Select Amex cardholders can now earn 20,000 points by adding authorized users
Editor's Note
With strict once-per-lifetime card offer rules, it pays to take advantage of easy opportunities to earn extra Amex Membership Rewards points.
Recently, American Express has been targeting select cardholders of The Platinum Card® from American Express with an easy opportunity to earn 20,000 Membership Rewards points after adding an authorized and meeting relatively modest spending requirements. You can check if they're targeted by following this link and logging into your Amex account.
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I received an offer to add authorized users to The Platinum Card from American Express. The offer is a one-time award of 20,000 Membership Rewards points when adding one or more authorized users — for up to four users total. However, the maximum you can earn as part of this offer is 20,000 Membership Rewards points. There is also a spending requirement of $2,000 in the first six months for the first authorized user to earn the offer.
If you’re an Amex Platinum cardholder, be sure you check if you've been targeted for this offer (subject to change at anytime). We’ve also seen similar offers on the American Express® Gold Card in the past.
Related: Best ways to use Amex Membership Rewards points
Based on TPG’s valuations, which peg Membership Rewards points at 2 cents apiece, 20,000 points are worth $400. If you have any authorized users to add, that's a fantastic deal given the relatively low spending requirements.
Remember that it costs $175 each year to add up to three authorized users to your Amex Platinum (see rates and fees), but they’ll enjoy many cardholder benefits such as The American Express Global Lounge Collection access, Marriott Bonvoy Gold elite status, Hilton Honors Gold elite status and more. Enrollment required for select benefits.
You can also add a Gold card (not to be confused with the American Express® Gold Card) for no annual fee (see rates and fees) and still be eligible for the 20,000 points after meeting the spend requirements on the offer.
Related: Why you should add authorized users on your Amex Platinum
Bottom line
Setting up someone to be an authorized user can give them a taste of financial independence or help establish credit for someone 18 years or older.
Related: Building credit history: Adding your kids as authorized users to your credit cards
Keep in mind that becoming an authorized user for Amex will add to a person's 5/24 score. However, when you apply for a 5/24 card, you can call the Chase reconsideration line and ask for the authorized user accounts to not be considered (although it's not completely guaranteed this will work). While Amex allows just one welcome offer per “lifetime” per card type, being an authorized user doesn't make someone ineligible.
Even if you weren't targeted for these offers, it can't hurt to try calling in to see if they can add them to your accounts.
Official application link: The Platinum Card from American Express
Additional reporting by Benji Stawski, Stella Shon and Juan Ruiz.
For rates and fees of The Platinum Card from American Express, please click here.