Everything You Wanted To Know About Authorized User Cards From American Express Platinum

Correction: We incorrectly stated that the gold authorized user cards earn 2x at Restaurants. We have confirmed that they earn at the same rates as the primary Platinum cardholder. I’m reposting this post to make this correction more visible. 

One of the new benefits that the American Express Platinum cards offer is the ability to add complimentary gold authorized user accounts. A lot of people had questions regarding these cards and other authorized user accounts on the American Express Personal Platinum, so let’s get started.

Card Types & Annual Fees

The American Express Personal Platinum card (and it’s variations) allow you to add two different types of authorized cards:

Card Benefits

Platinum Authorized Users

Platinum authorized users get most of the benefits that the primary cardholder gets. For example:

  • Lounge access:
    • Centurion lounge access
    • International American Express lounge access
    • Delta SkyClub lounge access
    • Priority pass select membership
    • Airspace lounge access
  • Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre✓
  • Hidden Benefits
  • SPG gold status
  • Hilton Honors Gold Status
  • Card earns at the same rate as the primary cardholder:
    • 5x points per $1 spent on purchases made with airlines or with American Express Travel
    • 5x points per $1 spent on hotel bookings made directly from the American Express travel website
    • 1x points on all other purchases

You don’t get your own $200 airline incidental credit, but your purchases will count towards the primary cardholders reimbursement. For example, if the primary cardholder makes $200 in eligible travel incidentals and then you make $50 that $50 will not be reimbursed. If they made $150 and you made $50 then a total of $200 will be reimbursed.

Gold Authorized Users

Gold authorized users don’t get the same benefits. They do get the following though:

  • Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre✓ (yes, each individual authorized user [up to 99 total] get their own credit. Yes, I’ve confirmed this)
  • Card earns at same rates as primary cardholder:
    • 5x points per $1 spent on purchases made with airlines or with American Express Travel
    • 5x points per $1 spent on hotel bookings made directly from the American Express travel website
    • 1x points on all other purchases

Our Verdict

Platinum authorized users can be a cheap way to get lounge access if that is what you’re interested in (especially if you can split the $175 fee between three people). Gold card is basically a free way to get access to more American Express sync offers and also give people free Global Entry credits. You might also be interested in our post outlining the Uber $200 credit found here.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

47 Comments
newest
oldest most voted

Spiel
Spiel (@guest_1190009)
May 12, 2021 08:46

 William Charles do Gold AU receive their own $10 Uber credits nowadays?

Random dude
Random dude (@guest_1170332)
April 3, 2021 09:49

Does the gold earn 10x on gas and groceries as well?

Tommy
Tommy (@guest_976911)
May 10, 2020 14:49

Does this also apply to the Plat Business? Can I add authorize gold card users for free and get them there own global entry credit?

Eduard
Eduard (@guest_457025)
August 11, 2017 09:13

Hello everyone, I came across this article https://thepointsguy.com/2017/03/au-gold-cards-business-platinum/ (in the comments) that says you can have the fees reimbursed for Global Entry by adding a free Green Card AU to the Business Platinum. Would be sweet for those that don’t have the personal Platinum… Anyone have any info on this? Thanks in advance!

Sean
Sean (@guest_513281)
November 10, 2017 23:38

Did you ever find an answer to this? I’d like to get global entry for my kids too. Thanks!

Eduard
Eduard (@guest_513435)
November 11, 2017 10:42

Hey Sean, I went ahead and tried it out. I had the offer on my biz Platinum that I used for my wife. Figured whatever, I’ll pay for my kids’ Global entry if I have to. Used my wife’s AU green card (from the biz platinum) and wouldn’t you know it, got the credit a few days later! I was thrilled!! I can confirm that this does indeed work. Tried it out last week, and got credit for both my biz Plat, and my wife’s AU green card.

Sol
Sol (@guest_597608)
May 21, 2018 23:02

Is there foreign transaction fee on AU green card from biz Platinum? What benefits are differences between AU green card and AU gold card from biz plat?

Plungerjoke
Plungerjoke (@guest_432041)
July 1, 2017 22:51

Does spending from Gold AUs count towards minimum spend? I got the Schwab Platinum and have cleared 5k+, a portion of this on Gold AU cards, and bonus has still not posted. Not my first MR product, and in the interim, I got the Ameriprise Gold, funded a BMO checking account for 1k, and the 25k bonus posted the same day the transaction cleared. Amex reps have said it counts, but I cannot figure out why the heck my plat bonus hasn’t posted (save for an issue with spending from Gold AUs not counting for some reason). Spend on the Plat account was 100 pct organic. A couple largish charges for dental bills were the only thing out the ordinary.

SamIAm
SamIAm (@guest_445415)
July 24, 2017 06:50

I was wondering the same thing – did you bonus ever post ?

Plungerjoke
Plungerjoke (@guest_450990)
August 1, 2017 17:05

Still hasn’t. Supposed to be resolved by 8.8. I put another 2.5 k organic spend on. Couldn’t remember if I had bought any store GCs.

Hunter Zupnick
Hunter Zupnick (@guest_452695)
August 3, 2017 14:14

I’m curious, too. My gf is going to put a large hotel bill for a business trip on the Gold AU and I wanted to make sure it would count for a retention offer.

CJ
CJ (@guest_397961)
April 29, 2017 11:42

Confirmed gold AU gets global entry reimbursement. Last year I used my platinum for 2 pre-check reimbursements for wife and I. Read on FT that they are no longer doing more than 1 reimbursement for platinum. So got 2 AU, 1 in my name and 1 for wife. Applied for GE for 4 on 4/23, used sapphire reserve for 1, platinum for 1, and each gold AU for 1. All 4 cards have already reimbursed 4 days later. Thus, I have received 5 pre-check/GE credits over 2 calendar years (and in less than 1 cardmember year).

DanV
DanV (@guest_399718)
May 2, 2017 19:35
  CJ

Did you get yourself a gold card as an authorized user on your own platinum card, and then use that to get a free global entry?

CJ
CJ (@guest_400041)
May 3, 2017 09:21

That’s exactly what I did and then I put apps on both my platinum and au cards that were in my names.

DanV
DanV (@guest_400083)
May 3, 2017 10:26
  CJ

Wow, good to know. Thanks.

ANDY
ANDY (@guest_390584)
April 17, 2017 00:46

Super informative!

Would be great if you have a similar post for the Business Platinum.

S Lee
S Lee (@guest_390545)
April 16, 2017 21:55

The Gold AU can access their account online. Can they see the primary Platinum account holders transactions or just their own?

dbict
dbict (@guest_390120)
April 15, 2017 13:36

Is a SSN number required for Authorized Users?

DrGForce
DrGForce (@guest_389831)
April 14, 2017 17:57

Do gold cards get the premium roadside assistance? This might be a good way to spread this benefit around the family for no cost.