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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.
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Do coronavirus credit card perks apply to authorized users?
Katie Genter is a digital nomad who has traveled full time since June 2017. She writes and edits stories about points and miles, and loyalty programs, often letting her personal experiences color these stories.
May 29, 2020 • 10 min read
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Quick summary
Many travel rewards cards introduced limited-time perks and expanded credits to encourage continued use during periods of reduced travel.
Temporary benefits include expanded statement credits for non-travel purchases and elevated rewards at supermarkets and select merchants.
Authorized user spending counts toward these limited-time credits and bonuses, but does not provide separate benefits for authorized users.
Most caps and credits apply per account, not per cardholder, so all spending on the account contributes to the same limit.
What to consider
Authorized users' purchases help meet spending thresholds and earn bonuses, but do not generate additional statement credits beyond the primary account's cap.
Elevated rewards and expanded credits are available only for a limited period, with specific end dates varying by benefit and card type.
Bonus earnings and credits may exclude certain merchant types, such as superstores or warehouse clubs, and are subject to account-level caps.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed breakdown of which purchases and spending types qualify for each limited-time perk and how authorized user activity impacts account benefits.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
Editor’s note: This post has been updated with additional perks offered by Chase.
Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders can use their $300 annual travel credit for gas and grocery store purchases from June through Dec. 2020
Citi Prestige® Card cardholders can use their $250 annual travel credit at supermarkets and restaurants through the end of 2020
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card cardholders can use the up to $300 Marriott Bonvoy statement credit at U.S. restaurants from June through Aug. 2020 ($450 annual fee; see rates and fees)
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card cardholders can use the up to $250 Hilton resort credit at U.S. restaurants from June through Aug. 2020
The information for the Citi Prestige Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Does authorized user spending count?
As with the normal travel credits for these cards, authorized user spending counts toward these travel credits. But authorized users don't get additional credits on top of the credits provided for the primary cardholder's account. For example, the information page for the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Amex's limited-time perks notes:
Eligible purchases can be made by the basic card member and any additional card members on a single card account.
Select cards are now offering new statement credits. (Photo by Westend61/Getty Images)
Select rewards credit cards normally offer statement credits for travel-related purchases charged to the card. For example, the American Express® Green Card offers up to $100 in statement credits towards Clear membership fees while The Platinum Card® from American Express offers bi-annual statement credits for Saks Fifth Avenue purchases (up to $100 per calendar year). (Enrollment required).
The information for the Amex Green Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Since cardholders aren't able to put these benefits to use, American Express is offering limited-time statement credits for non-travel purchases.
The Platinum Card from American Express
Amex Platinum cardholders get up to $160 in statement credits on select U.S. streaming subscriptions (up to $20 per month) and up to $160 in statement credits on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers (up to $20 per month), with both offers running from May through Dec. 2020.
Platinum cardholders who renew their card between April and Dec. 2020 will also get up to $200 in statement credits toward Amex Travel purchases that will be valid between Aug. 2020 and Dec. 2021. The card comes with a $550 annual fee (see rates and fees).
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
From May through Dec. 2020, Amex Business Platinum cardholders get up to $160 in statement credits on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers (up to $20 per month) and up to $160 in statement credits on U.S. purchases for shipping (up to $20 per month).
American Express Green Card
Cardholders of the American Express Green Card get up to $80 in statement credits on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers (up to $10 per month) from May through December 2020.
Does authorized user spending count?
Authorized users don't get their own credits, but their spending does count toward the limited-time credits offered to the primary account holder.
Credit cards are expanding their category bonuses to better accommodate cardholders who are stuck at home and spending more on household expenses. Many credit cards are now offering elevated earnings at grocery stores and supermarkets for a limited time. For example:
Cardholders of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card and Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card can earn 4x Delta miles at U.S. supermarkets from May through July 2020
Cardholders of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Amex can earn 6x Marriott Bonvoy points on up to $7,500 spent at U.S. supermarkets from May through July 2020
Cardholders of all personal co-branded Marriott credit cards earn 6x Marriott Bonvoy points at U.S. supermarkets from May through July 2020. Amex cardholders earn 6x on up to $7,500 spent and Chase cardholders earn 6x on up to $5,000 spent
Cardholders of the Hilton Aspire Card and Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card can earn 12x Hilton Honors points at U.S. supermarkets from May through July 2020
Purchases made by authorized users also earn elevated bonus points on eligible purchases for a limited time. As is normal on credit cards that offer capped earning for purchases in select categories, the cap is per account, not per cardholder. For example, the terms and conditions for the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Amex note:
You will earn 4 additional points on top of the 2 points you already earn (for a total of 6 points) from American Express for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card at supermarkets located in the U.S. (superstores and warehouse clubs are not considered supermarkets) starting from May 1, 2020 through July 31, 2020 (“Purchase Period”), on up to a maximum of $7,500 in eligible purchases...Eligible purchases can be made by the Basic Card Member and any Additional Card Members on a single Card account.
Bonus points earned through eligible purchases on the Hilton Aspire Card, Hilton Surpass Card and Hilton Honors American Express Card will be considered base points and count towards elite-tier qualification and lifetime Diamond status. Points must post to the cardmember’s Hilton Honors account between May and Dec. 2020.
As is normally the case, authorized user spending during these limited-time promotions will count toward the primary cardholder's status and points or mileage balance. So, authorized users will help the primary cardholder reach the primary cardholder's desired status instead of working toward their own status.
In short: Spending by authorized users counts the same as spending by the primary cardholder when it comes to these limited-time perks. Specifically, authorized users don't get their own benefits when it comes to statement credits. Instead, authorized user spending counts toward the same cap as the primary cardholder.
For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum card, click here. For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Amex card, click here.
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.
