Amex Platinum Authorized Users: Benefits & Cost

Amex Platinum Authorized Users: Benefits & Cost

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The Platinum Card® from American Express (review) and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express (review) are popular premium cards. Many people pick up these cards not because of the return they offer on everyday spending, but rather because of all of the perks of being a cardmember.

For perks-rich cards, there’s often value in adding authorized users, so that you can share your benefits with loved ones and close friends. So in this post I wanted to take a close look at the value proposition of adding Amex Platinum authorized users — how much does it cost, and what does it get you?

Amex Platinum authorized users cost

The value of adding authorized users varies slightly, depending on whether you’re looking at the personal or business version of the card:

When deciding whether to add authorized users, also keep in mind that the primary cardmember is responsible for any charges they make, so only add people that you can trust.

Amex Platinum authorized user benefits

If you add authorized users to the Amex Personal Platinum or Amex Business Platinum, what benefits should you expect that they’ll receive?

For one, authorized users get the full suite of airport lounge access perks, which I’d argue are the best offered by any premium credit card. This includes:

  • Access to Amex Centurion Lounges; guests cost $50 each, unless you spend at least $75,000 on the card per calendar year, in which case you can bring two guests for free
  • Access to Delta Sky Clubs when flying Delta on the same day; you can bring guests for $50 each
  • A Priority Pass membership (Enrollment required), giving you access to 1,300+ lounges around the world; you can guest up to two people at no additional cost
  • Access to Plaza Premium Lounges; you can guest up to one person at no additional cost
  • Access to Escape Lounges and select Lufthansa Lounges
Amex Platinum authorized users can access Delta Sky Clubs

I’d say the lounge access is the most substantial perk, though there are other useful perks for being an authorized user on the Amex Platinum (Enrollment is required for select benefits), including:

Amex Platinum authorized users can save money on flights with the IAP

There’s one other often overlooked perk. The Amex Platinum earns Membership Rewards points, and those points can be transferred to airline & hotel partners, which I consider to be the best use of these points. However, they can only be transferred to a loyalty program account in the name of a cardmember. If you add an authorized user, you’ll be able to transfer points to one of their airline or hotel accounts after 90 days, which gives a lot more flexibility.

Just to be thorough, what benefits don’t get Amex Platinum authorized users get? Aside from the Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit, authorized users don’t get any of the additional credits that primary cardmembers receive, whether it’s the airline fee credit, Uber credit, digital entertainment credit, CLEAR credit, Equinox credit, Saks credit, etc.

How do you add Amex Platinum authorized users?

The process of adding 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.

While this won’t always be the case, in some instances you may even see a reward for doing so.

Amex Platinum reward for adding authorized user

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.

Note that authorized users on the Amex Platinum must be at least 13 years old.

Is adding Amex Platinum authorized users worth it?

The incremental perks for authorized users between the personal and business versions of the card are very similar, though obviously the costs are different. On the Amex Personal Platinum you’ll pay $195 per authorized user, while on the Amex Business Platinum you’ll pay $300 per authorized user.

Personally I feel like an aspect of maximizing the Amex Platinum is adding authorized users, given the rich benefits.

Adding authorized users can be worth it for lounge access alone

Bottom line

There are lots of incredible perks to the Amex Platinum Card, and I’d argue that one of the best ways to maximize value with the card is to add authorized users.

If you have the Amex Platinum, have you added authorized users to the card?

The following links will direct you to the rates and fees for mentioned American Express Cards. These include: The Business Platinum® Card from American Express (Rates & Fees), and The Platinum Card® from American Express (Rates & Fees).

Conversations (12)
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  1. Vernon Guest

    Does the AU need to set up their own user ID, Basically create their own account online

  2. iamhere Guest

    Some of the benefits are shared between the cardmember and users and either can use it (e.g Global Entry or Saks credit). This was not clearly identified.

  3. Martha Guest

    I booked my son and wife a room at Conrad Osaka using points. If I add them to my Amex platinum as authorized users can they get Hilton Gold benefits like free breakfast for that stay? Thanks for any insight!

    1. Rick Guest

      Yes. Your wife would need to have her own Hilton account for Gold status from her Platinum card, and she would need to book the room in her own name.

  4. PJ Guest

    Does the authorised user get a clear credit ? (I know it's only $60 to add an additional user but thought this may pop up as the global entry is there)

  5. Bgriff Guest

    One additional one ... Amex authorized users also get their own sets of Amex Offers. If the AU has other Amex cards, then they may already be covered (and if they add an offer to another card they can't add it to their AU Platinum card), but there are a fair amount of Amex Offers that are specific to the Platinum card, which they could add to an AU card and take advantage of (though...

    One additional one ... Amex authorized users also get their own sets of Amex Offers. If the AU has other Amex cards, then they may already be covered (and if they add an offer to another card they can't add it to their AU Platinum card), but there are a fair amount of Amex Offers that are specific to the Platinum card, which they could add to an AU card and take advantage of (though they would have to spend on the AU card, with the primary cardholder being responsible for the bill ... or with the right agreement the primary cardholder could also use this to double dip on Amex offers ...)

    1. Never In Doubt Guest

      “the primary cardholder could also use this to double dip on Amex offers”

      You can’t “double dip” on a single platinum card account. (With cardholder + AU)

      But if you get an offer on a green card and a platinum card, you can use it on each card.

  6. TDnCali Guest

    My partner has an AMEX green...could he be added on my AMEX platinum as an additional user? Thanks

    1. Never In Doubt Guest

      Don’t see why not. It’s still $175 (for up to 3 AU’s)

  7. Never In Doubt Guest

    Single Centurion lounge datapoint.

    SFO Sat 2/18 9am first day of President’s Week. As usual, madness in the airport. Plenty of seating in the lounge.

  8. DenB Diamond

    The post says that SSN can be omitted when first requesting the card, but "have to add it within 60 days of the card being issued". In practice, is this enforced?

    1. Lee Guest

      Yes. The authorized user card cannot be activated without that user's SSN.

Featured Comments Most helpful comments ( as chosen by the OMAAT community ).

The comments on this page have not been provided, reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any advertiser, and it is not an advertiser's responsibility to ensure posts and/or questions are answered.

Never In Doubt Guest

“the primary cardholder could also use this to double dip on Amex offers” You can’t “double dip” on a single platinum card account. (With cardholder + AU) But if you get an offer on a green card and a platinum card, you can use it on each card.

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Vernon Guest

Does the AU need to set up their own user ID, Basically create their own account online

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Rick Guest

Yes. Your wife would need to have her own Hilton account for Gold status from her Platinum card, and she would need to book the room in her own name.

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