What are the benefits of adding an authorized user to the Amex Platinum?

When you are an authorized user on the American Express Platinum Card®, you get some pretty solid benefits for $195 a year. The $195 fee for being an authorized user sure does beat the $895 fee as a primary cardholder.

However, what benefits do you get as an authorized user?

Do you get AMEX Centurion Lounge access as an American Express Platinum Card® authorized user?

Yup. As an authorized user on the American Express Platinum Card®, you’ll be able to get access to American Express Centurion lounges across the US and internationally.

Centurion Lounges are widely acclaimed as some of the best lounges out there. I’ve never been but some of my friends rave about the a la carte food.

Can you visit other lounges part of the AMEX Global Lounge Collection as an authorized user on the American Express Platinum Card®?

As an American Express Platinum Card® authorized user, you’ll be able to access lounges besides Centurion Lounges that are part of the AMEX Global Lounge Collection. This includes lounges via a Priority Pass membership, Plaza Premium Lounges, Escape Lounges and Airspace Lounges. You’ll also be able to get into the Delta Sky Club 10 times a year (Feb 1st-Jan 31st) as long as you have a Delta boarding pass along with your American Express Platinum Card® authorized user card.

Do you get elite status as an authorized user on the American Express Platinum Card®?

As an authorized user on the American Express Platinum Card®, you’ll get elite status for hotels and car rentals.

Hotel Elite Status

If you are an authorized user on the American Express Platinum Card®, you can activate your own Hilton Honors Gold, Marriott Bonvoy Gold elite status, and Leaders Club Sterling Status with The Leading Hotels of the World.

With these hotel statuses, you can get perks like room upgrades, late checkout and additional points earning.

Car Rental Elite Status

The benefits don’t stop at hotel status—you get access to National Executive status, Avis Preferred Plus status and Hertz President’s Circle status for car rentals.

With Hertz President’s Circle and National Executive, you get guaranteed upgrades when you book car rentals. And with Hertz President’s Circle and Avis Preferred Plus, you earn extra points when you book rentals.

Car rental status is an underrated perk for frequent travelers who spend days, weeks or months in different locations.

Hertz President’s Circle

• Earn 50% more rewards points toward free* car rental days on qualified rentals
• Guaranteed one-car-class upgrades with a maximum upgrade to a full-size vehicle (class F) at participating locations
• Drop your keys and go at select locations with Hertz e-return
• Choose a vehicle from the President’s Circle section at locations with Hertz Ultimate Choice
• Add a spouse or domestic partner as an additional driver for free
• Dedicated President’s Circle call center line.

National Executive Emerald Club Status

Here are the full benefits of National Executive Emerald Club status:

• Choose Rewards — Choose from Free Rental Days, frequent flyer miles or hotel rewards. Redeem your free days around the globe.
• Executive Area Access — Choose any car (Fullsize and above) in the Executive Area and only pay the reserved Midsize rate (in US and Canada).
• Faster Free Rental Days — Earn 1 rental credit for every qualified car rental. Free Rental Day = 6 credits.
• Guaranteed Upgrades — You’re guaranteed a free upgrade when you reserve a full-size through luxury vehicle (in the US and Canada).
• Priority Service — Get expedited services when renting in Europe and Latin America and the Caribbean.
• Earn With Enterprise — Rent at participating Enterprise Rent-A-Car locations to earn Free Rental Days and higher status with Emerald Club.
• Private Airport Delivery – We’ll have a car waiting at most private airports within 50 miles of us (in US and Canada) (not a member exclusive benefit).
• Special Pricing on Premier Selection — Enjoy exclusive pricing when you upgrade to Premier Selection at the rental lot (in US and Canada).
• Emerald Alerts — Receive helpful email reminders to give you the rental information you need exactly when you need it.
• Drop & Go℠ — With convenient email receipts, just drop off your car and go (if your car has not been damaged during the rental).
• No Second Driver Fees — Never pay extra when family members and business associates do the driving.
• Upgrades in Europe — Enjoy a free one car class upgrade (subject to availability at time of rental) at participating locations in the UK, Ireland, France, Spain and Germany.
• Special Offers — Receive exclusive members-only discounts and offers through our seasonal emails.

Avis Preferred Plus

• Redeem points for rentals and accessories.
• Enjoy expedited service and go straight to your car at most locations.
• Save your rental preferences and track your activity and rewards anytime.
• Receive exclusive monthly email offers.
• Free one-car class upgrade when reserving a midsize or above*

Do you get a TSA Precheck/Global Entry credit as an authorized user on the American Express Platinum Card®?

You will get access to an additional TSA Precheck/Global Entry credit when you’re an authorized user on the American Express Platinum Card®. TSA Precheck is great for folks who travel domestically as it will lessen your time in lines.

Global Entry is even better as you will get shorter lines when flying back from another country AND it includes TSA precheck. You also can use Global Entry when driving back from Mexico or Canada—you just have to use the physical Global Entry card in that case.

What’s a companion American Express Platinum Card® user?

If you have a friend or family member simply looking for a TSA Precheck/Global Entry credit, it might be worth adding them as a companion American Express Platinum Card® user. You do not have to pay any sort of fee for companion American Express Platinum Card® users and they receive a TSA Precheck/Global Entry credit while also being able to contribute to AMEX membership rewards earning for the primary cardholder.

What are the insurance benefits of being an authorized user on the American Express Platinum Card®?

You get quite a bit of solid insurance protections as an authorized user on the American Express Platinum Card®:

• Baggage insurance: Up to $3,000 in coverage per person for lost, damaged or stolen baggage when travel is paid with your card.
• Car rental loss and damage insurance: Provides secondary coverage for theft or damage to eligible rental vehicles when you decline the rental company’s collision coverage and pay with your card.
• Trip delay insurance: Up to $500 per trip for reasonable expenses like meals and lodging when your trip is delayed more than six hours for a covered reason.
• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance: Up to $10,000 per covered trip if you need to cancel or cut a trip short due to specific covered reasons, such as illness, severe weather or jury duty.
• Cellphone protection: Provides up to $800 per claim (with a $50 deductible) for theft or damage to your phone when the monthly bill is paid with your card, with up to two approved claims per 12 months.
• Purchase protection: Covers theft or damage to eligible purchases for up to 90 days from the purchase date, with coverage limits of up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per calendar year.
• Extended warranty coverage: Adds up to one extra year to an original U.S. manufacturer’s warranty of five years or less on eligible purchases.
• Return protection: If a U.S. merchant won’t accept your eligible return within 90 days, Amex may refund the purchase price up to $10,000 per covered purchase.

Terms apply to coverage benefits.

What benefits of the American Express Platinum Card® are not included when you are an authorized user?

Here are the benefits that are not included as an authorized user on the American Express Platinum Card®:

• $600 hotel credit: Get up to $300 in credits twice a year (up to $600 annually) for prepaid bookings at Fine Hotels + Resorts and The Hotel Collection properties through AMEX Travel (must be a minimum 2 night stay)
• $400 Resy credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each quarter (for up to $400 each year) for dining purchases at restaurants on the Resy platform.
• $300 digital entertainment credit: Get up to $25 back each month (up to $300 annually) for streaming and digital entertainment subscriptions, including Disney+, the Disney+ bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, The Wall Street Journal, YouTube Premium, and YouTube TV.
• $300 Lululemon credit: Get up to $75 back each quarter (up to $300 a year) on purchases at U.S. Lululemon retail stores (excluding outlets) or online at lululemon.com
• $200 Uber Cash: Add your Platinum Card to your Uber account to start receiving $15 in Uber Cash each month (plus a bonus $20 in December), to use on rides and orders in the U.S.
• $200 Airline Fee credit: You can earn up to $200 per calendar year in statement credits after incidental fees are charged by your one selected qualifying airline to your Card.
• $209 CLEAR Plus Credit: You can receive up to $209 in statement credits per calendar year after you sign up and pay for a CLEAR Plus Membership with your American Express Platinum Card®.
• $155 Walmart+ Credit: You can get up to a $12.95* statement credit back each month after you pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership with your American Express Platinum Card®.
• $100 Saks Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases at Saks Fifth Avenue or saks.com on your American Express Platinum Card®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment is required to get this benefit.
• $200 Oura Ring Credit: Oura Ring can help you meet your health goals. You can receive up to $200 in statements credits when you use the Platinum Card® to purchase an Oura Ring at Ouraring.com each calendar year. Enrollment is required to get this benefit.
• $300 Equinox Credit: Get up to $300 in statement credits each year at Equinox. Simply use your Platinum Card® to pay for an Equinox+ digital subscription, or an Equinox club membership subject to auto-renewal.Enrollment is required to get this benefit.

If even some of the benefits above are enticing, I would tell you to consider getting the American Express Platinum Card®. It has the biggest annual fee out there at $895 but if you can make use of most or some of the perks on the American Express Platinum Card®, it’s good value. I don’t have the American Express Platinum Card® but the $300 Digital Entertainment credit, $400 Resy credit, $300 Lululemon credit and $200 of Uber cash are all super appealing to me. If you count just those credits, I’d be getting $1,200 in value for just $895. Maybe I should get the American Express Platinum Card® lol.

Final Remarks

Being an authorized user on a card isn’t the most glamorous thing in the world but it can provide a lot of value. If you are looking for lounge access and you don’t want to spend big on a premium card like the American Express Platinum Card® or Chase Sapphire Reserve®, it’s a great choice to be an authorized user. And the amex-plat> has arguably the coolest lounge collection (including the AMEX Centurion Lounges) out there. Don’t forget about the hotel & car rental elite statuses either—both can dramatically improve your travel experiences.

Are you thinking about hopping on as an authorized user on a friend or family member’s American Express Platinum Card®?