Points of View: Should my partner get their own card or be added as an authorized user?

You may have heard the term "two-player mode" when it comes to points and miles. Couples can plan their strategies for credit cards and points and miles together, which can lead to more rewards.

However, there is a common question here for couples: Should my partner get their own credit card or should I add my partner as an authorized user on my credit card?

There's no one-size-fits-all answer here. Before you decide which is better in your situation, let's look at the benefits of each approach.

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Benefits of adding your partner as an authorized user

• No application is involved. Rather than your partner applying for a card, which is never guaranteed to be approved, and having a new inquiry on their credit report, you can avoid this by adding them to your own credit card.
• You can work together to meet a spending bonus on most credit cards since all spending across the account generally contributes toward the requirements for a welcome offer.
• You may receive an offer for bonus points if you add an authorized user to your card.
• Many credit cards offer free authorized user accounts. Thus, you'll pay just one credit card annual fee, instead of two with these cards. This includes the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card and Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, for example.

• Some credit cards offer valuable perks to authorized users. Here are some examples:
• Add up to four free authorized users on the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, each of whom will get lounge access and Hertz President's Circle status*.
• Add up to 10 free authorized users on the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®, each of whom will receive complimentary American Airlines Admirals Club access.
• Pay $75 per authorized user on the Chase Sapphire Reserve to enjoy at least 12 months of DoorDash DashPass for free deliveries of $12 or greater (must activate by March 31) and a Priority Pass Select membership.
• Pay $175 to add up to three authorized users to The Platinum Card® from American Express (see rates and fees). This will provide access to Centurion lounges and Priority Pass lounges for these users, as well as reimbursement for their Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee.
• Adding someone as an authorized user can help them build credit and can boost their credit score.
• There's only one credit card account to keep track of, which is simpler.

*Upon enrollment, accessible through the Capital One website or mobile app, eligible cardholders will remain at upgraded status level through December 31, 2024. 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.

Related: Credit cards with the greatest value for authorized users

Benefits of your partner getting their own credit card

• Your partner can earn a sign-up bonus, adding to your combined stash of points and miles.
• You can earn a referral bonus by referring your partner to apply for a credit card.
• Between the two of you, you can take a combined approach toward travel rewards. One of you can earn the miles needed for flights on an upcoming trip while the other focuses on earning free hotel nights, for example.
• You won't affect each other's credit reports, which can be important when applying for new credit cards. Having fewer accounts that appear on your credit report may be a benefit when applying for credit cards with banks that frown on customers with many cards.
• Won't lose access to the benefits of your card if you separate or upon death of the primary account holder.

Related: The ultimate guide to credit card application restrictions

Questions to ask yourselves

No two couples are the same. Ask yourselves the following questions to help decide whether it's better to add your partner as an authorized user or whether they should get their own credit card:

• Can you meet the spending requirements for a sign-up bonus without adding your partner as an authorized user?
• Can you afford another annual fee if your partner gets a card that has one?
• Will your partner get benefits as an authorized user or do you need separate cards to access those perks?
• What is your long-term credit card strategy? Consider how being an authorized user on someone else's credit card can impact this positively or negatively.

You may find that your answers to these questions evolve over time.

The answers may even change depending on the bank. A perfect example is American Express. While other banks will report the account opening date (which could be several years ago) on your authorized user's credit report, newer accounts from American Express will see today's date (or the date you add the authorized user) listed on your partner's credit report. This can shorten the user's average age of accounts and impact their 5/24 status.

Bottom line

After considering the benefits on both sides and analyzing the questions above, you can make an informed decision on whether it's better to add your partner as an authorized user or have them get their own credit card.

Luckily, even if you add your partner as an authorized user, you can later remove them if you want. Your partner can still get a sign-up bonus on that same credit card later on, after being removed.

Conversely, if your partner gets a separate card, they can later close it and become an authorized user on your account. Thus, it is possible to choose one side of the equation today and then change it later on.

Editor’s note: "Points of View" is a new series evaluating decisions on which credit card to use. If you’re facing a dilemma about which card is best for an upcoming payment, email us at tips@thepointsguy.com.

Also in this series:

• Points of View: Which card should I use for flights in case things go wrong?
• Points of View: Does paying the taxes and fees on award flights trigger trip protections?

For rates and fees of the Platinum Card from American Express please click here.

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.