Part of Chase Ultimate Rewards hub
Status: checked against official sources; automated independent review
FREQUENT FLYER GLOSSARY
What is an authorized user?
An authorized user is a person whom the primary account holder permits to use a credit-card account, while the account itself stays in the primary holder's name. [1] In the Ultimate Rewards® program agreement for the Ink Business Preferred® card, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. defines an authorized user as anyone the account holder permits to use the account, such as employees. [1] American Express uses a different label for the same role: Additional Card Members are people who hold Cards tied to the primary Card Account. [2]
Facts checked: 18 October 2026
Key takeaways
- An authorized user is a permitted user of someone else's account, not a second account holder: the account, and the responsibility for it, stays with the primary holder. [1]
- Spending by an authorized user can earn rewards for the primary account, but American Express says Additional Card Members do not get a Rewards Account of their own. [1] [2]
- Transferring points into an airline or hotel account has an ownership test, and each program words it differently. [1] [2]
- Whether adding a cardholder changes a welcome offer, a minimum-spend target or an annual fee is set card by card, so those questions belong to the individual product terms rather than to the idea of an authorized user itself.
How an authorized user differs from the primary holder
The distinction is about who owns the account. In the Chase agreement, "you" and "your" mean the party responsible for the account and for complying with the agreement, while an authorized user is simply someone you permit to use it. [1] Rewards follow the account, so an authorized user's purchases feed the main balance rather than creating a second one. [1] [2]
American Express describes the same arrangement from the other direction: the document is addressed to the primary Card Account holder, called a Basic Card Member, and Additional Card Members are those who have Cards tied to that Card Account. [2] Membership Rewards is owned and operated by American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc., and its terms were last updated in October 2026. [2]
| Point | Chase Ultimate Rewards (Ink Business Preferred agreement) | American Express Membership Rewards |
|---|---|---|
| Label used | Authorized user [1] | Additional Card Member [2] |
| Where rewards sit | Points earned on purchases made with a card by the holder or an authorized user [1] | One Rewards Account held by the Basic Card Member; Additional Card Members have none [2] |
| Partner account that may receive a transfer | The holder, or an owner of the company who is listed as an authorized user on the account [1] | The holder, or an Additional Card Member whose Additional Card was issued at least 90 days before linking [2] |
Do purchases by an authorized user earn points?
At Chase, yes. The Ink Business Preferred agreement says points are earned on purchases made with a card by the account holder or an authorized user, and the same earn rates then apply to that combined activity: 1 point per $1, and 3 points per $1 on combined purchases in the listed rewards categories each account anniversary year. [1] Not everything counts as a purchase — balance transfers, cash advances, cash-like transactions and fees of any kind are excluded from earning. [1] This is a business card agreement, and it also requires the points to be used for the company's business purposes only, to benefit only the company and not for any individual's personal benefit, and in line with applicable law. [1]
At American Express the outcome is similar but the mechanics are described differently: Additional Card Members on Consumer Card Accounts and Business Card Accounts do not have their own Rewards Accounts, so their spending accrues inside the Basic Card Member's Rewards Account. [2]
Can points go to an authorized user's airline account?
Both programs restrict which partner accounts may receive a transfer, and the tests are not the same. Chase permits transfers, in 1,000-point increments, only to participating frequent travel program accounts belonging to the holder or to an owner of the company who is listed as an authorized user on the account. [1]
American Express allows the partner loyalty program account to be in the holder's name or in the name of an Additional Card Member on the Card Account, provided the Additional Card was issued to that person at least 90 days before the accounts are linked. [2] Its customer service guidance adds that the name on the Card and the name on the partner account must match for linking to succeed, and that an Additional Card Member's transfer eligibility runs through a card linked to the Rewards Account. [5] American Express also charges an excise tax offset fee on points transferred to a U.S. airline frequent flyer program. [2] Once points move, the transfer cannot be reversed and the airline or hotel program's own terms apply. [2] [5]
Limits and who is responsible
- Control of the points. The Chase agreement makes the account holder responsible for how points are used, including when authorized users are allowed to access them. [1]
- Disputes and losses. Chase says it is not responsible for disputes the holder may have with authorized users about the program, and the holder agrees to indemnify Chase for losses arising from the holder's or an authorized user's use of the program, fraud or misuse, or breach of the agreement or applicable law. [1]
- Enforcement. Chase may temporarily block earning or using points while it suspects misuse or fraudulent activity on the account. [1]
- Ownership of the balance. American Express states that points do not belong to the Card Member and cannot be transferred to someone else's Rewards Account, sold, or passed on through a legal action such as divorce, inheritance or bankruptcy, which keeps the balance with the primary account. [2]
- Product scope. The Chase rules above come from a business card program agreement in which authorized users are typically employees; consumer card products and other issuers set their own terms for adding a cardholder, for fees and for earning. [1] [2]
Frequently asked questions
Does an authorized user get their own points balance?
Not under either program described here. American Express says Additional Card Members do not have their own Rewards Accounts, and Chase credits purchases made by an authorized user to the account's points balance. [1] [2]
Can I send points to an authorized user's frequent flyer account?
Chase allows transfers only to frequent travel program accounts belonging to the holder or to a company owner listed as an authorized user on the account. [1] American Express allows a partner account held by an Additional Card Member, as long as that person's Additional Card was issued at least 90 days before the accounts are linked and the names match. [2] [5]
Who is liable if an authorized user misuses the card or the points?
Under the Chase agreement the primary holder carries that responsibility: the holder is answerable for how points are used, including access given to authorized users, and indemnifies Chase for losses from misuse. [1]
Is an authorized user the same thing as an Additional Card Member?
The two phrases describe the same position in different programs. Chase uses authorized user for anyone permitted to use the account, while American Express calls the person an Additional Card Member, holding a Card tied to the primary Card Account. [1] [2]
Sources
Sources checked on 18 October 2026. The rules here come from one Chase business card program agreement and from American Express Membership Rewards terms for US Card Accounts; other issuers, and other card products from these two issuers, define eligibility, fees and earning for added cardholders in their own documents and are not covered here.
- Ink Business Preferred with Ultimate Rewards Program Agreement (PDF), checked 18 October 2026
- Membership Rewards Program Terms and Conditions, checked 18 October 2026
- American Express customer service: How do I transfer Membership Rewards points?, checked 18 October 2026