The 8 Best Credit Cards for Authorized Users [April 2024]

What To Look For in a Credit Card for Authorized Users

If you’re looking for a superb credit card for authorized users, you’ll probably want a card that grants lots of benefits to your authorized user, even though the account is under your name.

Ideally, you’ll focus on a card that not only transfers a lot of benefits to your authorized user but also earns points and/or cash-back as well.

After all, it would be a shame to miss out on bonus points for spending that your authorized user would have to make anyway.

In our ranking list, we identify the cards that offer the most outsized value to authorized users.

Some of these cards will have fees to add authorized users, but you’ll notice that the incremental value you’d get from these cards far and away exceeds the marginal fee of adding an authorized user.

Lounge access, bonus categories, and travel insurance are all factors that might drive which credit card is the best fit for you and your authorized users.

You’ll also want to be able to track and manage an authorized user’s spending, whether that means setting spending limits or separating your primary cardholder expenses from the authorized user’s expenses.

Note: Looking for the best business credit cards for additional users? Instead of authorized users, the terminology for business credit cards is employee cards. Semantics aside, check out our guide to the best credit cards for multiple employees.

Quick Summary (Top Picks)

Card	Welcome Bonus and Annual Fee	Benefits for Authorized Users
The Platinum Card® from American Express	Earn 80,000 points after spending $8,000 on purchases in the first 6 months. Annual fee of $695 Authorized user Amex Platinum card: $195 per person (rates & fees) Authorized user American Express® Gold Card: $0 annual fee; authorized user American Express® Green Card: $0 annual fee (rates & fees)	The best airport lounge access from any card Access to Fine Hotels & Resorts and The Hotel Collection Complimentary Hilton Honors Gold and Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status upon enrollment Complimentary Avis Preferred Club, Hertz Gold Plus Rewards, and National Emerald Club Executive status
Chase Sapphire Preferred®	Earn 75,000 points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. Annual fee of $95 Authorized user annual fee of $0	Complimentary DoorDash DashPass subscription (register by December 31, 2024) Rental car and travel insurance
Chase Sapphire Reserve®	Earn 75,000 points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. Annual fee of $550 Authorized user annual fee of $75	Priority Pass Select membership Excellent car rental and travel insurance
American Express® Gold Card	Earn 60,000 points when you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 6 months. Annual fee of $250 Authorized user annual fee of $0 (up to 5 additional cards for no annual fee; after that, you’ll pay $35 for each additional card (rates & fees))	Access to The Hotel Collection Travel Insurance
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card	Earn 75,000 miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. Annual fee of $395 (rates & fees) Add cardholders to your account for no additional fee (rates & fees)	Access to Capital One Lounges and Plaza Premium Lounges Priority Pass Select membership Hertz President’s Circle status Excellent travel insurance
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express	Earn a $250 statement credit after spending $3,000 in purchases in the first 6 months. Annual fee of $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95 Authorized user annual fee of $0 (rates & fees)	Secondary rental car insurance
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express	Earn a $200 statement credit after spending $2,000 in purchases in the first 6 months. Annual fee of $0 Authorized user annual fee of $0 (rates & fees)	Secondary rental car insurance

1. The Platinum Card^® from American Express (Top Pick, Best Card for Airport Lounge Access)

Hot Tip: Check to see if you’re eligible for a welcome bonus offer of up to 125k (or 150k) points with the Amex Platinum. The current public offer is 80,000 points. (This targeted offer was independently researched and may not be available to all applicants.)

Our #1 choice of the best cards for authorized users is the Amex Platinum card. Known as the best card for luxury travel benefits, this is absolutely one of the most comprehensive travel rewards cards out there.

You’ll earn 5x points per $1 spent on flights purchased directly from the airline or from American Express Travel (up to $500,000 per calendar year) and 5x points per $1 spent on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.

Also, the Amex Platinum card comes with over $1,400 in statement credits for the primary cardmember only:

• Up to $100 in Saks Fifth Avenue statement credits
• Up to $200 in Uber Cash ($15 per month and $35 in December)
• Up to $200 in airline incidental fee credits every calendar year
• Up to $189 in CLEAR Plus credits every year
• Up to $300 in Equinox credits every year
• Up to $240 in digital entertainment credits every year
• Up to $200 in prepaid hotel credits at Fine Hotels & Resorts or The Hotel Collection (via Amex Travel) every year
• Up to $155 in Walmart+ credits every year

Some credits require enrollment, so if you’re the primary cardholder, make sure you explore your American Express account to get the most out of your card.

Although authorized users will not get their own statement credits, both primary cardmembers and authorized users will get an astonishing suite of benefits, including luxury travel perks:

• The ability to earn Amex Membership Rewards points on all purchases, including bonus category purchases
• Access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection, including Centurion Lounges, Delta Sky Clubs, and Priority Pass lounges (upon enrollment)
• A Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit
• Complimentary hotel and rental car statuses
• Access to Amex Offers
• Access to the Amex International Airline Program (airfare discounts)

You also get access to all travel insurance benefits, such as secondary car rental car insurance, trip interruption, trip cancellation, trip delay, lost/stolen baggage, damaged baggage, delayed baggage, and emergency evacuation. There are no foreign transaction fees, and cardmembers benefit from purchase protection, cell phone protection, extended warranty coverage, and zero fraud liability protection.

Note that some benefits require enrollment through your American Express account, so don’t miss out on getting the most out of your card.

Benefits for Authorized Users

When you add an authorized user, you have 3 options:

• Authorized user Amex Platinum card: $195 per card
• Authorized user American Express Gold card: $0 annual fee
• Authorized user American Express Green card: $0 annual fee

The long list of perks above applies only to authorized user Amex Platinum cards — if you have the complimentary Amex Gold card, you’ll get a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit, access to The Hotel Collection, access to bonus categories, and access to Amex Offers.

The authorized user Amex Green card doesn’t present any benefit over the authorized user Amex Gold card; you should probably avoid it as a general rule.

All information about the American Express^® Green Card has been collected independently by Upgraded Points.

Bottom Line: The Amex Platinum card is one of the few cards that confers a huge collection of travel perks to authorized users. Sure, authorized user cards aren’t without a fee, but considering how you can get way more value than the annual fee for an authorized user, it’s simply a no-brainer that the Amex Platinum card is our top choice for authorized users.

2. Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card (Excellent Travel Insurance, Primary Car Rental Insurance)

We’ve always thought of the Chase Sapphire Preferred card as the best beginner rewards credit card you can get. It just offers some of the most well-thought-out benefits that most cardholders out there will find useful.

Its rewards aren’t terribly complicated, its fees are very mild, and it consistently delivers outsized value to customers.

Also, this credit card earns:

• 5x points per $1 on Lyft purchases through March 31, 2025
• 5x points per $1 on travel purchased through Chase Travel
• 3x points on dining, select streaming services, and online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs)
• 2x points on all other travel purchases
• 1x points per $1 everywhere else

Incredibly, your spending would return you 2%, 4%, or 10%, based on a valuation of 2 cents per point! Plus, you’ll get a 10% anniversary boost of points earned every year, which will increase your return on spending even more!

You’ll get a complimentary DoorDash DashPass subscription; simply activate by December 31, 2024.

This credit card is famous for its second-to-none travel coverage for a mid-tier premium credit card — the highlights are primary car rental insurance, trip cancellation and interruption insurance, trip delay coverage, baggage delay insurance, lost luggage insurance, travel accident coverage, and much more.

Non-travel-related benefits that’ll come in handy are zero fraud liability, purchase protection, and extended warranty coverage.

Benefits for Authorized Users

Authorized users of the Chase Sapphire Preferred card can access all the benefits except any statement credits.

So, authorized users will get the full accouterment of travel coverage benefits, the bonus categories to earn Ultimate Rewards points, and a complimentary DoorDash DashPass subscription (activate by December 31, 2024) all without any additional fees!

3. Chase Sapphire Reserve^® (Great Lounge Access and Travel Insurance)

One of Chase’s ultra-premium credit cards, the Chase Sapphire Reserve card is one of the most impressive with plenty of ultra-practical benefits.

Both the primary cardmember and authorized user will accrue points according to this structure:

• 10x points per $1 on hotels and car rentals booked through Chase Travel after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually
• 10x points per $1 on Chase Dining purchases through Chase Travel when you make prepaid restaurant reservations
• 5x points per $1 on flights booked through Chase Travel (after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually)
• 3x points per $1 on all other travel and all dining purchases
• 1x point per $1 on all other purchases

One of the best, easy-to-use benefits of the Chase Sapphire Reserve card is the $300 annual travel credit every anniversary year.

Other amazing perks include a Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS application fee credit, a complimentary Priority Pass Select membership (activation required), a DoorDash DashPass subscription (must activate by December 31, 2024), and access to The Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection.

One of the biggest selling points of this card is the amazing travel insurance and coverage you get, such as primary rental car coverage, trip cancellation and interruption insurance, trip delay reimbursement, lost luggage coverage, baggage delay, roadside assistance, emergency evacuation and transportation, emergency medical and dental coverage, travel accident insurance, and travel and emergency assistance.

Benefits for Authorized Users

Authorized users do not get an additional $300 travel credit, nor do they get an additional Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS reimbursement.

However, here’s what authorized users can get:

• The ability to earn Ultimate Rewards points on all purchases with no caps, including bonus categories
• A complimentary Priority Pass Select membership
• The full gamut of Chase Sapphire Reserve’s travel protections
• Car rental elite status (via Visa Infinite)
• Access to The Luxury Hotel Collection

Each authorized user is charged an annual fee of $75.

4. American Express^® Gold Card (Best for Earning Points at Restaurants and U.S Supermarkets)

Hot Tip: Check to see if you’re eligible for a welcome bonus offer of up to 90,000 points with the Amex Gold card. The current public offer is 60,000 points. (This targeted offer was independently researched and may not be available to all applicants.)

The Amex Gold card is one of the best cards for everyday purchases, and this card just makes a ton of sense for most people in the U.S.

Even though this is a fantastic everyday card, the rewards you earn can be used for exotic vacations for an incredible value!

What’s truly special is the points earning structure:

• 4x points per $1 at restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
• 4x points per $1 at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year (1x points after that)
• 3x points per $1 on flights purchased directly with the airline or at Amex Travel
• 1x points per $1 everywhere else

That means on common purchases like eating out and groceries, you could potentially earn up to 8.8% back on your spending, with a valuation of 2.2 cents per Amex point.

It doesn’t end there because the primary cardmember will get up to $120 per year in dining statement credits at participating restaurants, including Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar, and select Shake Shack locations (enrollment required).

Other essential Amex Gold card benefits include access to the American Express Hotel Collection, secondary car rental coverage, travel insurance, a complimentary ShopRunner membership, purchase protection, extended warranty coverage, no preset spending limit, no foreign transaction fees, and access to Amex Offers (rates & fees).

Benefits for Authorized Users

So what benefits are included for authorized users? Here are the included benefits:

• The ability to earn Amex points on your purchases, including up to 4x points at U.S. supermarkets and restaurants (normal restrictions apply)
• All travel insurance and coverage offered to the primary cardmember
• Complimentary ShopRunner membership
• Access to Amex Offers
• No foreign transaction fees

You can add up to 5 additional cards for no annual fee — after that, you’ll pay $35 for each additional card.

5. Citi^®/AAdvantage^® Executive World Elite Mastercard^® (Best for Admirals Lounge Access)

The AAdvantage Executive World Elite card is marketed as the only travel credit card with Admirals Club membership, so it seems pretty clear who this card’s target market is.

Appealing to those looking for a complimentary Admirals Club membership and American Airlines-related benefits, the AAdvantage Executive World Elite card offers the most elite card for loyal American Airlines customers.

As far as spending categories go, you can earn 4x miles per $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases.

As you can probably tell, the spending categories aren’t all that great — it’s the other benefits that matter the most.

To start, you will enjoy:

• A complimentary Admirals Club membership (valued at around $850 alone)
• A Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit of up to $100 every 4 years
• Your first checked bag free on domestic American Airlines itineraries for yourself and up to 8 travel companions
• Priority boarding on American Airlines flights
• Priority check-in and priority airport screening (where available for you and up to 8 travel companions)
• 25% savings on inflight food and beverage purchases on American Airlines flights

Other benefits include zero fraud liability and access to Citi Entertainment.

6. Capital One Venture X Rewards Card (Great Lounge Access + Travel Insurance)

As the flagship Capital One credit card, the Capital One Venture X card focuses on offering the flexibility of cash-back rewards while still having some great transfer partnerships with airlines and hotels.

This “best-of-both-world” approach, combined with its simple earning categories, is one of the reasons why we like the Capital One Venture X card a lot!

As one of the most rewarding credit cards for everyday spending, this card will enable you to earn bonus points on every purchase you make. Specifically, you’ll earn an unlimited 2x Capital One miles on all purchases with no caps!

The primary cardmember will get a $300 annual travel credit on bookings made through Capital One Travel, 10,000 bonus miles every anniversary year, access to Capital One Lounges and Plaza Premium Lounges, a Priority Pass Select membership, complimentary Hertz President’s Circle status, $100 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit, as well as other important travel coverages like primary car rental insurance, lost luggage coverage, roadside dispatch, and travel assistance services.

Just like most credit cards out there, you’ll have cell phone insurance, purchase security, extended warranty, zero fraud liability, and access to Capital One Miles. You also won’t pay any foreign transaction fees (rates & fees).

Benefits for Authorized Users

There are also no additional fees for adding up to 4 authorized users (rates & fees), who get these perks:

• Priority Pass Select membership
• Access to Capital One Lounges and Plaza Premium Lounges
• Hertz President’s Circle status
• The ability to earn Capital One miles on all purchases with no caps
• Travel insurance benefits
• Purchase security
• Extended warranty
• Zero fraud liability
• No foreign transaction fees (rates & fees)

Authorized users do not receive the $300 annual travel credit, Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee reimbursement, or anniversary bonus.

7. Blue Cash Preferred^® Card from American Express (Best for Cash Back)

The Amex Blue Cash Preferred card is an amazing card for the right consumer.

If you generally don’t eat out at restaurants, consume lots of digital media, and spend a significant chunk on your commute, then the Amex Blue Cash Preferred card might be the best cash back card for you.

This card earns some incredible cash-back:

• 6% cash-back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per calendar year in purchases (then 1%)
• 6% cash-back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions
• 3% cash-back at U.S. gas stations and on transit (including taxis, rideshares, parking, tolls, trains, buses, and more)
• 1% cash-back on all other purchases

Being able to get up to 6% cash-back on purchases is a good enough reason alone to get the Amex Blue Cash Preferred card because all of your authorized users will be able to help you save big on your purchases, too.

One other benefit you might find useful is the 0% introductory APR period. Regular APR, as shown in the table above, applies after the introductory period.

But in addition to this benefit, you are entitled to benefits such as secondary rental car insurance, return protection, and fraud protection.

There are no authorized user fees.

Benefits for Authorized Users

Authorized users get access to pretty much all of the same perks as the primary cardholder does.

However, while authorized users can participate in the 0% introductory APR period, the period applies to the primary cardholder’s card opening date only.

8. Blue Cash Everyday^® Card from American Express (Great Cash Back, Low Intro APR)

A step down from the Amex Blue Cash Preferred card, the Amex Blue Cash Everyday card offers headache-free rewards and useful bonus categories.

As the name suggests, you’ll earn some great cash-back rewards by using this product:

• 3% cash-back at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 in purchases each year)
• 3% cash-back at U.S. gas stations (up to $6,000 in purchases each year)
• 3% cash-back at U.S. online retailers (up to $6,000 in purchases each year)
• 1% cash-back on everything else

This is a great card for those who typically shop the most at these common destinations — but it doesn’t end there!

You’ll also get access to one of the best 0% introductory APR promotions out there. Regular APR, as shown in the table above, applies after the introductory period.

Since this isn’t a travel rewards credit card, the travel-related benefits aren’t as plentiful; in any case, you’ll get a few perks including secondary car rental insurance, purchase protection, fraud protection, access to the Global Assist hotline, and the ability to book American Express Experiences.

You’ll also get up to $7 per month when you spend $9.99 per month on The Disney Bundle, as well as $15 per month in Home Chef credits.

There is no authorized user fee.

Benefits for Authorized Users

Authorized users get access to all of the primary card member’s perks above, save for an additional 0% introductory APR and statement credits towards The Disney Bundle or Home Chef.

The introductory APR is applicable only for the primary cardholder after the new card opening, not for authorized users.

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.

Enrollment required through Capital One website or mobile app. Upon enrollment, eligible cardholders will remain at upgraded status level through December 31, 2024.  Please note, enrolling through the normal Hertz Gold Plus Rewards enrollment process (e.g. at Hertz.com) will not automatically detect a cardholder as being eligible for the program and cardholders will not be automatically upgraded to the applicable status tier.  Additional terms apply.

For the purchase protection benefit of the American Express^® Gold Card, and Blue Cash Everyday^® Card from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by Card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

For the car rental loss & damage insurance of the American Express^® Gold Card, Blue Cash Preferred^® from American Express, Blue Cash Everyday^® Card from American Express, and The Platinum Card^® from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by Card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.

For the extended warranty benefit of the American Express^® Gold Card, and The Platinum Card^® from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by Card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

For the return protection of the Blue Cash Preferred^® from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by Card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.

For the baggage insurance plan of the American Express^® Gold Card, and The Platinum Card^® from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by Card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

For the Global Assist Hotline of the Blue Cash Everyday^® Card from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by Card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Card Members are responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers.

For the trip delay insurance of The Platinum Card^® from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by Card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

For the trip cancellation and interruption insurance of The Platinum Card^® from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by Card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.