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Christine ran her own business developing and managing insurance and financial services. This stoked a passion for points and miles and she now has over 2 dozen credit cards and creates in-depth, deta...
With years of experience in corporate marketing and as the Executive Director of the American Chamber of Commerce in Qatar, Keri is now Editor-in-Chief at UP, overseeing daily content operations and r...
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The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card has consistently been at the top of our list of favorite travel rewards cards due to its earnings and redemption options for valuable Ultimate Rewards points and its complementary travel and shopping benefits. There’s no wonder it’s often selected as a person’s first travel rewards card.
Today we’re going to expand on our normal narrative and talk about a seldom-explained option for maximizing and sharing the benefits that come with your Chase Sapphire Preferred card.
The option we’re referring to is adding an authorized user. We’ll discuss all the benefits of doing so, a few of the downsides (there aren’t many), and also which benefits you won’t find extended to additional users.
If you’re looking for a way to add other users to your card and want to know more about how it works, you’ll find those answers here.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card Snapshot
Before we dive into the how and why you’d want to add an authorized user to the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, let’s look at an overall snapshot of the card including a link for you to use to access key information including fees, interest rates, and any terms/conditions that might apply.
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.
A fantastic travel card with a huge welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.
A fantastic travel card with a huge welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® card is one of the best travel rewards cardson the market. Its bonus categories include travel, dining, online grocery purchases, and streaming services, which gives you the opportunity to earn lots of bonus points on these purchases.
Additionally, it offers flexible point redemption options, no foreign transaction fees, and excellent travel insurance coverage including primary car rental insurance. With benefits like these, it’s easy to see why this card is an excellent choice for any traveler.
Pros
5x points on all travel booked via the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal
5x points on select Peloton purchases over $250 (through March 31, 2025)
5x points on Lyft purchases (through March 31, 2025)
3x points on dining purchases, online grocery purchases, and select streaming services
2x points on all other travel worldwide
$50 annual credit on hotel stays booked through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal
6 months of complimentary Instacart+ (activate by July 31, 2024), plus up to $15 in statement credits each quarter through July 2024
Excellent travel and car rental insurance
10% annual bonus points
No foreign transaction fees
1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs like United MileagePlus and World of Hyatt
Complimentary Spot Club Platinum status with The Parking Spot for 2 years, 20% off of your first reservation, and points for 1 free day of parking (enroll by October 26, 2023)
Cons
$95 annual fee
No elite benefits like airport lounge access or hotel elite status
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3x on dining, and 2x on all other travel purchases, and $50 annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit, plus more.
Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
An authorized user is a person the primary cardholder has added to the credit card account and therefore becomes authorized to make spending transactions on that account. Adding an additional user can be cost-effective versus paying an extra annual fee for that person to be approved for their own separate card. It is also a way to help the user establish credit.
You could add a family member, close associate, or any other trusted individual to your card and authorize them to make charge transactions on your account. You will, however, be solely responsible for any charges made by authorized users.
Let’s now explore the benefits, the restrictions, and the process of adding an additional user to your card.
Benefits of Adding an Authorized User to the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
Before we get into the earning, redemption, travel, and shopping benefits of adding an authorized user, let’s look at some of the reasons you would consider doing so.
1. No Fee for Adding an Authorized User
Add as many authorized users as you wish to the Chase Sapphire Preferred card and neither you nor the additional cardholder will pay an extra fee for doing so.
2. More Cost-effective Than Applying for a Separate Additional Card
Although the additional cardholder does not enjoy all of the same benefits as the primary cardholder, adding an authorized user is more cost-effective than applying for a separate credit card and paying an additional annual fee.
3. Can Help To Establish Good Credit
Adding an authorized user, regardless of age, will help establish credit for that person, even if the person does not use their card. As long as the primary cardholder keeps their own credit in good standing and that activity is reported to the credit bureaus, the authorized user will benefit.
4. Establishes Credit History
One factor that affects your overall credit score is the length of your credit history. Adding an authorized user, especially one who is young, can help establish initial credit and start the clock ticking to build that history.
Bottom Line: Adding an authorized user can help that person establish credit and start building a credit history. There is no charge for adding an authorized user to your Chase Sapphire Preferred card and it could be a cost-effective alternative to having that person apply for their own card.
Earning Rewards
5. Spending Counts Towards the Welcome Bonus Requirement
All purchases made by the primary cardholder and any authorized users count toward the minimum spending requirement (in the first 90 days after the primary cardholder’s initial card approval) for achieving the offered welcome bonus.
6. Earning With Bonus Category Purchases
Travel and dining purchases made by the authorized user earn 5x points on travel purchased through the Chase Travel portal, 3x on dining, and 2x on all other travel purchases, which will be deposited into the primary cardholder’s account.
7. Earn Rewards on Every Purchase
Every other purchase made by the authorized user, even outside of the bonus categories, earns 1x earnings for each dollar spent on the card.
Redeeming Rewards
8. Rewards Can Be Redeemed for the Authorized User
While authorized users do not have redemption privileges, the primary cardholder controls the rewards account and can utilize the earned Ultimate Reward points to book travel via the Chase Travel portal or make other redemption transactions for the authorized user.
9. Transfer Ultimate Rewards Points to Loyalty Program Accounts
One benefit of adding an authorized user is that you can transfer Chase points to their airline frequent flyer account or hotel loyalty program account to use for award flights or free hotel nights. In some cases (i.e. World of Hyatt), the authorized user must be a member of your household.
Bottom Line: Adding an additional user to your card can help you qualify for the initial welcome bonus and allow you to build rewards faster to reach individual or family travel redemption goals.
Travel Benefits and Protections
Authorized users share in several travel benefits and protections. Image Credit: Eric Nielsen via Unsplash
10. Car Rental and Ride-Sharing Program Benefits
Lyft Benefits — Primary cardholders will receive 5x Ultimate Rewards points (through March 2025) for their own purchases and those made by authorized users
Visa Discounts on Car Rentals — Receive up to a 25% discount plus other perks at Hertz, Avis, and National
Use the Chase Sapphire Preferred card (or a combination of Chase Ultimate Rewards points and your Chase Sapphire Preferred card) to reserve and pay for the rental car, then decline the rental car agency’s CDW or LDW coverage for damage, theft, loss of use, and applicable towing.
12. Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption Coverage
This benefit provides protection should your trip be canceled or disrupted for covered reasons. Eligible travel expenses are reimbursed up to $10,000 per covered person, up to $20,000 total per covered trip, and up to a maximum of $40,000 within a 12-month period per account.
13. Trip Delay Reimbursement
Receive up to $500 per trip for covered expenses due to a trip delay of greater than 12 hours or overnight.
14. Baggage Insurance
Receive up to $100 per day reimbursement for covered expenses for up to 5 days if your baggage is delayed more than 6 hours. Additionally, lost or damaged baggage reimbursement is covered for up to $3,000 per person, per covered trip. Limits and conditions apply.
Receive help when you have a roadside breakdown and pay 1 set fee that includes standard towing, tire changing, jump-starting, lockout service, fuel delivery, and standard wenching. Limits apply.
16. Travel Accident Insurance
In the case of specific severe injury or death when traveling via common carrier, a benefit of up to $1,000,000 may apply.
17. Travel and Emergency Assistance Service
Help is available 24/7 while you’re traveling by calling the hotline. Receive medical and legal referrals, assistance with emergency transportation, and more.
Bottom Line: Authorized users can share several travel benefits and protections. Many can be utilized by calling the number on the back of the card or presenting the card at the time of purchase.
Shopping Benefits and Protections
18. DoorDash Benefits
Cardholders (and authorized users) receive free DoorDash DashPass membership so long as it’s activated by December 31, 2024. The benefit is activated during the first use, includes free delivery, and offers reduced fees on orders $12 and over.
19. Instacart+ Benefits
Cardholders (and authorized users) get a free 6-month membership to Instacart+ when the benefit is activated by July 31, 2024. Instacard+ offers free delivery on orders over $35, a 5% credit back on eligible pickup orders, and a lower service fee on all orders.
Cardholders will also receive a $15 statement credit each quarter to offset some of the purchases they make with Instacart.
20. Extended Warranty Protection
The original manufacturer’s warranty of 3 years or less will be extended for 1 additional year. Purchase an eligible item with your card and receive up to a maximum of $10,000 per claim, and $50,000 per account.
Covered items purchased with your card receive protection for theft, damage, or accidental loss, for up to 120 days from the date of purchase. A limit of $500 per item and $50,000 per account apply.
22. No Foreign Transaction Fees
Purchases made by either the primary cardholder or any authorized users are not subject to foreign transaction fees. This benefit can end up saving you a significant amount of money each year, depending on how often you travel.
How To Add an Authorized User to the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
Adding an authorized user to your Chase Sapphire Preferred card is a simple process. Image Credit: Chase
To add an authorized user, simply log into your Chase Sapphire Preferred card online account via chase.com and click on the dropdown as shown above.
Image Credit: Chase
You’ll need to provide the first name, last name, date of birth, and address of the additional user to complete the short form. If the person has a foreign address, you will need to call Chase to add them.
You can also add an authorized user by calling the number on the back of your card.
The new authorized user card will be sent within 7 to 10 working days.
Everything Else You Need To Know
While there are very few downsides to adding an authorized user, you’ll want to understand the following:
The primary cardholder is solely responsible to repay any charges the authorized user makes
Chase will report the authorized user account to the credit bureaus
All correspondence will be sent to the primary cardholder
Additional Primary Cardholder Benefits of the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
Earn 2x Ultimate Rewards points for any travel purchase not purchased through Ultimate Rewards. Image Credit: Idealphotographer via Shutterstock
Redeem Ultimate Rewards points for travel via the Chase Travel portal for 25% additional value
Redeem Ultimate Rewards points for statement credits, cash-back, merchandise, gift cards
Access to view and add Chase Offers (both authorized users and the primary cardholder can use these offers, however)
Bottom Line: Although the authorized user shares many of the card’s attributes, major benefits and all redemption options are reserved for the primary cardholder. Plus, the primary cardholder assumes all responsibility for paying any incurred charges. Chase will send all correspondence to the primary cardholder and report activity to the credit bureaus for all users.
Final Thoughts
Adding an authorized user to your Chase Sapphire Preferred card is a decision you should not take lightly, even with the fact that it costs nothing to accomplish. You are, in fact, taking on the responsibility for the spending transactions of another person.
This may never be a problem if the person is a family member or other trusted individual. However, it could be important to set expectations as to spending limits, repayment, and any potential consequences before adding the user.
Sharing card benefits and helping the user establish credit can be positive outcomes of adding authorized users. For these reasons, it can be worth any pre-determined minimal risk of doing so for the right person.
Featured Image Credit: Upgraded Points
Frequently Asked Questions
There is no charge, over and above the annual fee for the primary card, for adding additional users. There is also no limit on how many additional users you can add.
No. There is no requirement for the authorized user to make charges on the card. The user will still receive the added benefit of establishing credit regardless of card utilization.
Yes, an authorized user is building credit. The primary cardholder’s payment activity is reported to the credit bureaus and affects the credit of the authorized user.
The authorized user also builds credit history longevity which can positively affect their credit score.
While there is no legal age for authorized users, individual credit card issuers may have set age requirements. The Chase Sapphire Preferred card does not have a minimum age requirement for adding an additional user.
Adding an authorized user, even if they have poor or no credit history, does not affect your credit score.
You do, however, share the same credit limit on your card and if the authorized user utilizes the limit with high spending, this high credit utilization could affect your score negatively.
Christine ran her own business developing and managing insurance and financial services. This stoked a passion for points and miles and she now has over 2 dozen credit cards and creates in-depth, detailed content for UP.
Disclaimer: Any comments listed below are not from the bank advertiser, nor have they been reviewed or approved by them. No responsibility will be taken by the bank advertiser for these comments.
19 comments
Justin
August 19, 2021
Hi! If I add an authorized user (my wife) to the card, can I still later refer her to get the referral bonus and then have her get the sign on bonus? In other words, does having my spouse as an authorized user disqualify her to then apply for the card as a new user to get the sign on bonus?
Yes, you can add your wife as an authorized user and then later have her apply and get a sign-up bonus of her own. Being an authorized user does not prevent you from getting the card in your own name as long as you are under 5/24.
Jane
April 17, 2022
Do I need the SSN to add an authorized user? Or what information or documents does an authorized user need?
Yes, you can use your points for anyone you’d like!
Chad
September 23, 2022
If I add an authorized user for the Chase Sapphire Preferred card do they have the same benefits when renting a car with primary coverage for collision, theft, etc?
Hi CM. Yes, as long as the requirements for each coverage are met, authorized users have travel benefits.
Oscar
January 17, 2023
Does the card show up as a new account on the authorized user’s credit history? I know Amex used to back-date to the original account opening but not any more. How does Chase handle this? I just want to make sure we’re both staying under 5/24. Thanks!
Hi Jim. It appears spending limits can only be set for Chase business credit card authorized users. However, the authorized user on the Chase Sapphire Preferred card is limited to the credit limit on the card and you can shut off the use of the card at any time.
Dave
July 15, 2023
Can I see itemized purchases to see what purchases where made by the authorized user(s)?
Keri Stooksbury
July 16, 2023
Hi Dave – You should be able to see the charges by authorized user, but not the itemized purchase. For example, you could see that they made a purchase at Walmart but not what they purchased there. Thanks for reading!
Daedae
September 02, 2023
When I add someone as an authorized user, will they get their own card in the mail? Do they get they own spending limit or do they use my credit limit?
Hi Daedae. When you add the authorized user, you will be able to provide an address for Chase to send the card. The authorized user shares a credit limit with the primary cardholder; they do not have a separate credit limit.
Any thoughts or questions? Comment below!
Email needed if you'd like comment updates. It will NOT be published.
This bonus value is an estimated valuation calculated by UP after analyzing redemption options, transfer partners, award availability and how much UP would pay to buy these points.
19 comments
Justin
August 19, 2021
Hi! If I add an authorized user (my wife) to the card, can I still later refer her to get the referral bonus and then have her get the sign on bonus? In other words, does having my spouse as an authorized user disqualify her to then apply for the card as a new user to get the sign on bonus?
Jarrod West
August 19, 2021
Hi Justin,
Yes, you can add your wife as an authorized user and then later have her apply and get a sign-up bonus of her own. Being an authorized user does not prevent you from getting the card in your own name as long as you are under 5/24.
Jane
April 17, 2022
Do I need the SSN to add an authorized user? Or what information or documents does an authorized user need?
Christine Krzyszton
April 17, 2022
Hi Jane. You’ll need to provide the first name, last name, date of birth, and address to add the authorized user.
BC
June 16, 2022
This is a great point! Thank you so much Jarrod for clarifying.
Jacqueline
April 23, 2022
Can I buy a flight ticket for my son under 18 with rewards?
Jarrod West
April 24, 2022
Hi Jacqueline,
Yes, you can use your points for anyone you’d like!
Chad
September 23, 2022
If I add an authorized user for the Chase Sapphire Preferred card do they have the same benefits when renting a car with primary coverage for collision, theft, etc?
Christine Krzyszton
September 24, 2022
Hi Chad. Yes, as long as they also follow the criteria for coverage (#11).
CM
January 09, 2023
Does the authorized user have the same travel benefits ( travel interruption/cancellation, baggage delays, list, etc)?
Christine Krzyszton
January 09, 2023
Hi CM. Yes, as long as the requirements for each coverage are met, authorized users have travel benefits.
Oscar
January 17, 2023
Does the card show up as a new account on the authorized user’s credit history? I know Amex used to back-date to the original account opening but not any more. How does Chase handle this? I just want to make sure we’re both staying under 5/24. Thanks!
Jarrod West
January 17, 2023
Hi Oscar,
Yes, authorized user accounts usually show up on the persons credit history, but they do not count toward 5/24.
Jim
April 21, 2023
Can you set spending limits for authorized users?
Christine Krzyszton
April 23, 2023
Hi Jim. It appears spending limits can only be set for Chase business credit card authorized users. However, the authorized user on the Chase Sapphire Preferred card is limited to the credit limit on the card and you can shut off the use of the card at any time.
Dave
July 15, 2023
Can I see itemized purchases to see what purchases where made by the authorized user(s)?
Keri Stooksbury
July 16, 2023
Hi Dave – You should be able to see the charges by authorized user, but not the itemized purchase. For example, you could see that they made a purchase at Walmart but not what they purchased there. Thanks for reading!
Daedae
September 02, 2023
When I add someone as an authorized user, will they get their own card in the mail? Do they get they own spending limit or do they use my credit limit?
Christine Krzyszton
September 04, 2023
Hi Daedae. When you add the authorized user, you will be able to provide an address for Chase to send the card. The authorized user shares a credit limit with the primary cardholder; they do not have a separate credit limit.
Any thoughts or questions? Comment below!
Email needed if you'd like comment updates. It will NOT be published.
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