Summary
The Chase Sapphire Reserve card comes with numerous perks that can help justify the annual fee, and authorized users can take advantage of several major benefits.
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There are plenty of reasons to consider becoming an authorized user on another person’s credit card account, and this includes the potential to boost your credit score. Being an authorized user can also help you get your hands on a card you couldn’t qualify for on your own, and you can earn generous points on your spending that will pool in the main cardholder’s rewards account.
On the other end of the spectrum, adding an authorized user to your own account can help you earn more rewards over time. You can also keep all your spending in one account for the sake of simplicity, which can make sense if you want to pay just one credit card bill for yourself and your partner or a young adult.Some rewards credit cards even extend some important cardholder benefits to authorized users – and for a much lower annual fee than is required for the primary account. The Chase Sapphire Reserve is one such card. You’ll only pay $75 per year for an authorized user to be added to your account, but the secondary user can glean much more than that in value.
See related: Chase Sapphire Reserve benefits guide
Chase Sapphire Reserve: At a glance
![]() Why should you get this card? The price of admission for this luxury card is steep, but its large sign-up bonus and generous travel allowance more than make up for the annual fee. | Other things to know:
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Which benefits are extended to additional cardholders?
The Chase Sapphire Reserve offers too many elite perks and benefits to count, which is why the primary cardholder is asked to pay an annual fee of $550. But some of the perks apply to the $75 authorized user account, and we’ve outlined each of them below.
Benefit | Do authorized users qualify? |
Earning rewards points | Yes; all points are pooled into the primary cardholder’s account |
Introductory bonus | No; only the primary cardholder earns the introductory bonus |
Priority Pass Select airport lounge membership | Yes; both the primary cardholder and the authorized user can enroll in Priority Pass and have their own membership |
Global Entry or TSA Precheck credit | Yes; this credit can apply to any Global Entry or TSA Precheck membership charged to the primary cardholder’s account or the authorized user account, but there is only one credit |
$300 annual travel credit | Yes; charges made on an authorized user card are eligible, but there is no extra credit |
DoorDash credits | Yes; these credits can apply to authorized user purchases, but there is no extra credit |
Lyft Pink membership | Yes; authorized users can enroll for their own membership |
Travel insurance benefits like trip cancellation and interruption insurance | Yes; important travel insurance benefits apply to trips charges to authorized user accounts |
One of the most valuable perks for authorized users is the Priority Pass Select airport lounge membership, which is worth approximately $429 if you purchase a similar membership on its own. This membership lets users access more than 1,300 airport lounges worldwide, and while the primary cardholder is allowed to bring two guests into the lounge with them, an authorized user may want their own membership if they travel alone.
How much does it cost to add an authorized user to the Chase Sapphire Reserve?
Adding an authorized user to your Chase Sapphire Reserve account will set you back $75 per year. You can add multiple authorized users to your account, although a separate charge will apply for each card. To add four authorized users to your account, for example, you would need to pay an additional $300 per year on top of the annual fee for the primary account.
How to add an authorized user on the Chase Sapphire Reserve
All you have to do to add an authorized user to your Chase card is log into your online account management page with Chase. From there, you can click on “things you can do” and select “add an authorized user.”
At this point, you’ll be presented with a form to fill out with information on your authorized user. In addition to their name, you’ll need to include their birth date and their address.
Other Chase cards with authorized user benefits
As you compare Chase credit cards to find the right fit, don’t forget that some other Chase cards offer a few benefits for authorized users. Here are some of the main cards and authorized user benefits to be aware of.
Chase credit card | Rewards rate | Authorized user benefits |
Chase Sapphire Preferred* | Earn 2 points per dollar on travel and dining and 1 point per dollar on other purchases; also earn 5 points per dollar on Lyft purchases through March 2022 |
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Chase Freedom Unlimited | Earn 5% back on travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards and on Lyft rides through March 2022; 3% back on dining and drugstore purchases; 1.5% back on all other purchases |
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Chase Freedom* | Earn 5% back on up to $1,500 spent (then 1%) in quarterly bonus categories, after activation; 5% back on Lyft rides (through March 2022); 3% back on dining and drugstore purchases; 1% back on general purchases |
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Should you add an authorized user to your Chase Sapphire Reserve card?
If you want a spouse, partner or someone else to have access to some major benefits like airport lounge access and travel insurance protection, adding them to your Chase Sapphire Reserve account as an authorized user can make a ton of sense. You’ll only pay $75 per year for each authorized user, yet they’ll receive benefits that can be worth considerably more than that if used often enough.
Having an authorized user attached to your account can also help you earn points faster. And if your authorized user travels with you or might otherwise benefit from the rewards on your account, you may as well have them doing their part to boost your rewards balance with their purchases.
Just remember that when you add an authorized user to your account, you are solely responsible for repaying any balances they charge to their card.
*All information about the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card and Chase Freedom has been collected independently by CreditCards.com and has not been reviewed by the issuer. These cards are no longer available through CreditCards.com.
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