Adding an authorized user to a credit card can earn points and miles faster, and these 4 cards let you add one for free
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- An authorized user is a family member who has your official permission to use your credit card, and who receives their own copy of the card.
- Because two people are spending on one card, adding an authorized user can help you rack up points and miles faster than if only one person was spending.
- Before adding an authorized user to your card, remember that you're responsible for the bill, no matter which of you made the charge. Only add an authorized user you trust to use your card responsibly.
- Most cards charge cardholders to add an authorized user, but four of the best available rewards cards - the Citi/AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard, the Hilton Honors American Express Card, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, and the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card - allow authorized users for free.
If you enjoy maximizing your credit card benefits, it is only natural that you would want to have a family member reap the same rewards by adding them as an authorized user.
Whether you enjoy earning points to redeem on travel, hotels, or everyday spending, adding an authorized user can help you achieve your goal faster than you ever thought possible, and you will hopefully be able to get your authorized user some excellent benefits, too.
Remember, though, that an authorized user can use a credit card as though it's theirs, so you won't want to add an authorized user you don't trust to spend responsibly. When that bill comes, you're still responsible for it, no matter which of you made the charge.
While most credit cards implement a fee for each added authorized user, there are some cards that let you add authorized users for free. Here are your best options:
1. Citi/AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard
Despite the hefty $450 annual fee, this card comes with all of the bells and whistles cardholders look for in a premier luxury credit card.
For starters, the primary cardholder gains Admirals Club membership and can add up to 10 authorized users to the card at no additional cost, with Admirals Club access whenever they fly.
Each authorized user can take two guests into the Admirals Club when they fly; making this card one of the most valuable for no-fee authorized user cards.
2. Hilton Honors American Express Credit Card
On top of earning 75,000 Hilton Honors bonus points after making $1,000 in purchases within the first three months of opening your account, you can earn additional bonus Hilton points for adding authorized users to your Hilton Honors AmEx.
How many points? Well, it all depends. At 5,000 bonus Hilton points per additional authorized user that meets a minimum spending requirement, you can add up to four additional authorized users and earn up to 20,000 bonus points total.
To put your earnings in perspective, you could redeem 20,000 points for a free night at a category 3 hotel. With the 75,000 bonus points you will have from the sign-up offer, that is a potential of three or four free nights.
3. Chase Sapphire Preferred
With 2x points on travel and dining and 1x point per dollar on all other purchases, the Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card helps fly you to your destination sooner. Some of the card's best benefits include a redemption bonus of 25% when you redeem points for airfare through the online Chase Ultimate Rewards portal, a 1:1 points transfer to hotel and airline partners, trip cancellation insurance for up to $10,000 per trip, and more.
Perhaps one of the best, if not undervalued, benefits is that there is no charge for adding an authorized user. Chase Sapphire Preferred cardholders used to receive 5,000 bonus Ultimate Rewards points just from adding an authorized user, but that offer ended in September 2018. Thankfully, the generous advantages of the card more than make up for this, including no foreign transaction fees and double the points on travel and dining purchases.
4. Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
There is much appeal to the travel-specific Capital One Venture credit card, including a $0 annual fee for the first year, a sign-up bonus of 50,000 miles after spending $3,000 in the first three months, plus unlimited 2x miles per dollar on every purchase. And the $95 annual fee can quickly pay for itself if you plan to use your card abroad and can save with no foreign transaction fees or use your up-to-$100 Global Entry fee credit.
You can add authorized users to your Venture card for free, and while they won't receive the Global Entry fee credit as well, they will still be able to use their card abroad without paying foreign transaction fees and will help earn more Venture miles to apply to the next trip!