platinum Card®. That's up to $50 in statement credits from January through June and up to $50 in statement credits from July through December. No minimum purchase required. Enrollment required.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- $895 annual fee.
- Terms Apply.
- Rates & Fees
- Earn 5X points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel® (up to $500,000 in purchases per calendar year).
- Earn 5X points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel®.
- Earn 5X points on Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection bookings.
What’s your favorite perk for authorized user cardholders? Let us know in the comments below.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: American Express Platinum Card® (Rates & Fees), and Chase Sapphire Reserve® (Rates & Fees)
The comments on this page are not provided, reviewed, or otherwise approved by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
