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The Platinum Card from American Express is one of the most valuable credit cards available on the market. It’s rich in benefits, such as lounge access, travel credits, hotel elite status, and more.

One of the biggest perks of the Platinum Card is that you can add authorized users for a reasonable fee and they receive almost all of the same perks as the primary cardmember.

So here’s a breakdown of the Amex Platinum authorized user benefits. If you want to check out the full review of the Platinum Card click here.

Amex Platinum authorized user fees

You can add up to three authorized users for $175. Starting with your fourth authorized user, each one will cost $175.

You can also add up to 99 Gold Card authorized users at no additional cost (more on that below).

As a point of comparison, the Chase Sapphire Reserve requires $75 for each authorized user and the Citi Prestige requires $75 as well.

Paying $175 for up to three authorized users is a phenomenal deal. If you were to split that cost between a trio, that’s only ~$58 per person. So keep that cost in mind when learning about the benefits below.

Tip: Use WalletFlo for all your credit card needs. It’s free and will help you optimize your rewards and savings!

What are the Amex Platinum authorized user benefits?

Amex Platinum authorized user benefits include:

• 5X on airfare and hotels booked through Amex Travel
• Airport lounge access with multiple programs
• Hotel elite status with Hilton and Marriott
• $100 statement credit for Global Entry/TSA Pre-Check
• Fine Hotels and Resorts
• International Airline Program
• Amex Offers
• Concierge service

5X on airfare and hotels

As an authorized user, you’ll be able to earn 5X on airfare purchased directly with airlines and also 5X on hotels booked through Amex Travel.

Using a WalletFlo valuation of 1.75, that comes out 8.75% back on airfare which is extremely good, making the Platinum Card one of the top travel cards out there.

Lounge access

• Centurion Lounge access for up two guests
• Priority Pass airport lounge access for up to two guests (worth $400 per year)
• Delta Sky Club lounge access (when you fly with them)
• Additional lounges in the network

The Platinum Card easily has the best lounge access out of any of the top travel credit cards on the market. Here’s what you’ll get:

Centurion Lounges

Centurion Lounges are airport lounges created by American Express and they are a step above most domestic airline lounges. Compared to a domestic airline lounge, they will typically offer better food and drinks, better service, and more equipped facilities (nap rooms, spas, etc.).

More and more Centurion Lounges are popping up around the world so it’s getting easier to visit them. You can find the latest list of locations here.

Priority Pass

Priority Pass is a huge airport lounge network with over 1,200 airport lounges located around the globe.

Not every Priority Pass lounge is going to be spectacular but there are some lounges that can be pretty nice with complimentary hot food, alcohol, showers and comfy places to relax in. 

The one drawback of Priority Pass access with the Platinum Card is that you don’t get credits for use at Priority Pass restaurants located within airports. 

Delta Sky Club

Whenever you are flying Delta, you’ll be able to enjoy access to Delta Sky Clubs. You won’t be able to bring in guests for free but you can bring them along on a discounted rate of $29. 

Additional lounges in the network

Your Platinum Card can also get you into a number of other lounges including:

• Airspace Lounges
• Escape Lounges
• Plaza Premium Lounges
• Lufthansa Lounges

Read more about these lounges here.

Hotel elite status

The Platinum Card will grant you Hilton Honors Gold and Marriott Bonvoy Gold elite status.

Here’s a look at the Hilton Gold benefits:

• Complimentary breakfast for two
• Upgrades (subject to availability)
• Late check-out
• 80% bonus on base points
• Lounge access (when upgraded to lounge level rooms)
• 5th night free

And here’s a look at the Marriott Gold benefits:

• 25% Bonus on points
• Late check-out
• Upgrades
• Enhanced internet
• Welcome gift

Hilton Gold is the more valuable elite status because it offers free breakfast and at times you can even get lounge access with the right upgrade. 

These perks help make the Platinum Card one of the best hotel cards that you can find.

Just keep in mind a couple of things.

You will likely have to call the number on the back of your card to enroll in these benefits since only the primary card member can activate the perks online. 

Also, you can get Hilton Gold status automatically with one of the top hotel credit cards: the Hilton Surpass. That card will also offer a free night when you spend $15,000 in a year and it will earn 12X on all Hilton purchases.

$100 statement credit for Global Entry/TSA Pre-Check

Authorized users will be able to use the $100 statement credit for Global Entry or $85 credit for TSA Pre-Check.

Global Entry will help you get expedited entry back into the US. Meanwhile, TSA Pre-Check will let you bypass the main airport screening line while not having to take out items like:

• Liquids due to the 3-1-1 rule
• Laptops 
• Belts
• Shoes
• Light jackets

Some premium cards don’t offer these credits to authorized users so this is a nice benefit.

Another thing that’s great about the Platinum Card is that you can use your Global Entry credit for other people.

So if you had a friend or family member that needed Global Entry, you could use your card and allow them to get it for free while you get reimbursed for the fee.

Just note that you can’t do this for TSA Pre-Check because you have to pay in person for that and they usually require the credit card to match the name of the applicant.

Fine Hotels and Resorts

Fine Hotels and Resorts (FHR) is a network of luxury properties located around the globe that offer elite-like benefits which include perks like:

• Noon check-in, when available
• Guaranteed 4pm late check-out
• Room upgrade upon arrival, when available
• Daily breakfast for two people
• Complimentary Wi-Fi
• Special amenity unique to each property

What’s fantastic about this program is that whenever you book with your Platinum Card you can still earn elite credits and receive elite status benefits, such as upgrades.

It would not be unheard of to receive hotel benefits worth over $200 on a short stay of three nights so this perk could easily more than make up for the $175 in fees.

And on top of that you can even earn 5X Membership Rewards on your bookings. So when you can find the right property through the Fine Hotels and Resorts (FHR) it really is the ultimate hotel booking route.

International Airline Program

The Amex International Airline Program is a special program available to Platinum Cardholders that allows you to receive special discounts on up to eight first class, business class, and premium economy fares when booking through Amex.

Out of any benefit that the Platinum offers, this one has the most potential to give you the most outsized value with just one use. There are some data points of people saving thousands of dollars on business class flights when using this perk only once.

The savings won’t always be that big but it’s a good idea to always check to see how much you might be able to save.

Amex Offers

As an authorized user, you’ll be able to take advantage of Amex Offers, which are special promotions that can save you money with all kinds of different merchants.

Everything from airfare, hotels, to Best Buy and Amazon show up on these offers.

You’ll need to create your own log-in account (separate from the primary cardholder) so that you can see them when you log-in, however. Otherwise, you’ll have no way to access these offers.

You might consider this one of the least valuable Amex Platinum authorized user benefits, but don’t underestimate the amount of money that this perk will save you.

If you consistently monitor these offers, you could end up saving yourself a few hundred bucks a year, depending on your spending habits.

Concierge service

The Amex Platinum concierge can help you find tickets to special events and get reservations at nice restaurants including those in the dining program. 

Additional perks

Additional perks include

• Rental car privileges
• Access to the auto purchasing program
• Cruise privileges program

What benefits do authorized users not get?

There are some perks that authorized users will not get.

Welcome bonus

Authorized users will not be able to receive a welcome bonus for being added as an additional card member.

The standard offer for the Platinum Card is 60,000 Membership Rewards after you spend $5,000 in the first three months but you can only get this if you are signing up as a new card member.

$200 airline credit

Something to keep in mind about Platinum Card authorized users is that they don’t get their “own” $200 airline credit.

What I mean by that is that each Platinum Card account and all of the authorized user accounts tied to it, only receives one pool of airline credits that must be split among all of the authorized users.

So for example, if you have one primary Platinum Card member and three authorized users, then those four people essentially split a pool of $200 worth of airline credit.

Each authorized user can use the statement credits but that will prevent the other cards from using them if that authorized user uses them all up. Both Platinum Card and Gold Card authorized users can use this benefit.

$100 Saks credit 

The same logic applies to the Saks credit. The authorized user will not get his or her own credit but they can use the credit from the main cardholder.

Uber credit

The $200 Uber credit is different. It is only effective for the primary cardholder and not available for authorized users.

So if an authorized user adds a Platinum Card to their Uber account, they will not be able to use any of the $200 credit because it’s not one of the Platinum Card authorized user benefits.

You can however, add the primary cardholder to an Uber account in someone else’s name and use the credit.

You just have to make sure that the primary cardholder deleted the Platinum Card from the first Uber account so that it will become effective for the second account.

Gold Cards

The Gold Cards only receive a fraction of the Platinum Card perks.

You can earn 5X on airfare and hotels purchased through the Amex travel portal. You can also take advantage of the $100 Global Entry/TSA Pre-Check credit.

So basically the Gold Cards are useful in helping you earn more Membership Rewards through bonus spend and by allowing you to cash in on the Global Entry/TSA Pre-Check credit. Aside from that, there’s not a lot of value there.

How to add an authorized user to the Platinum Card

To add an authorized user to your Platinum Card, follow these steps:

• Log-in to your American Express account and then click on Account Services
• Click on “Manage Other Users”
• Click on “Add Someone to Your Account”
• Select your Platinum Card
• Input the personal details of the authorized user such as the name, date of birth, and Social Security number
• Select whether you are adding an additional Platinum Card authorized user or a Gold Card authorized user
• Click “Agree and Submit”

Amex Platinum authorized user FAQ

Final word

Adding three Platinum Card authorized users for $175 is a sweet spot among premium cards because of all of the benefits offered by this card. Even if you only travel a couple of times a year, if you’re only paying around $60 for all of these perks, then Platinum Card authorized user benefits can be well worth your money.