Authorized users get real perks on only a few premium cards, and those cards charge for them. The Chase Sapphire Reserve charges $195 per user and gives each one Priority Pass and Sapphire Lounge access. The Amex Platinum charges $195 per Additional Platinum Card, and those cardholders can share Global Lounge Collection access. Capital One and Citi add users for free but give fewer extras. This guide covers what each issuer's own pages say, and what you'll want to confirm before you add a user.
The Card-by-Card Comparison
| Card | Annual fee | Fee per authorized user | What the issuer says authorized users get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chase Sapphire Reserve | $795 | $195 | Priority Pass Select with up to two guests each, Sapphire Lounge access, DashPass |
| Chase Sapphire Preferred | $95 | Ask Chase | DashPass, points on their purchases |
| Amex Platinum | $895 | $195 per Additional Platinum Card | Rewards on their purchases; Global Lounge Collection access, elite status at select hotels, Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee credits |
| Amex Gold | $325 | $0 for the first five, $35 for the sixth and each after | Membership Rewards on their purchases; the card has no lounge access |
| Capital One Venture X | $395 | $0 | Same rewards on their purchases; lounge access is an optional add-on at $125 a year per user |
| Capital One Venture | $95 | $0 | Same rewards on their purchases; some benefits are primary-only |
| Citi Strata Premier | $95 | $0 | Points on their purchases |
Chase
For the Reserve, Chase says primary cardmembers and authorized users are granted Priority Pass lounge access, with a maximum of two accompanying guests each, and that Priority Pass Select membership is activated for each user. Chase's lounge page says Reserve primary cardmembers and authorized users have access to the Chase Sapphire Reserve Lounge Network, which includes the Sapphire Lounges by The Club. See our Sapphire Reserve authorized user guide for the credits and the protection question. On the Preferred, Chase's page mentions DashPass for "you and your authorized user(s)" and points earned on purchases by an authorized user. If you're adding a user to the Preferred, ask Chase about any fee first.
American Express
Amex's page says each Additional Platinum Card has a $195 annual fee, and that Companion Platinum Cards carry no annual fee but "do not get all the same benefits." You earn rewards on an additional card member's purchases the same way you do on your own. Amex says additional cards extend access to select Platinum benefits, and it names Global Lounge Collection access, elite status at select hotels and Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee credits among the benefits they can share. The Gold is the budget case: the first five additional cards cost nothing, and the sixth and later cost $35 each. Amex states the Gold has no lounge access.
Capital One and Citi
Capital One says there are no additional fees to add a user and that you earn the same rewards on every purchase they make. For the Venture X, Capital One's lounge guide says you can buy lounge access for up to four additional cardholders aged 18 or older at $125 a year each, covering Capital One Lounges, Capital One Landings and participating Priority Pass lounges. Capital One's Venture page says some cardholder benefits are only available to the primary cardholder and not authorized users. Citi's Strata Premier page says you can add an authorized user at no additional cost.
When Paying for a User Is Worth It
Pay when the user will use the lounge or the travel perks. A $195 Reserve or Platinum user who flies twice a year may not use enough of the extras to cover the fee. Free users make sense on a card where you only want their spending and the points it earns. The user can also run up charges you owe, which our guide to adding an authorized user weighs.
