There are many advantages to adding an authorized user to a credit card account. It can help the primary cardholder hit certain spending requirements or thresholds and earn rewards faster. In turn, authorized users can benefit from the primary cardholder’s credit score and improve their own credit scores.
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Certain credit cards also extend some benefits to additional cardholders, such as lounge access and statement credits for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck applications.
Here are some of the reasons you might want to consider adding other cardholders to your accounts, the best rewards cards for doing so and the perks given to authorized users:
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What is an authorized user?
An authorized user is someone who is allowed to use your credit card. They are issued their own physical card, but it’s linked to your credit card account. Many cards allow authorized users to take advantage of some of the benefits offered to the primary cardholders. Considering the authorized user fees are typically less expensive than annual fees, adding family members or spouses as authorized users on your account is a way to share some of the advantages of a card without having to shell out for another annual fee.
Overview of the best cards for authorized users
- Chase Sapphire Reserve
- The Platinum Card® from American Express
- The Business Platinum® Card from American Express
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card
- Citi®/Advantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®
- Citi Prestige® Card
| Card | Annual fee | Authorized user fee | Rewards rate |
| Chase Sapphire Reserve | $550 | $75 per additional cardholder | 10x on Lyft
3x on travel and dining |
| The Platinum Card® from American Express | $550 (see rates and fees) | $175 for up to three authorized users (see rates and fees) | 5x on flights booked directly with airlines and flights and prepaid hotels booked through amextravel.com |
| The Business Platinum® Card from American Express | $595 (see rates and fees) | $300 per additional cardholder (see rates and fees) | 5x on flights and prepaid hotels booked through amextravel.com
1.5x on purchases over $5,000 |
| Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card | $550 (see rates and fees) | $175 per additional cardholder (see rates and fees) | 3x on eligible Delta purchases
|
| Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card | $550 (see rates and fees) | $175 per additional cardholder (see rates and fees) | 3x on eligible Delta purchases
1.5x on all other purchases after you spend $150,000 on your card each calendar year |
| Citi®/AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® | $450 | Up to 10 additional cardholders free | 2x on eligible American Airlines purchases |
| Citi Prestige® Card | $495 | $75 per additional card | 5x on airfare and restaurants
3x on cruises and hotels |
The information for the Citi Prestige has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
These rewards cards offer fantastic perks to authorized users. We’ll go through the primary cardholder benefits first, then discuss which ones apply to additional cardholders.
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Although primary cardholders can expect plenty of perks, authorized users can only rely on a few in their own right. This card has a $550 annual fee.
Primary cardholder benefits:
- A sign-up bonus of 50,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
- Earn 3x points per dollar spent on travel (after spending the $300 annual travel credit) and dining worldwide, with no caps.
- Up to $300 in travel credits as reimbursement for a wide range of travel purchases charged to the card each account anniversary year.
- Ultimate Rewards points transfer to 10 airline and three hotel partners, and are redeemable directly through the Chase Travel Portal for 1.5 cents apiece.
- Cardholders receive Priority Pass lounges access at airports worldwide.
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee reimbursement once every four years.
- Waived foreign transaction fees.
Read our full review of the Chase Sapphire Reserve here.
Authorized user benefits: Cardholders, who are authorized users, receive their own Priority Pass Select membership and access to airport lounges worldwide. They are not eligible for the annual travel credits or Global Entry/TSA PreCheck reimbursements.
Additional card fees: Additional cards cost $75 each per year.
The Platinum Card® from American Express
One of the top all-around premium rewards cards available offers comprehensive perks for the primary cardmember as well as some great authorized-user benefits. This card has an annual fee of $550 (see rates and fees).
Primary cardholder benefits:
- Welcome offer of 60,000 bonus points after making $5,000 in purchases in the first three months (Some applicants might be eligible for a targeted offer through CardMatch of 100,000 bonus points after making $5,000 in purchases in the first three months.)
- Earn 5x Membership Rewards points on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel
- Earn 5x Membership Rewards points on prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com and through Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts, along with benefits such as room upgrades and on-property credits
- Up to $200 airline fee credits each calendar year for incidental fees charged by the airline you select for such things as checked bags or seating assignments.
- Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber credits on U.S. rides each year — $15 per month and $35 in December.
- Up to $100 refunded in the form of a statement credit for a Global Entry application fee once every five years, or up to $85 refunded for one TSA PreCheck application fee once every 4.5 years.
- $100 Saks Fifth Avenue credit each year — $50 for purchases from January-June and another $50 from July-December.
- Access to the American Express Global Lounge collection, including Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges and Delta Sky Clubs when flying Delta on same-day flights.
- Cardmembers can enroll for complimentary Hilton Honors Gold status and Marriott Bonvoy Gold status.
- Register for complimentary Hertz Gold Plus Rewards, Avis Preferred and National Car Rental Emerald Club Executive memberships.
- No foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees).
Read our full review of The Platinum Card from American Express here.
Authorized user benefits: First, the bad news. Authorized users on Platinum Card accounts do not get their own airline, Saks, or Uber credits, although their spending will count toward the airline and Saks credits for the primary cardholder. They don’t receive Uber VIP status, either. However, their cards still earn the bonuses on airline and hotel purchases for the primary cardholder and have access to booking through Fine Hotels & Resorts, along with all the extra benefits that conveys.
More importantly, authorized users are entitled to their own Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application refunds, can register for the hotel and rental-car elite status, and also get access to the American Express Global Lounge collection with the same entry privileges as the primary cardmember. In terms of Centurion and Priority Pass lounges, that means they can bring two guests for free, although they can only enter Delta Sky Clubs themselves (no guests allowed).
Additional card fees: You can receive up to three additional cards for $175, then the charge is $175 per card after that (see rates and fees). You can also get complimentary Amex Gold cards, which are different from the American Express® Gold Card. The complimentary Amex Gold card comes with the same 5x earned on flights booked directly with airlines or prepaid hotels at American Express Travel and 1x on all other spending. Each additional card is eligible for one statement credit every four years toward the Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application fee (up to $100). Incidental air travel fees charged by both Platinum and Gold card members are eligible for statement credits (up to $200 annually). These cards also can receive Amex Offers.
However, these free Amex Gold cardholders are not eligible for Priority Pass Select membership or for access to Centurion Lounges, nor are they eligible for other perks such as annual Uber credits and elite status at certain hotels and rental-car agencies.
Cardmembers still may prefer the free version, since the regular American Express Gold Card comes with a $250 annual fee (see rates and fees).
The Business Platinum® Card from American Express
Like the personal Platinum Card, the business version offers some outstanding perks not only to primary cardmembers but also to authorized users, including some the personal version does not include. This card has an annual fee of $595 (see rates and fees).
Primary cardholder benefits:
- The Business Platinum Card® from American Express is currently offering new cardmembers up to 75,000 bonus points: 50,000 bonus points after you spend $10,000 and an extra 25,000 bonus points after you spend an additional $10,000 all on qualifying purchases within your first three months of card membership.
- Earn 5x Membership Rewards points on flights and prepaid hotel bookings through American Express Travel.
- Earn a 50% points bonus on purchase of $5,000 or more, up to a maximum of 1 million points per calendar year.
- Get 35% of your points back when redeeming them as Pay with Points through amextravel.com for business or first-class tickets on a selected qualifying airline, or for any class of service on the same airline designated for the $200 per calendar year incidental fee credit (below).
- Up to $200 airline fee credits each calendar year for incidental fees charged by the airline you select for such items as checked bags or seating assignments.
- Access to Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts.
- Up to $100 refunded in the form of a statement credit for a Global Entry application fee once every five years, or up to $85 refunded for one TSA PreCheck application fee once every 4.5 years.
- Up to $200 per calendar year in statement credits toward Dell purchases — $100 for those made in January-June and $100 for July-December.
- Access to the American Express Global Lounge collection, including Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges, Airspace and Escape lunges and Delta Sky Clubs when flying Delta on a same-day flight.
- Cardmembers can enroll for complimentary Hilton Honors Gold status and Marriott Bonvoy Gold status.
- Register for complimentary Hertz Gold Plus Rewards, Avis Preferred and National Car Rental Emerald Club Executive memberships.
- No foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees).
Read our full review of The Business Platinum Card from American Express here.
Authorized user benefits: Like the personal version, only certain perks are available to additional cardholders. For instance, they do not get their own airline fee or Dell credits. Like additional personal cardholders, though, they are eligible for Global Entry/TSA PreCheck refunds and receive access to Centurion, Priority Pass and Delta Sky Club lounges, among others.
Additional card fees: Business Platinum cardmembers can tack on additional cards for $300 each (see rates and fees), so it’s not nearly as good a deal as with the personal card, but still worth considering.
Citi®/AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®
Citi’s top-tier American Airlines cobranded card costs $450 per year. But for that, primary cardholders can expect a dozen value-added benefits:
Primary cardholder benefits:
- Earn 50,000 bonus AAdvantage Miles after you make $5,000 in purchases within the first three months of account opening.
- Full Admirals Club membership, including access to partner lounges. The cardholder can bring immediate family or up to two guests for free with a same-day boarding pass on American Airlines or partner airlines.
- Earn 2 miles per dollar spent on eligible American Airlines purchases.
- First checked bag free and priority boarding for the cardholder and up to eight companions on the same reservation on domestic flights marketed and operated by American Airlines.
- 25% off inflight purchases of food and beverages.
- Access to reduced mileage awards.
- Get a boost toward AAdvantage elite status by earning 10,000 Elite Qualifying Miles (EQMs) every calendar year in which you make $40,000 or more in purchases.
- Receive a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee refund once every five years.
- No foreign transaction fees.
Read our full review of the Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard here.
Authorized user benefits: Let’s cut to the chase. The best feature of this product is that additional cardholders can also access American Airlines’ Admirals Clubs and bring immediate family members or up to two guests in with them for free. That alone is worth paying the main card’s annual fee.
Authorized users receive the inflight discount and their spending counts toward earning the bonus EQMs. However, they do not receive day-of-travel benefits such as free checked bags or priority boarding when traveling without the primary cardmember. They are not eligible for their own Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee reimbursement.
Additional card fees: Here’s where this card really proves its value: You can add up to 10 authorized users for free, each of whom has Admirals Club access and can bring in guests – meaning you can essentially get 10 memberships for less than the price of one.
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card and Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card
The benefits offered by both the personal and business versions of this card are extremely similar, so let’s consider them together. Both of these cards got a major revamp that went into effect on Jan. 30, 2020, at which point their annual fees increased to $550 (consumer: see rates and fees; business: see rates and fees).
Primary cardholder benefits:
- The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card is currently offering new cardmembers up to 100,000 bonus miles: 80,000 bonus miles and 20,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $5,000 in purchases on your new card in your first three months. Plus, earn an additional 20,000 bonus miles after your first anniversary of cardmembership. This offer expires on April 1, 2020.
- The Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business American Express Card is currently offering new cardmembers up to 100,000 bonus miles: 80,000 bonus miles and 20,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $5,000 in purchases on your new card in your first three months. Plus, earn an additional 20,000 bonus miles after your first anniversary of card membership. This offer expires on April 1, 2020.
- Both cards earn 3x miles per dollar spent on eligible Delta purchases and 1x on everything else
- The business version earns 1.5x miles per dollar spent on all purchases after you make $150,000 or more in purchases in a calendar year.
- Cardholders are eligible for an application fee waiver for TSA PreCheck (every 4.5 years) or Global Entry (every four years) (up to $100)
- Cardmembers receive Delta Sky Club access when traveling on Delta and can purchase additional guest passes for $39.
- Cardmembers have access to American Express Centurion Lounges when flying Delta with a ticket purchased on the card (up to two guests may also enter for a fee of $50 each).
- Other travel benefits include priority boarding, a free checked bag for the cardholder and up to eight companions on the same reservation and 20% savings on inflight food, beverage and headset purchases.
- Cardholders can earn 15,000 additional MQMs toward Delta Medallion status for each threshold when they hit $30,000, $60,000, $90,000 and $120,000 of spending in a calendar year, up to a total of 60,000 MQMs.
- Delta Reserve and Delta Reserve Business cardholders receive a companion certificate each cardmember year redeemable for one round-trip itinerary within the 48 contiguous United States (cardholders in Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands can originate there) in Main Cabin, Delta Comfort+ or first class. Taxes and fees are capped at $75.
Authorized user benefits: Additional cardholders do not reap most of these benefits. However, their spending does count toward those MQM thresholds and they get access to Delta Sky Clubs and Amex Centurion Lounges when they travel on flights marketed and operated by Delta and present a same-day Delta boarding pass.
Additional card fees: Additional cards cost $175 per year each for the Reserve (see rates and fees) and Business Reserve (see rates and fees).
Citi Prestige
Although this card has scaled back on benefits and protections, it still offers some valuable perks with an annual fee of $495.
Primary cardholder benefits:
- The Citi Prestige is currently offering a welcome bonus of 50,000 ThankYou points after you spend $4,000 in the first three months.
- Earn 5x points per dollar spent on airfare and dining.
- Earn 3x points per dollar spent on hotels and cruises.
- Receive $250 in statement credits toward travel purchases each calendar year.
- 4th-Night-Free hotel benefit available twice per calendar year.
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application reimbursement once every five years.
- Priority Pass lounge access that includes immediate family or up to two guests for free.
- Mastercard cellphone protection.
Read our full review of the Citi Prestige here.
Authorized user benefits: The one main benefit authorized users can expect is their own access to Priority Pass lounges with the same privileges as the primary cardholder. They are not eligible for their own Global Entry or TSA PreCheck reimbursement, 4th-Night-Free certificate or travel statement credits, although their spending will count toward the primary cardmember’s benefits.
Additional card fees: The fee for additional cards is $75 per card per year.
The information for the Citi Prestige has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Does adding authorized users affect your credit score?
Adding an authorized user doesn’t affect your credit score. However, keep in mind that you are responsible for their spending. If they overspend on the card, you’ll be accountable for the balance and associated fees and interest charges. Because payment history and credit utilization both play large roles in the calculation of your credit score, the behavior of your authorized users can end up negatively affecting your score.
Related reading: Adding your kids as authorized users
Reasons to add authorized users
There are plenty of compelling reasons to add authorized users to your credit card accounts.
Increased sign-up bonuses
Some credit cards offer new applicants more bonus points for adding authorized users.
American Express has sent out targeted offers to cardmembers of various products, including the American Express® Gold Card and The Platinum Card® from American Express. In each case, you could earn 5,000 Membership Rewards points for every authorized user you added who then spent $500 in the first three months on his or her card. Bonuses were capped at 20,000 points (equivalent to four additional users) on each card (targeted offers subject to change at anytime).
This type of additional cardholder bonus is more typical with small-business cards, some of which offer supplementary cards for employees at no cost. For example, the Hawaiian Airlines Business Mastercard offers a welcome bonus of up to 70,000 bonus miles — 60,000 after you spend $1,000 in the first 90 days and an additional 10,000 when a purchase is made on an employee card in the first 90 days.
The information for the Hawaiian Airlines Business Mastercard has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Rack up rewards faster
One of the best things about having additional cards on your account is that all the rewards points or miles they earn through everyday spending are credited to the primary cardholder. Of course, the primary cardholder is also responsible for making sure all those purchases are paid off. This shouldn’t be a problem if your authorized users are those you trust, or if you can place tracking alerts or spending controls on your additional cards.
Hit spending thresholds
In the same vein, any spending on an authorized user’s card will count toward the primary cardholder’s spending activity and can help him or her hit the threshold for earning a sign-up bonus faster.
Activity on additional cards will also go toward achieving any of the spending-based annual benefits certain cards offer, like a free weekend night with the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card or earning additional Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) with either the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card or the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
Help others build credit
Although your goal might be more points and more rewards for yourself, one of the best reasons to add authorized users to your credit card account is to help them build their own credit and raise their credit score. This can be especially beneficial for someone who might have bad or damaged credit, or for a teenager who is just starting out with credit and might not be able to qualify for a card on his or her own.
When someone is made an authorized user, the account is added to that person’s credit report. So if the account is handled responsibly, all the factors that can boost your score with your own accounts — on-time payments, low amounts owed, etc. — will eventually begin to raise the authorized user’s score too.
Account transfer options
Folks who earned transferrable points, such as American Express Membership Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards, used to be able to transfer those points to the partner accounts (frequent-flyer and hotel programs) of anyone they wanted. Not any more. Chase now only lets Ultimate Rewards earners transfer points to other members of their household. Amex will usually let you transfer to the accounts of employees, authorized users or a spouse. So adding a relative, partner or employee to your account can be a useful way to stretch your transfer options.
Caveats
Despite all the benefits, there are a few drawbacks to adding authorized users to your credit card accounts. First, the primary cardholder is responsible for paying off all purchases, so you should only add someone you trust and put any spending controls you deem necessary in place. Many issuers will let primary cardholders both track spending and set spending limits on additional accounts, so this is fairly easy to manage.
Second, additional cards sometimes come at a cost. Before you open any, be sure you know whether you will have to pay annual fees for adding users to your account.
Third, many credit cards do not confer the same benefits upon authorized users that the primary cardholder enjoys. For example, the Citi®/AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard primary cardholder must be traveling with an authorized user to activate benefits such as free checked bags and priority boarding.
If you know the requirements and limitations of taking on additional cards with your account, you should be able to maximize their value and benefits.
Bottom line
There are plenty of reasons to add an authorized user to your credit card account. It can help someone build their credit and improve their score, net you extra points both as a sign-up bonus and in terms of everyday spending, and extend the use of your points to more friends or family members.
However, certain high-end credit cards also bestow value-added benefits on additional cardholders, such as lounge access, Global Entry reimbursements and inflight purchase discounts.
As always when considering a credit card, look at your spending habits and needs and then determine whether you will get enough value out of adding authorized users to justify any annual fees you might incur.
Additional reporting by Eric Rosen and Madison Blancaflor.
Featured image by Isabelle Raphael/The Points Guy.
For rates and fees of the Delta reserve, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta Reserve Business Amex card, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Business Platinum Card, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum Card, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Gold card, please click here.
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