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There are many benefits to traveling as a couple. The most priceless perk is that you have a travel companion to build memories with. The best credit cards for couples make it easier to maximize travel perks that can help you both travel more often and enhance your travel experiences.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
The Best Credit Cards for Couples
Here is a preview of the best credit cards for couples:
- The Platinum Card® from American Express: Up to $200 annual airline fee credit and airport lounge access (enrollment required)
- Chase Sapphire Reserve®: $300 annual travel credit
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card: Annually, after each card renewal, receive a Companion Certificate on First Class, Delta Comfort+®, or Main Cabin domestic, Caribbean, or Central American roundtrip flights to select destinations. However, payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights and no more than $250 for roundtrip international flights (both for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
- Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card: 4 Upgraded Bookings per year (when available) and $75 annual Southwest credit, plus the chance to get Southwest Companion Pass®
- Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: Purchases earn at least 2x miles per $1 that can be redeemed for travel statement credits, book upcoming travel, and transfer to travel programs
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is one of the best travel credit cards—period. You earn some of the most valuable credit card points and have flexible travel redemption options.
Enjoy Chase Sapphire benefits such as a $50 annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit, 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3x points on dining, and 2x points on all other travel purchases, plus more.
When redeemed for award travel on the Chase travel portal, your points are worth 25% more (1.25 cents each). You can also transfer your points at a 1:1 ratio to airline and hotel partners, including Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, Emirates, and World of Hyatt.
It has a reasonable $95 annual fee for the primary user. Each additional card is free. Because of the Chase 5/24 rule, your better half can be an authorized user if they have added at least five new cards to their wallet in the past 24 months.
Chase Sapphire Reserve
If you like the Chase Sapphire Preferred but want more regarding travel perks, consider the Chase Sapphire Reserve®. It comes with a $300 annual travel credit, a fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, and Priority Pass airport lounge access. You can use the 1:1 hotel and airline transfer partners like the Sapphire Preferred.
Related: Chase Sapphire Reserve vs Chase Sapphire Preferred
The Platinum Card From American Express
For premium travel benefits, the Platinum Card® from American Express is one of the best credit cards for couples.
Travel perks include:
- Complimentary airport lounge access (enrollment required)
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit
- Instant Hilton Honors Gold and Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status (enrollment required)
- 1:1 airline point transfers
Cardholders earn 5x Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel, up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year, and earn 5x Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
Cardholders can get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel when they pay with The Platinum Card® from American Express. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
Also, select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Card.
Access to The Centurion® Network, which includes 40+ Centurion Lounge and Studio locations worldwide, is also included.
Other Benefits
There’s also a digital entertainment credit, making this card one of the best for streaming services. Cardholders can get up to $20 in statement credits each month when they pay for eligible purchases with the Platinum Card®. Enrollment required.
Cardholders can enjoy TSA PreCheck or Global Entry access and CLEAR perks. When paying with their card, they can get up to $199 back per calendar year on their CLEAR Membership (subject to autorenewal). Plus, receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee when using the Card.
Get the full details and learn more in our in-depth The Platinum Card from American Express review.
The annual fee is $695 (See Rates & Fees), but it can be offset by the perks, which are valued at over $1,400.
Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card
This airline card is also one of the best credit cards for couples. The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card is one of the few airline credit cards offering a companion certificate. Annually, after each card renewal, receive a Companion Certificate on First Class, Delta Comfort+®, or Main Cabin domestic, Caribbean, or Central American roundtrip flights to select destinations. You will need to pay up to $80 for roundtrip domestic flights and no more than $250 for roundtrip international flights, in fees and taxes (both for itineraries with up to four flight segments), but think of the savings instead of paying for another ticket! Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
Other benefits include:
- A first-checked bag is free on Delta flights for you and up to 8 travel companions
- Main Cabin 1 priority boarding
- 20% in-flight purchase savings
- Fee credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry
Complimentary access to the Delta Sky Club® is also available when traveling on a Delta-marketed or operated flight on the same day. Get four Delta Sky Club One-Time Guest Passes annually. After that, you can bring up to two guests at a per-visit rate of $50 per person per location.
Effective 2/1/25, Reserve Card Members will receive 15 Visits per year to the Delta Sky Club; to earn an unlimited number of Visits each year starting on 2/1/25, the total eligible purchases on the Card must equal $75,000 or more between 1/1/24 and 12/31/24, and each calendar year thereafter. Plus, enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge when you book your Delta flight with your Reserve Card.
Other Perks
Earn $1 Medallion® Qualification Dollar for each $10 of purchases made on your Card in a calendar year and get a boost toward getting elevated status for the next Medallion Year. Get $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars each Medallion Qualification Year.
Get upgrade priority over other Medallion Members within the same Medallion level and fare class. Not a Medallion Member? Reserve cardholders with an eligible ticket will be added to the Complimentary Upgrade list, after Delta SkyMiles Medallion Members and Reserve Card Members. Ticket must be purchased on or after February 1, 2024, to be eligible to receive a complimentary upgrade.
Eligible Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
Cardholders can also earn up to $200 back (in the form of a statement credit) annually on eligible prepaid Delta Stays bookings on delta.com. Additionally, get up to $50 off the cost of your flight for every 5,000 miles you redeem with Pay with Miles when you book on delta.com.
Welcome Bonus
New Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card cardholders can earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after spending $6,000 in purchases on their new Card in their first 6 months of Card Membership.
The annual fee for the primary card member is $650, but there are no foreign transaction fees (See Rates & Fees).
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card
Here is another airline credit card that is also one of the best credit cards for couples. Of the Southwest credit cards, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card can be the most lavish option.
Cardholders earn unlimited:
- 3x points on Southwest® purchases
- 2x points on local transit and commuting, including rideshares
- 2x points on internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming purchases
Perhaps the #1 reason to consider applying as a couple is to get the Southwest Companion Pass®, which is one of the best deals for traveling couples. Your companion’s ticket is only the cost of fees and taxes (normally $5.60 each way) when you buy your ticket with cash or points. However, for the standard pass, you need 100 qualifying one-way flights or earn 135,000 Rapid Rewards points in a calendar year to earn the pass.
New Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card cardholders can earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
These additional Southwest travel benefits can enhance your travel experience:
- Annual $75 Southwest travel credit
- 4 Upgraded Bookings per year (when available)
- 7,500 anniversary points for each card renewal
- 25% back on inflight purchases
Although you can try to earn two bonuses separately, combining your spending power can be more productive.
Related: Best Southwest Credit Cards
The World of Hyatt Credit Card
The World of Hyatt Credit Card lets you capitalize on one of the best hotel loyalty programs. For starters, you receive one free night at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort after your cardmember anniversary. You can also earn an extra free night at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel if you spend $15,000 during your cardmember anniversary year.
Additionally, you’ll get automatic World of Hyatt Elite status and five qualifying night credits yearly as long as your account is open. Plus, you can earn two qualifying night credits towards tier status every time you spend $5,000 on your card. This is one of the best hotel credit cards available. It’s also one of the best credit cards for couples.
A fun weekend getaway can be at the MGM Grand or New York-New York in Las Vegas, for instance.
You also get automatic Discoverist loyalty status. Benefits include waived resort fees on award nights, premium on-property internet, free water bottles, and space-available room upgrades.
Your purchases earn up to 9 points total for Hyatt stays – 4 Bonus Points per $1 spent at Hyatt hotels & 5 Base Points per $1 you can earn as a World of Hyatt member. You can start redeeming your points for award nights at 5,000 points per night.
Bonus
New The World of Hyatt Credit Card cardmembers can earn a signup bonus of up to 60,000 World of Hyatt Bonus Points. Earn the first 30,000 points by spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Plus, earn up to 30,000 More Bonus Points by earning 2x Bonus Points total per $1 spent in the first 6 months from account opening on purchases that normally earn 1x Bonus Point, on up to $15,000 spent.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is the best credit card for couples craving simplicity. All purchases earn 2x miles per $1. However, if you are wanting to earn a few more miles on travel, good news—earn 5x miles on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
You can redeem your miles for travel statement credits, book upcoming travel, or transfer to leading travel loyalty programs. The primary card member can get a fee credit of up to $120 for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.
New Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card cardholders can earn 75,000 miles once they spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening, equal to $750 in travel.
The annual fee is $95.
Summary of the Best Credit Cards for Couples
In conclusion, the best credit cards for couples offer a range of benefits, including easy earning of bonus points, complimentary travel benefits when your companion travels with you, and annual companion certificates to book a free flight. Impress your partner the next time you travel when you use your card to enjoy a multitude of perks.
FAQs
What is the best credit card for couples?
The best credit card for couples is usually a travel rewards card. Credit card points are usually most valuable when redeeming for travel instead of cash or gift card rewards.
The best option depends on your travel habits, as plenty of top-notch travel credit cards exist. Below are some of the first ones to consider:
- The Platinum Card® from American Express: Up to $200 annual airline fee credit and airport lounge access (enrollment required)
- Chase Sapphire Reserve®: $300 annual travel credit
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card: Annually, after each card renewal, receive a Companion Certificate on First Class, Delta Comfort+®, or Main Cabin domestic, Caribbean, or Central American roundtrip flights to select destinations. However, payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights and no more than $250 for roundtrip international flights (both for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
- Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card: 4 Upgraded Bookings per year (when available) and $75 annual Southwest credit, plus the chance to get Southwest Companion Pass®
- Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: Purchases earn at least 2x miles per $1 that can be redeemed for travel statement credits, book upcoming travel, and transfer to travel programs
Can a couple get a credit card together?
The best credit cards no longer offer joint accounts like a bank savings account. Most banks base their decision on the person applying to be the primary card member. Additional users don’t undergo a credit check to become an authorized users.
Two banks that may still offer joint credit cards are US Bank and PNC Bank. However, you may need to be an active bank customer to qualify for one of their cards.
The standard procedure for couples to be on the same credit card account is that one person is a primary card member, and the other is an authorized user.
One person will need to be the primary card member. The other will need to be added as an authorized user. Being an authorized user means they may not have access to all the additional card benefits, like Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credits or airport lounge access. Your partner may also have to accompany you to use certain card benefits.
The good news is that authorized users can cancel their cards and apply for their own primary accounts. If approved, they will likely qualify for the signup bonus. A bonus can be well worth the hard credit inquiry.
Is an authorized user the same as a joint account?
No, authorized users for a credit card are not the same as those for a joint account. A joint credit card account means both people are “primary” users, and the payment activity—good and bad—affects their credit score. It also means both people will need to have a hard credit pull.
Additionally, only the primary card member has a hard credit pull as an authorized user. Being named an authorized user means you avoid the hard credit check. However, the account will likely show on your credit report. Most banks will report positive credit activity, which can improve the additional user’s credit report. Additionally, negative activity will only impact the primary card member. However, the bank won’t report the info to the authorized user.
Related Articles:
- Does Capital One Report Authorized Users to Credit Bureaus?
- Best Limited-Time Credit Card Offers
- Credit Cards With Highest Credit Limit
For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, please click here.
For rates and fees of The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, please click here.
Johnny Jet has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Johnny Jet and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. Responses are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
