Amex Platinum Additional Card: Is It Worth Adding a User

Adding an additional card user to your Amex Platinum account can be a great way to share the benefits and rewards with a partner or family member. This can be especially useful for couples who travel together frequently, as both cardholders can enjoy the benefits of the Amex Platinum, including airport lounge access and travel insurance.

Each additional card costs $175 per year, which is a significant fee, but it may be worth it if you can split the benefits with someone else. You can add up to three additional cardholders to your account.

Having an additional cardholder can also help you earn more points and rewards, as both cardholders can earn 5x points on air travel and hotels. This can add up quickly, especially if you and your partner are frequent travelers.

The Amex Platinum benefits are quite generous, and they're available to both primary and additional cardmembers. Additional cardmembers get some benefits all to themselves, such as airline fee credit, Saks credit, hotel credit, and more.

Here are some of the benefits that apply to additional cardmembers:

Additional cardmembers also share some benefits with the primary cardmember, including credits for digital entertainment, Equinox, Walmart+, and Clear Plus. These credits can be triggered by purchases made by any card on the account, not just the primary card.

As an authorized user on an American Express card, you have access to the shared pool of points earned by the primary cardholder. This can be a huge benefit, especially if you're looking to share your points with someone else.

To transfer points, the authorized user must have been on the primary cardholder's account for at least 90 days. This is a crucial requirement, so make sure you plan ahead if you want to transfer points.

Authorized users earn points at the same rate as the primary cardholder, which is great news for those who want to maximize their rewards. For example, if you're an authorized user on an Amex Platinum card, you'll earn 5X Membership Rewards Points for flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel.

You'll also earn 5X points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel, and 1X points on other eligible purchases. This means you can take advantage of the same spending categories and earn points just like the primary cardholder.

Here are the earning rates for authorized users on the Amex Platinum card:

Travel insurance is a valuable perk that comes with certain credit cards. It provides protection against trip delays and cancellations for authorized users when they make a purchase using the card.

Terms and conditions apply to this insurance benefit, so it's essential to review them carefully. You can learn more about travel insurance by reading our article on the topic.

This insurance can also help you reach minimum spending requirements for a welcome bonus, which is a great incentive to use the card frequently.

Shared benefits among Amex Platinum cardmembers are a great perk. These benefits are granted once per account, but can be triggered by purchases made by any card on the account.

Some of the shared benefits include an airline fee credit of up to $200 per calendar year, provided as statement credits for incidental fees charged by the airline you select. This credit is a huge help for frequent travelers.

Additional shared benefits include up to $100 Saks credit, split into two up to $50 statement credits for the two halves of the calendar year. This is a great way to get some extra shopping done.

You'll also get up to $200 annual hotel credit, valid on prepaid reservations at Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection properties. This credit requires a minimum two-night stay and must be made through Amex Travel.

Other shared benefits include up to $199 annual Clear Plus statement credits per calendar year, up to $240 annual digital entertainment credit, and up to $300 annual Equinox statement credit. These credits can be used for a variety of purposes, such as Clear Plus membership, digital entertainment, and Equinox memberships.

Here are the shared benefits among Amex Platinum cardmembers:

Adding an additional cardholder to your Amex Platinum account can be a great way to share benefits and rewards with a friend or family member.

You can add authorized users on the Amex Platinum is easy, and potentially even rewarding. Log into your Amex account, and then scroll down to the “Amex Offers & Benefits” section. You should see the “Add a Card Member” option listed there.

The process of adding authorized users on the Amex Platinum is easy. You'll have to provide the name and date of birth of the authorized user you want to add. You also have the option of adding their social security number — if you don’t add it at this point, you’ll have to add it within 60 days of the card being issued.

Authorized users on the Amex Platinum must be at least 13 years old. This is a great way to share benefits and rewards with a younger family member or friend.

Here are some of the benefits that additional cardholders will enjoy:

These benefits are shared among all cardmembers on the account, including the primary cardholder and additional cardholders. They're great perks that can help you save money and earn rewards.

Traveling is a breeze with an Additional Amex Platinum card. Authorized users get access to over 1,400 airport lounges worldwide, including American Express Centurion Lounges and Priority Pass lounges.

The Global Lounge Collection is a game-changer for frequent travelers. With so many lounges to choose from, you'll never be stuck waiting in a crowded airport again. You can also take advantage of airline and airport-operated lounges, like Delta Sky Clubs and Escape Lounges.

Here are some of the airport lounges you'll have access to:

With an Additional Amex Platinum card, you'll also enjoy rental car elite status, including Hertz Gold Plus Rewards President's Circle, Avis Preferred Plus, and National Emerald Club Executive status.

Airport lounge access is a game-changer for frequent travelers. You can access over 1,400 airport lounges worldwide through the American Express Global Lounge Collection.

As an authorized user, you can enjoy lounge access even when traveling without the primary cardmember. This includes American Express Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges, Delta Sky Clubs, and Plaza Premium lounges.

To access Centurion Lounges, you can show your Platinum Card, or in domestic destinations, register via the American Express app and scan a QR code via touchless check-in.

However, there's a catch - you can't bring in two complimentary guests when visiting Centurion Lounges. You'll need to pay $50 for each adult guest over 18, and $30 for each child between the ages of 2 and 17.

But don't worry, there are ways to avoid this guest fee. If you charge $75,000 on your Platinum Card in a calendar year, you'll unlock the previous benefit of bringing in two guests. Alternatively, you can add your spouse or children over 12 as authorized users.

If you hold the Amex Platinum, you can also enter the Sky Club if you're traveling on a same-day Delta-operated flight. But be prepared to pay $50 each time you visit, unless you add an authorized user to your account.

Here are some of the Centurion Lounges locations worldwide:

Additionally, you can access airline and airport-operated lounges through free Priority Pass Select membership (enrollment required), as well as access to Escape Lounges and Delta Sky Clubs when flying a same-day Delta flight.

Car Rental Elite Status is a game-changer for travelers. With the Amex Platinum card, you get rental car elite status, including Hertz Gold Plus Rewards President's Circle, Avis Preferred Plus, and National Emerald Club Executive status.

These benefits come in handy when renting a car, especially if you're a frequent traveler. You'll enjoy perks like faster check-in, priority service, and more.

You can even enroll authorized users in these memberships on Amex's website. This way, they can also enjoy the benefits of rental car elite status.

Here are the specific benefits you can look forward to:

These elite statuses can make a big difference in your rental car experience, saving you time and hassle.

As an Amex Platinum cardmember, you can enjoy the Fine Hotels + Resorts and Hotel Collection benefits on your card. These benefits include a room upgrade upon arrival, daily breakfast for two, guaranteed 4 p.m. late checkout, noon check-in when available, complimentary Wi-Fi, and a $100 experience credit.

To book a prepaid stay through the Fine Hotels + Resorts program, you'll earn 5 Membership Rewards points per dollar. You'll also get access to the program's elitelike benefits.

To take advantage of these benefits, you'll need to book a minimum two-night stay through the Fine Hotels + Resorts program or The Hotel Collection.

The Fine Hotels + Resorts program offers a $100 on-property credit to use during your stay, in addition to the other benefits.

The Amex Platinum additional card offers a range of benefits, but one of the most valuable is the Global Entry and TSA PreCheck credit. Authorized users can receive a statement credit for the application fee, which is up to $120 for Global Entry or up to $85 for TSA PreCheck.

This credit is available once every four years for Global Entry or every 4.5 years for TSA PreCheck, and it can be used for the user's own membership or for a friend or family member's membership. This can be a huge perk, especially if you have family members who travel frequently.

You can charge the application fee to your card and get reimbursed, making it a convenient and hassle-free process. The credit is also available for authorized users who add the card in the first year, which can help offset the $195 annual fee.

It's worth noting that all additional members added to an Amex Platinum account, including both additional Platinum Cards and additional companion cards, are eligible for this benefit.

Adding a cardholder to your Amex Platinum account is a relatively simple process. You can do it online through the Amex Platinum dashboard.

To start, log into your Amex Platinum account and click on the "Account Services" link at the top. Then, click "Manage Other Users" on the left-hand side and follow the prompts to add the new cardholder.

You can also add an authorized user by logging into your account and going to the Useful Links section on your account home page. Click on "Add Someone to Your Account" and complete the sign-up process.

The annual fee for adding an authorized user to the Amex Platinum card is $195. However, if you add an authorized user to the Amex Business Platinum card, the annual fee is $350.

You'll need to provide the authorized user's social security number and date of birth when you apply, although you can add the social security number later within 60 days of the card being issued.

It takes about three to five business days for the card to arrive, so the authorized user will have to wait for the card before accessing some perks, like Centurion Lounges.

There are two ways to add your partner to your Amex Platinum card: as an authorized user or as a companion card. As an authorized user, your partner gets an Amex Platinum card for $195. As a companion card, your partner gets an Amex Gold card for free, which is a $250 savings.

The benefits that come with adding an authorized user to your Amex Platinum card include airline fee credits, Saks credits, hotel credits, and digital entertainment credits, among others. These benefits are shared among cardmembers, so if you have multiple authorized users, they'll all be able to enjoy these perks.

Here's a breakdown of the shared benefits:

If you have multiple authorized users, be sure to take advantage of these shared benefits to maximize your rewards.

The cost of adding authorized users to your Amex Platinum card is a crucial factor to consider. The annual fee for each additional cardmember is $195 on the personal version and $350 on the business version.

This cost can add up quickly, especially if you have multiple family members or frequent travelers who would benefit from the card's perks. However, the value of these perks can be substantial, especially if your authorized users make use of lounge access, hotel benefits, or Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.

To estimate the yearly value of adding authorized users, consider the following questions: Will your authorized users sign up for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck? How frequently will they use the card's hotel perks? How valuable is lounge access for them?

Here's a rough breakdown of the costs and potential benefits:

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card offers a more attractive deal, allowing up to four authorized users at no extra cost. In contrast, the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card charges $75 per authorized user.

Ultimately, the decision to add authorized users to your Amex Platinum card depends on your individual circumstances and the value you place on the card's benefits. If the benefits outweigh the costs, it may be worth adding authorized users.