Best Credit Card For Couples Of 2024

• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card ($395 annual fee) (rates & fees): Best Card for Flexible Rewards
• Chase Freedom Flex® ($0 annual fee): Best No Annual Fee Card
• Chase Sapphire Reserve® ($550 annual fee, $75 for each authorized user): Best Card for Couples Who Travel
• American Express® Gold Card ($325 annual fee) (Terms apply, see rates & fees): Best Card for Dining Rewards
• Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card ($0 annual fee): Best Card for Cash Rewards
• Citi Custom Cash® Card ($0 annual fee): Best Card for Bonus Rewards
• Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card ($0 annual fee, rates & fees): Best Card for Date Nights
• Bilt World Elite Mastercard® ($0 annual fee, rates & fees): Best Card for Couples Who Pay Rent
• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card ($69 annual fee): Best Card for Couples Who Fly Together

Couples choosing credit cards have a few extra things to consider before making a decision.

For starters, are your finances joint or separate? Any pair needs to decide between adding an authorized user on the same account or opening separate accounts. You should also think about expenses and how you split them. Look for cards that earn bonus rewards if your high spend categories. If you choose separate card accounts, make sure the card you choose aligns well with the expenses you each pay.

Other factors that are always important, coupling or not, are annual fees, interest rates, welcome bonuses, ongoing reward programs and redemption options and any included card benefits.

For those who utilize credit cards as a means to earn travel rewards or cash back, sharing a credit card with your partner significantly accelerates the accumulation of those rewards. By putting all of your purchases on a single account, every eligible transaction made by either person contributes to the same rewards pool.

This means that everyday expenses, such as groceries, dining out, travel and utilities, quickly add up, leading to faster accrual of points or cash back. Additionally, many credit card companies offer additional rewards or higher cash-back percentages for reaching certain spending thresholds, which become more attainable when both partners’ expenses are combined.

In the same vein, couples who open a new credit card with a welcome bonus requiring a minimum spend amount may more easily hit the threshold required to earn that bonus.

Another benefit to sharing the same credit card account is that it can streamline the budgeting process. While there can be benefits to having multiple credit cards, consolidating all expenses into a single statement provides a unified view and makes it easier to track spending, identify patterns, and manage finances more efficiently. With both partners’ expenditures in one place, it simplifies the process of setting and adhering to a budget. It can also aid in transparency and accountability.

In addition, many cards offer perks to both the primary cardholder and authorized users. For instance, The Platinum Card® from American Express (Terms apply, see rates & fees) cardholders can add an authorized user to extend the card’s benefits to their partner, for a fee. This includes access to airport lounges, an additional Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® fee credit and even some travel-related elite status.

On the other hand, couples who share the same credit card account may miss out on additional welcome offers or referral points that could be earned by opening and maintaining separate accounts. Each partner could potentially open a new credit card, each receiving a unique welcome bonus, thereby doubling the welcome bonus.

Additionally, by referring each other to new credit cards, couples can take advantage of referral bonuses, which are offered by several credit card companies. Chase, for example, offers referral bonuses worth anywhere from $50 to $200 in value while Capital One offers referrals worth $100 to $250.

Couples also need to be aware that when they decide to share the same credit card account they also share the financial responsibility that comes with it. While the primary cardholder is typically responsible for managing the account and ensuring payments are made on time, both the primary cardholder and the authorized user should play an active role in keeping spending within agreed-upon limits. This shared responsibility requires clear communication and mutual trust.

While positive behaviors, such as timely payments and maintaining a low balance, can enhance both individuals’ credit ratings, negative actions, like late payments, high balances or excessive debt can harm both partners’ credit scores. This shared impact necessitates careful coordination and responsible financial habits to ensure that both individuals benefit from the arrangement and avoid potential credit pitfalls.

For many credit cards the cost to add an authorized user to your account is $0. However, some premium credit cards do charge a fee to add your significant other as a user, but this typically comes with access to shared benefits.

For example, the Chase Sapphire Reserve card mentioned earlier, charges $75 per additional authorized user on top of the $550 annual fee for the primary cardholder. That fee does come with some valuable benefits at a much lower cost than opening an entirely separate second account, so for some this may be a cost-effective way to elevate your travel as a couple.

For couples looking to share travel perks like airport lounge access for less out of pocket, the Capital One Venture X (rates & fees) allows cardholders to add an authorized user for no additional fee. Each of those authorized users get to take advantage of the same lounge and guest privileges as the primary cardholder, making it an excellent option for couples who sometimes travel separately.

Several credit cards work better together than separately. For example, two cards on our list of best cards for couples are the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and Chase Freedom Flex®. If one person holds the (admittedly expensive) Sapphire Reserve, you can still transfer Ultimate Rewards® points from the Freedom Flex into the same pool and have access to a wider range of redemptions such as 1:1 airline and hotel transfers.

Other similarly popular combos include the Citi Double Cash® Card and Citi Strata Premier℠ Card or American Express® Gold Card and Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card*.

Learn more about how to choose the best credit card pairings to maximize your earnings.

Joint credit cards allow two people to make purchases on a single account. Separate physical cards will be issued to each person for your convenience, but transactions from both cards show up on the same statement and only one bill will be issued.

Most card issuers don’t offer a true joint account where both cardholders bear equal financial responsibility. Instead, one person is typically considered the primary cardholder (who is liable for all charges) and the second person is an authorized user who can make purchases, but can’t make changes to the account and isn’t personally held responsible for the bill.

More often than not, filling a credit card application out as a couple is no different than filling out an application as an individual. You’ll need to provide basic personal information, such as name, address, Social Security number, income amounts and existing debt and asset levels.

Couples in a legal relationship, such as marriage, can typically consider both partners’ income and assets when filling out their credit application. If you intend to add your partner as an authorized user, you may need their Social Security number too.

There are several advantages to choosing credit cards as a couple, from maximizing your rewards and benefits to keeping your finances simplified in one place. Just be careful before signing on the dotted line: Intermingling your credit cards also adds an extra layer of complexity and may represent a big step in your relationship.

To view rates and fees for American Express® Gold Card please visit this page.
To view rates and fees for The Platinum Card® from American Express please visit this page.