Yes, Authorized Users Can Also Get the Sign-Up Bonus!

Signing up for credit cards through partner links earns us a commission. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Here’s our full advertising policy: How we make money.

Update:   One or more card offers in this post are no longer available.  Check our Hot Deals for the latest offers.

Million Mile Secrets Reader Will commented:

Hi,

I got the Chase British Airways Visa card a few years ago to get the 100,000 British Airways Avios points.  I also got another card for my wife, as an authorized user.

Can she apply for her own Chase British Airways Visa and earn her own British Airways Avios points bonus?  Do we have to cancel the card under her name that’s listed on my account?  Are there restrictions on this?

Will wants to know if his wife can apply for her own British Airways card and earn the sign-up bonus.  He also wants to know if they have to cancel her authorized user card under his account.

Yes!  A partner or family member who lives in the same house can apply for the exact same credit cards and receive the sign-up bonuses!  And they can still be an authorized user on your card.

Emily and I frequently do this to earn more Big Travel with Small Money.  For example, we each have the Chase Sapphire Preferred, Ink Plus, Chase Freedom, and other cards.  And we each got the sign-up bonus on the card!

British Airways Card

Link:   British Airways card

Will’s wife can apply for her own British Airways card and earn a sign-up bonus of 50,000 British Airways Avios points (after completing the minimum spending) to give them more points for travel.

She will earn British Airways Avios points in her name and have a separate British Airways Avios account.

Will’s wife will earn:

• 2.5 British Airways Avios points per $1 spent on British Airways
• 1.25 British Airways points per $1 spent everywhere else
• A Travel Together Companion Certificate after spending $30,000 in a calendar year

You also get 10% off on British Airways tickets.

And she can stay as an authorized user on Will’s British Airways card because it continues to establish her credit history and good credit score.

Can an Authorized User Get the Bonus?

Yes, a partner who is already an authorized user on your card can apply for the same card in his or her own name.  And still get the sign-up bonus!

So Will’s partner can get the same credit card which Will has to earn more points!

By getting her own card and the sign-up bonus, Will’s wife would earn more points faster.

But, Will’s wife would not get the sign-up bonus if she were a Joint User.  A Joint User is different from an authorized user because a Joint User is financially responsible for charges on the credit card.

And a Joint User usually CANNOT get the credit card sign-up bonus for him or herself again (unlike an authorized user who can get the bonus).

British Airways Avios Points

British Airways uses a distance based award chart, so using British Airways Avios points on short distance flights is a good deal.  Will’s wife can use her British Airways Avios points on partner airlines, like American Airlines.

Will’s wife would pay 4,500 British Airways Avios points for a 1-way flight up to 650 miles and 7,500 British Airways Avios points 1-way for a flight up to 1,151 miles.

So if she wanted to fly 1-way in coach from Phoenix to Los Angeles, Will’s wife would only pay 4,500 British Airways Avios points.  This is a much better deal than paying 12,500 American Airlines miles for the same flight!

And she can use 12,500 British Airways miles to fly 1-way from the West Coast to Hawaii!

When Will’s wife uses her British Airways Avios points for flights in the US she doesn’t pay fuel surcharges.  She would also avoid fuel surcharges if she used her British Airways Avios points flying on:

• Air Berlin
• Aer Lingus
• Iberia
• LAN flights except some LAN domestic flights

But Will’s wife pays fuel surcharges when she flies on British Airways.

Bottom Line

Will’s wife can apply for her own British Airways card even if she is an authorized user on his account.  She’ll be able to earn the sign-up bonus and British Airways Avios points.  However, if she were a joint user, she would NOT get the sign-up bonus.

If Will’s wife has her own British Airways card, she can earn a Travel Together Companion Ticket.  But you have to pay high fuel surcharges when using the Travel Together ticket, so it may not be worth it.

She can also get a 10% discount on purchased British Airways tickets.