Share benefits and help build credit with the best credit cards for authorized users (2024)

Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

When you're approved for a credit card, you have the option to add other people to your account. This allows them to piggyback off your credit and share many of your cardholder benefits, such as airport lounge access.

Along with the benefits, you will earn rewards for any purchases an authorized user makes. However, as the primary account holder, it's your responsibility to pay the bill each month, so be sure to give an authorized user card to someone who can be trusted.

So if you're interested in adding someone to your credit card as an authorized user, here are some of the best credit cards to do that.

• Best overall: The Platinum Card® from American Express
• Runner-up: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card (see rates and fees)
• Best for travel protections: Chase Sapphire Reserve®
• Best for cash back: Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
• Best for groceries: American Express® Gold Card
• Best for no annual fee: Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express; see rates and fees.
• Best for online shopping: Prime Visa
• Best for rotating bonus categories:Chase Freedom Flex℠

Benefits: The Platinum Card® from American Express offers primary cardholders a long list of perks, including Uber credits, airline fee credits, Saks Fifth Avenue shopping credits, TSA PreCheck/Global Entry application fee credits, digital entertainment credits, robust airport lounge access, automatic hotel and car rental elite status and much more. Terms apply.

Authorized users get many of the same benefits, except for the various shopping and travel credits:

• Worldwide airport lounge access, including Delta SkyClubs and Amex Centurion Lounges
• $100 fee credit for Global Entry (every 4 years) or up to $85 for TSAPreCheck (every 4.5 years)
• Automatic hotel elite status with Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy
• Automatic car rental elite status with Hertz Gold Plus Rewards, Avis Preferred and National Car Rental Emerald Club Executive
• Elite-like perks on hotel stays booked through Fine Hotels + Resorts and The Hotel Collection
• Comprehensive travel insurance
• Complimentary Amex concierge service

And as you and your authorized users spend on the card, you'll 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
• 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel
• 1X points on all other eligible purchases

Authorized user fee: $195 per year for each additional user (see rates and fees). So if you have a few friends that will be traveling a bit, you may consider adding them to give them lounge access and travel protections as well.

If you're adding someone who only wants to earn rewards on their purchases and doesn't need the additional benefits, you can add them for free and they will get an Amex Gold Card. However, this isn't the same American Express® Gold Card mentioned below. This free version has the same earning rates as the Platinum Card but doesn't include any of its other benefits. This card is solely to keep your authorized users on your same account and earn more Membership Rewards points.

Benefits: Similar to the Amex Platinum, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is a solid travel rewards card as it offers a lengthy list of benefits for those on the go.

By having the card, you and your authorized users will receive access to Capital One, Priority Pass and Plaza Premium airport lounges and earn valuable Capital One miles on your everyday expenses. Moreover, you'll receive access to unique experiences like exclusive Michelin-starred dinners through Capital One Entertainment and Capital One Dining.

The only major perk that doesn't extend to authorized users is the card's $300 annual Capital One Travel credit.

Authorized user fee: Up to four authorized users for no additional charge. (see rates and fees)

Benefits: The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is a solid choice for those who enjoy traveling as the card comes with comprehensive travel protections.

With the card, you and your authorized users will have: trip interruption/cancellation coverage, primary rental car coverage, lost luggage reimbursem*nt and trip delay reimbursem*nt. To get these coverages on your next vacation, simply use the card to book your trip and throughout your travels. If an incident arises, you can make a claim through the card's benefits portal.

The card also comes with a valuable $300 annual travel credit and Priority Pass airport lounge access, though authorized users don't get their own travel credit.

Authorized user fee: $75 for each authorized user on the account.

Benefits: The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is a top contender for one of the best cash-back credit cards available to consumers.

As you spend on the card, you and your authorized users will earn:

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

Just remember that all cash back rewards will be deposited in the primary cardholder's rewards account.

Authorized user fee: There's no additional fee to add authorized users to this card.

Benefits: Groceries have become increasingly expensive, among other things, during this surge of inflation. A great way to try to maximize the unfortunate circ*mstances is to earn heaps of rewards on those purchases.

With the American Express® Gold Card, you and your authorized users will earn:

• 4X Membership Rewards points per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide, and takeout/delivery in U.S.
• 4X points per dollar spent on groceries at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 in purchases per year)
• 3X points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com
• 1X points per dollar on all other purchases

The card comes with spending credits, including dining at select restaurants and Uber rides, though authorized users don't get their own credits.

Authorized user fee: Up to five authorized users for no additional charge. All additional authorized users are $35 per year (see rates and fees).

Benefits: Paying a annual fee for a credit card can be frustrating for some, but there are plenty of options without an annual fee that still give cardholders and their authorized users an opportunity to earn valuable rewards — including the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express. See rates and fees.

As you spend on the card, primary cardholders and their authorized users will earn:

• 3% cash back on groceries, up to $6,000 per year in purchases at U.S. supermarkets
• 3% cash back on purchases with U.S. online retailers, up to $6,000 per year
• 3% cash back on gas at U.S. gas stations, up to $6,000 in purchases per year.
• 1% cash back on other purchases

Authorized user fee: None.

Benefits: For millions of Americans with Amazon Prime, the Prime Visa may be a great fit, especially if in a shared household. By sharing one Amazon Prime subscription, you can divide the cost and reap the rewards of the Prime Visa.

As you spend on the card, you and any authorized users will earn:

• 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market
• 5% back on Chase Travel purchases
• Unlimited 2% back at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare)
• 1% back on all other purchases

The cashback you earn can be applied to future Amazon purchases, or simply taken out to be used on other expenses.

Authorized user fee: None

Benefits: If you enjoy earning up to 5% cash back on specific categories, the Chase Freedom Flex℠ could be a great fit for your or an authorized user's wallet. The card earns:

• Earn 5% cash back in quarterly bonus categories
• Earn 5% on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards
• Earn 3% on dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services
• Earn 3% on drugstore purchases
• Earn 1% on all other purchases

And if you add in an authorized user for this card, they will be able to earn the same cash back rewards. So with two people regularly spending on this card, the cashback rewards could be substantial.

Authorized user fee: None

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At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every credit cardreview is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of credit cardproducts.While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics. Seeour methodologyfor more information on how we choose the best credit cards for authorized users.

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For rates and fees of the American Express® Platinum Card, please click here.

For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, please click here.

For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express, please click here.

For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, please click here.

Information about Amazon credit cards has been collected independently by Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer prior to publication; if you purchase something through Select links, we may earn a commission.