The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives, helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach. That's why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality.
Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Advertiser disclosure
The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives, helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach. That's why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality.
Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Andrew Kunesh is TPG's Points & Miles editor. He has been active in the points and miles space since 2014, using them to travel far and wide around the world. He is originally from Chicago but moved to New York City after graduating from DePaul University. His work is featured on Credit Karma, UpgradedPoints, ValuePenguin and various other travel and finance publications. He currently holds Delta Diamond Medallion and Marriott Titanium status, and 20+ credit cards that each have a special place in Andrew's wallet.
Credit card writer Danyal Ahmed is an avid traveler, averaging about 100,000 aeronautical miles per year. He regularly applies that knowledge and his expertise in credit cards to his role as a credit card writer at TPG.
also contributed to this story
December 5, 2024 • 15 min read
The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don't cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
Comments
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
Related stories
Quick summary
Premium travel cards often provide overlapping perks, such as expedited airport security credits, lounge access and hotel award nights, which can be shared with friends or family.
Many travel-related statement credits, like those for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, can be used to cover someone else's application fee, not just the cardholder's.
Free hotel nights and airline companion tickets from certain cards can be gifted or used to benefit others, though restrictions may apply to hotel categories or ticket types.
Adding someone as an authorized user can extend lounge access and other travel benefits to them, with specific perks and costs varying by card.
What to consider
Eligibility and redemption rules for gifting benefits differ by program and may include restrictions on hotel categories, point values or travel partners.
Some perks, such as free hotel nights or companion tickets, have expiration dates and may require advance enrollment or minimum spending.
Authorized user fees and the scope of shared benefits can vary, so review terms before adding someone to your account.
What you'll miss from the article
Detailed guidance on how to maximize and gift specific travel perks, including step-by-step instructions for sharing credits and certificates.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
If you’re an avid points and miles traveler, you may have multiple premium credit cards in your wallet. This is for a good reason: these cards tend to have excellent perks that can make your travel experience more enjoyable.
If you have overlapping or expiring perks you can’t take advantage of, consider giving them as a gift this holiday season. The odds are that someone in your circle of family and friends would greatly appreciate Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, a free hotel night or access to an airport lounge.
Here's what you need to know if you're planning to share travel benefits with loved ones.
Global Entry and TSA PreCheck
Almost all premium travel credit cards include a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application reimbursement worth up to $120 once every four or five years, depending on the card. These programs give you access to expedited airport security lines for up to five years.
U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION
Luckily, the Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit isn’t restricted to the cardholder. Thus, if you have multiple cards that offer this benefit, you can use one to pay for your own application, and then you can gift another to someone else by using one of your other cards to pay that person’s application fee.
It will appear on your credit card statement as a charge from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the credit should come through within a few days.
TSA PreCheck is included with Global Entry, and the price difference is minimal ($78-$85 for the former versus $120 for the latter). Both will be reimbursed in full by most credit cards that have this type of fee waiver.
The Platinum Card® from American Express ($895 annual fee; see rates and fees)
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express ($895 annual fee; see rates and fees)
Chase Sapphire Reserve® ($795 annual fee; see rates and fees)
Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® ($595 annual fee; see rates and fees)
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card ($99 annual fee; see rates and fees)
Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card ($95 annual fee)
United℠ Explorer Card ($0 introductory annual fee, then $150 annual fee; see rates and fees)
The Amex Platinum and Business Platinum cards offer reimbursement for Global Entry once every four years ($120) or reimbursement for TSA PreCheck once every 4½ years (up to $85). The Citi AAdvantage Executive card offers reimbursement for either program once every five years. The other cards on this list offer reimbursement for either program every five years.
Some hotel credit cards offer an annual free award night on your account anniversary, and you can use these awards to book someone else a stay. These generally expire after a year. If you can’t use an award night, you can give it to a friend or family member instead.
PHOTO COURTESY OF WAILEA BEACH RESORT
In most cases, you can either book the hotel under someone else’s name with the certificate or book the stay under your name and add the recipient as an additional guest. The guest can then check in without you being present.
That said, be aware that all free nights aren’t created equal, as there are restrictions on the hotel category and point value. Here’s a look:
World of Hyatt Credit Card (see rates and fees): Free nights are restricted to Category 1-4 hotels ($95 annual fee)
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card (see rates and fees)and Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card: Anniversary award nights may be redeemed at hotels costing 35,000 points or less across the Marriott Bonvoy program and certain hotels have resort fees ($95and $125 annual fees, respectively see rates and fees for Bonvoy Boundless and see rates and fees for the Bonvoy Business card)
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card: Offers an annual free night at any property costing 85,000 points or less at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy program — although some hotels assess additional resort fees ($650 annual fee; see rates and fees)
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card: This card gives a free night every year thereafter on your account anniversary and earns a second night when you spend $30,000 and a third night when you spend $60,000 on the card in a calendar year ($550 annual fee; see rates and fees)
Several airline-cobranded credit cards include companion certificates as an annual perk. You can use these to bring a companion with you on a flight for just the cost of taxes plus other related fees. If you have a certificate available, invite a friend to go with you on a future trip and cover the cost of their flight reservation with the companion ticket.
CATHERINE FALLS COMMERCIAL/GETTY IMAGES
That said, each airline companion ticket is created differently. The Atmos™ Rewards Ascent Visa Signature® credit card includes an annual companion ticket that lets you bring a companion for $122 ($99 fare and the cost of taxes and fees from $23). It can only be used on economy fares, but tickets are eligible for upgrades with a certificate or a complimentary elite upgrade.
Here’s a look at all the cards that offer companion tickets:
Atmos™ Rewards Ascent Visa Signature® credit card: A $99 companion ticket (plus taxes and fees from $23) when you spend $6,000 or more on purchases within the prior anniversary year and valid on all Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines flights within North America and booked on Alaskaair.com.
Barclaycard AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® and AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Silver Mastercard®: A Companion Certificate each card anniversary year after spending $20,000 on the card; the certificate is good for a ticket costing $99 plus taxes and fees
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card and Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card: A companion ticket every cardmember year
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card and Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card: A companion ticket every cardmember year
The information for the Aviator Red and Aviator Silver cards has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
If you have a credit card with travel credits, you could use these to improve a friend’s or relative’s travel experience. That could be a nicer seat, hotel stay or paying for that person’s checked bags.
Use the annual travel credits on the Amex Platinum and Business Platinum
The Amex Platinum comes with up to $600 in annual prepaid hotel statement credits (distributed as up to $300 biannually) and up to $200 in annual airline incidental credits each year. The Amex Business Platinum also comes with up to $200 in annual airline incidental statement credits. (Enrollment is required in advance for select benefits.)
With the Amex Platinum, you can book a prepaid hotel stay ahead of the new year — even if the hotel stay isn’t until after New Year, so long as you make the payment before this year ends. Do note that you, as the cardholder, must be checking into the hotel, so this is only possible if you are traveling with your loved one.
Most of us have probably used our Chase travel credit by this point in the year, given how broad it is, but if you happen to still have some of that credit kicking around, you can get creative in how you gift it.
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: $300 annual credit available for bookings made with Capital One Travel each year ($395 annual fee)
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card: Up to $400 statement credit on Hilton purchases annually and up to $200 in airline statement credits available each calendar year ($550 annual fee)
The information for the Altitude Reserve and Bank of America Premium Rewards Elite has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
RGSTUDIO/GETTY IMAGES
Annual shopping credits
The Amex Platinum and Amex Business Platinum cards offer several annual shopping credits each year, which come in the form of statement credits after qualifying purchases.
The personal version includes:
Up to $300 in annual digital entertainment statement credits for eligible streaming purchases with Paramount+, YouTube Premium, YouTube TV, Disney+, a Disney+ + Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock and The Wall Street Journal.
One of the easiest ways to give a variety of benefits to someone — and not just during the holiday season — is to make them an authorized user on your credit card.
The specific perks granted to authorized users vary from one card to another, but this also can be an excellent method for helping someone build or rebuild their credit.
PIXELFIT/GETTY IMAGES
Two of the best credit cards for authorized user benefits are the Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard and the Capital One Venture X.
The Citi AAdvantage Executive card gives Admirals Club access to the primary cardholder and authorized users with a same-day boarding pass for an eligible flight (add up to three authorized users for $175 total, then $175 for each additional one.)
*Upon enrollment, accessible through the Capital One website or mobile app, eligible cardholders will remain at that status level through the duration of the offer. Please note, enrolling through the normal Hertz Gold Plus Rewards enrollment process (e.g. at Hertz.com) will not automatically detect a cardholder as being eligible for the program and cardholders will not be automatically upgraded to the applicable status tier. Additional terms apply
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: Add authorized users for free, and they can access Capital One and Priority Pass lounges for themselves and two guests.
Chase Sapphire Reserve: Authorized users receive a Priority Pass Select membership, giving them access to more than 1,600 airport lounges around the world. Each user will cost the primary cardholder $195.
The Platinum Card from American Express and the Business Platinum Card from American Express: On the Platinum Card, authorized users benefits include Gold status with Marriott and Hilton; access to Priority Pass and Centurion lounges as well as Delta Sky Clubs when ticketed on Delta for that day,** and the up to $120 Global Entry credit. Authorized users on the Business Platinum receive the same benefits. The fee is $195 per user for the personal card (see rates and fees) and $400 for the business version (see rates and fees). Enrollment is required for select benefits.
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card and Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card: Authorized users can access Delta Sky Clubs*** and Amex Centurion Lounges when traveling on flights marketed and operated by Delta. The fee for each authorized user card is $175 per year for both the Delta Reserve (see rates and fees) and Delta Business Reserve (see rates and fees).
**Eligible Platinum Card members will receive 10 visits per eligible Platinum Card, per year to the Delta Sky Club or to Grab and Go when traveling on a same-day Delta-operated flight.
***Eligible Reserve and Reserve Business Card members will receive 15 visits per year to the Delta Sky Club; to earn an unlimited number of visits each year, the total eligible purchases on the card must equal $75,000 or more between Jan. 1, 2024, and Dec. 31, 2024, and each calendar year thereafter. (Once all 15 visits have been used, eligible cardmembers may purchase additional Delta Sky Club visits (including Grab and Go) at a per-visit rate of $50 per person using the Card.)
Bottom line
The holidays are a great time for sharing the benefits of premium rewards cards. Whether it’s a lounge pass, companion certificate or another travel perk, it can go a long way for someone who doesn’t have points and miles of their own. Plus, when you give those perks as gifts, you’re letting friends and loved ones experience the value of the points and miles hobby. Who knows? The gift alone might inspire them to start their own points and miles journey.
For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum Card, click here. For rates and fees of the Amex Business Platinum Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Marriott Bonvoy Business card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card, click here. For rates and fees of the Hilton Aspire Card, click here. For rates and fees of the Delta Reserve card, click here. For rates and fees of the Delta Reserve Business card, click here.
Updated 01/14/2026
Comments
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
