Amex Platinum Authorized User: Benefits And Costs 2024 (2024)

Featured Partner Offer

The Platinum Card® from American Express

Apply Now

On American Express's Website

Partner Offer

Click Here To Apply Now

Rates & Fees/ Terms Apply

4.8

Forbes Advisor created additional star ratings so that you can see the best card for specific needs. This card shines for this use, but overall the star ratings may differ when compared to other cards.

See Also

2024 Capital One Venture Credit Card Authorized User BonusThe Guide to Adding an Authorized AmEx Platinum User - NerdWalletWhat You Need to Qualify

Apply Now

On American Express's Website

5X Reward Rate

Earn 5 Membership Rewards Points per dollar on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel and on flights booked directlyRead More

Welcome Bonus

Earn 80,000 points

Annual Fee

$695

Regular APR

See Pay Over Time APR

Credit Score

Good,Excellent(700 - 749)

Editorial Review

The Platinum Card is destined for frequent travelers who intend to fully leverage the rich set of luxury travel benefits and Platinum Concierge service. In the right hands, the classic status card’s staggering annual fee is well justified.

Pros & Cons

• High reward potential on flights and hotels booked through American Express Travel
• Multiple credits can help justify the fee
• Comprehensive airport lounge access
• Luxury travel benefits and elite status with Hilton and Marriott with enrollment

• Very high annual fee
• Maximizing the statement credits takes some work and could be impractical for many
• Reward rate outside of travel is sub-par for a premium card

Card Details

• Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
• Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
• $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
• $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peaco*ck, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
• The American Express Global Lounge Collection® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market. As of 03/2023.
• $155 Walmart+ Credit: Save on eligible delivery fees, shipping, and more with a Walmart+ membership. Use your Platinum Card® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership and get up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes back on one membership (excluding Plus Ups) each month.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card®.
• $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Terms Apply.
• $199 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps to get you to your gate faster at 50+ airports nationwide and get up to $199 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Card. CLEARLanes are available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues.
• Receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
• Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card®. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
• Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile.
• $695 annual fee.¤
• Terms Apply.

Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

Credit Score ranges are based on FICO® credit scoring. This is just one scoring method and a credit card issuer may use another method when considering your application. These are provided as guidelines only and approval is not guaranteed.

You can add anyone 13 years of age and over to help them practice effective financial behaviors, and for those 18 or older, you can also help them start establishing credit. However, make sure any additional users are trustworthy because you’re liable for payment on all purchases they make.

American Express offers two options for adding authorized users to your Platinum card. You can request an Additional Platinum card for your authorized user, which comes with a $195 annual fee, or you can request a Companion Platinum card, which does not charge an annual fee.

Most of the perks granted to the primary cardholder are extended to additional Platinum cardholders in exchange for the additional annual fee. As for authorized users who hold the Companion Platinum card, the perks are limited.

Adding authorized users to your Platinum account can come with substantial fees. Still, it can be a cost-effective way for families and frequent travelers to maximize the card’s benefits like access to airport lounges, shared credits and even some travel-related elite status. Forbes Advisor looked at the main perks of both the Additional Platinum card and the Companion Platinum card to help weigh the benefits of adding additional users to your account.

Lounge Access

Authorized users who hold an Additional Platinum card are extended the same lounge benefits the primary cardholder is, gaining access to more than 1,400 lounges across over 140 countries. The Amex lounge network includes access to:

• The Centurion® Lounge
• Delta Sky Club®
• Priority Pass™ Select
• Escape Lounges – The Centurion® Studio Partner
• Plaza Premium Lounges
• Lufthansa lounges
• Additional Global Lounge Collection partner lounges

This became particularly valuable since starting February 2023, primary Amex Platinum cardholders can no longer bring guests into Centurion Lounges for free, instead being charged a $50 per person, per visit fee. Members may qualify for complimentary guest access for up to two guests per visit after spending $75,000 in eligible purchases on their card each calendar year. Authorized user Platinum cardholders have access to lounges on their own without needing guest access.

Credits

The Platinum Card® from American Express (terms apply, see rates & fees) offers numerous credits. In most cases, authorized users are not granted their own credit. Instead, qualifying purchases using an Additional Platinum card or Companion Platinum card will trigger the primary account holder’s credit.

• $200 hotel credit. Authorized user purchases that qualify under the prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection booked through American Express Travel will trigger up to $200 in statement credit every year. Companion Platinum cards are eligible to purchase only The Hotel Collection bookings.
• $200 airline fee credit. While authorized users cannot make their own preferred airline selection to use the airline fee credit, they will trigger up to $200 in statement credits when charging incidental fees like checked bags or in-flight food and beverages to their cards. The overall credit for the account is $200, independent of how many authorized users are on that account.
• $300 Equinox credit and SoulCycle at-home bike credit. After card member enrollment, if any of your authorized users pay for an Equinox+ or any Equinox club membership or make a SoulCycle at-home Bike purchase in full with their card, this credit will be triggered. Once again, the authorized user does not receive their own $300 credit but rather shares it with the primary card member.
• $100 Saks Fifth Avenue credit. After the primary cardholder enrolls in this benefit, any purchase at Saks Fifth Avenue—including those initiated by the authorized users—will be eligible for up to $50 on a semiannual basis for up to $100 annually in statement credits.
• CLEAR® Plus credit. Upon enrollment in the benefit, anyone on the account who charges a CLEAR® Plus membership to their card will trigger up to $199 in statement credit per year. The total credit for the account is $199, which is the total cost of a year’s membership to CLEAR® Plus. This means only one person can take advantage of this credit.
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® application fee credit. The primary cardholder and each authorized user holding either an Additional Platinum card or Companion Platinum card will receive a statement credit to either Global Entry) every four years or a membership to TSA PreCheck® every 4.5 years when they use their cards to pay for the subscription. Given that there is no annual fee to add a Companion Platinum card, using this credit for an authorized user can help you realize more value out of your primary card’s yearly fee.
• Walmart+ monthly membership credit. When you or your authorized users charge a monthly Walmart+ membership to the Amex Platinum, your account will be credited up to $12.95 plus local applicable sales tax to cover the full cost of one membership per account.
• $240 digital entertainment credit. Upon enrollment, if you or any of your authorized users make eligible purchases from Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, Peaco*ck, The New York Times or The Wall Street Journal, your account will receive a monthly statement credit of up to $20.
• $200 Uber Cash. Get $15 in Uber Cash for orders with Uber Eats or rides with Uber each month, and a $20 bonus in December, for up to $200 in Uber credits annually. Just add your Platinum card as a form of payment to your Uber account to start receiving monthly Uber Cash. This is a once-per-account benefit, so only one user—primary or authorized cardholder—can take advantage of the credits at a time. Terms Apply.
• ShopRunner. Just by enrolling, you and your authorized users can receive free two-day shipping on eligible items at more than 100 online stores thanks to a complimentary membership with ShopRunner.

Elite Status

American Express Platinum cardholders also qualify for many elite statuses, and Additional Platinum card authorized users qualify for their own elite status benefits, too.

• Hilton Honors Gold™ status. By simply enrolling, authorized users can receive automatic Hilton Honors Gold status to enjoy all the program’s perks.
• Marriott Bonvoy® Gold Elite status. Authorized users can receive Marriott Bonvoy® Gold Elite status simply by enrolling.
• Hertz Gold Plus Rewards®. Authorized users can enroll in Hertz Gold Plus Rewards®so they can enjoy upgrades, discounts and priority service when renting a car from Hertz.
• Avis Preferred®. Get discounts, upgrades and more when enrolling with and renting cars from Avis and receiving automatic Avis Preferred®status.
• National Car Rental® Emerald Club. Enjoy all the perks of being elite with National Car Rental. Requires enrollment to trigger this automatic status.
• Fine Hotels & Resorts® Program. When making a Fine Hotels + Resorts® booking with American Express Travel, you or your authorized users can receive the following benefits:
  • Daily breakfast for two
  • Room upgrade upon arrival if available
  • $100 amenity (varies by property)
  • Guaranteed 4 p.m. late checkout
  • Noon check-in if available
  • Complimentary Wi-Fi

Amex Offers

All authorized users have the ability to add their own Amex Offers to their accounts, enabling them to receive either additional Membership Rewards® points, discounts or cash back on purchases.

What Benefits Are Not Included?

One of the main drawbacks of adding authorized users to your account is that they do not earn a separate welcome bonus like a primary cardholder would when approved. However, as they are effectively spending through the same account, they do help earn rewards toward the same Membership Rewards account.

As mentioned previously, additional users do not get their own allotment of credits separate from those given to primary cardholders. If you were expecting to multiply those credits based on the number of authorized users, you will be disappointed.

It is also worth noting that if you want your authorized user to have their own travel benefits, such as airport lounge access and hotel and rental car elite status, you’ll have to get them an Additional Platinum card—which charges a separate annual fee—rather than a Companion Platinum card.

There’s an annual fee of $195 for each Additional Platinum card. This fee is relatively steep, but when contrasted with the $695 annual fee for a primary cardholder, it becomes much easier to rationalize, especially for a family that usually travels together.

There is no fee for Companion Platinum cards.

Read More: Amex Platinum Card Fees

To add an authorized user to your account, log in to the American Express website and navigate to “Account Services” on the main menu, then click “Add Someone to Your Account.” If you have multiple Amex cards, you will be prompted to select the card you want to add them to.

You will be asked to select whether you want to grant them an Additional Platinum card or a Companion Platinum card, and then you will need to provide the full name, email address, Social Security number, date of birth and home address of the authorized user.

Authorized users under your Amex Platinum get many of the same benefits the primary cardholder gets but for a portion of the standard hefty annual fee. These benefits range from Global Entry or TSA Precheck membership fee credits to lounge access and even select elite status to take advantage of when traveling. If what you’re looking for instead is extending a few benefits and helping trusted friends or family members build credit without having to pay an annual fee, you can always opt to give them a no fee Companion Platinum card instead.

To view rates and fees for The Platinum Card® from American Express please visit this page.