To the point
The American Express bonus points offer is available to certain cardholders who can earn points by adding additional cardholders.
There is an American Express bonus points offer for certain cardholders: the possibility to receive points by adding additional cardholders to your accounts and if they reach the required minimum spend (if any).
The promotion is currently underway and runs until September 23, 2024. As some additional cards don’t come with fees, this offer can be very benificial if additional cardholders manage to meet the spending requirements and use maximum-earning multipliers.
American Express bonus points - Eligible cards
Here is a summary of the select products eligible for this promotion. Also, you can earn bonus points for up to two additional cards for each product.
| Card | Bonus points | Required spending | Additional card fee |
| American Express Cobalt® Card | 5,000 bonus Membership Rewards points | $1,000 in 3 months | None |
| Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card | 5,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy points | $1,000 in 3 months | None |
| American Express® Aeroplan®* Card | 7,500 bonus Aeroplan points | $1,000 in 3 months | $50 (free card does not qualify) |
| American Express®* Aeroplan® Reserve Card – additional card with fee | 20,000 bonus Aeroplan points | $3,000 in 3 months | $199 |
| American Express®* Aeroplan® Reserve Card – free additional card | 5,000 bonus Aeroplan points | $1,000 in 3 months | None |
| American Express Platinum Card® – regular additional card | 20,000 bonus Membership Rewards points | $3,000 in 3 months | $250 |
| American Express Platinum Card® – Additional Gold Rewards Card | 5,000 bonus Membership Rewards points | $1,000 in 3 months | None |
| American Express® Gold Rewards Card | 5,000 bonus Membership Rewards points | $1,000 in 3 months | None (first additional card), $50 for all others |
| American Express® Green Card | 2,500 bonus Membership Rewards points | $500 in 3 months | None |
| SimplyCash® Card from American Express | Statement credit of $25 | $500 in 3 months | None |
| SimplyCash® Preferred Card from American Express | $50 Statement credit | $1,000 in 3 months | None |
American Express bonus points - Is it worth it?
If you were already planning to add an authorized user to your card, or if the additional card has no fees, the answer is obvious. When there’s a cost involved, you need to weigh up the value you can get from bonus points against the cost of acquiring them.
For example, you may have had the idea of adding your daughter to your American Express® Aeroplan®* Card so that she could benefit from the first free checked bag on Air Canada flights during her solo trip to Japan this spring.
After all, you’ll have to enroll it in the additional paid American Express® Aeroplan®* Card anyway, so why not collect 7,500 Aeroplan points if you can do so before September 23, 2024, thanks to the American Express bonus points promotion! You’ll then likely be able to redeem them for a value of 2¢ or more.
Another great offer is the American Express Cobalt® Card, where you can earn up to 10,000 Membership Rewards points free of charge if you add two cards.
Both authorized holders will need to spend a minimum of $1,000 in three months to unlock the 10,000-point total, but you’ll also earn base points in addition to bonus points.
If they maximize 5X categories (think gift cards too), you can earn up to 20,000 Membership Rewards points with this bonus points offer from American Express at no extra charge.
| Person | Basic points | Bonus points |
| Additional card no. 1 | $1,000 x 5 = 5,000 | 5 000 |
| Additional card no. 2 | $1,000 x 5 = 5,000 | 5 000 |
| Total | 20,000 points | |
Are you considering an American Express Cobalt® Card for your household? Now is the perfect time to sign up!
In fact, you could strategically split your expenses across all three cards (main user + two additional cards) to unlock the welcome bonus and that bonus points promotion from American Express! Three people working towards the same goal, that’s easier too!
The best approach is to start by concentrating spending on additional cards before moving on to the card of the family’s main cardholder.
- 1,250 points for each month you spend more than $750 in the first year.
- 5,000 bonus points for each additional card if you spend more than $1,000 in 3 months (or $667 per month if you opt for two cards).
- Up to 45,000 base points in 5X earnings categories
- Up to 70,000 total points
| MONTHS | PURCHASES | 5X CATEGORY | BONUS | TOTAL |
| 1 | $750 | 3,750 points | 1,250 points | 5,000 points |
| 2 | $750 | 3,750 points | 1,250 points | 5,000 points |
| 3 | $750 | 3,750 points | 1,250 points + 10,000 points | 15,000 points |
| 4 | $750 | 3,750 points | 1,250 points | 5,000 points |
| 5 | $750 | 3,750 points | 1,250 points | 5,000 points |
| 6 | $750 | 3,750 points | 1,250 points | 5,000 points |
| 7 | $750 | 3,750 points | 1,250 points | 5,000 points |
| 8 | $750 | 3,750 points | 1,250 points | 5,000 points |
| 9 | $750 | 3,750 points | 1,250 points | 5,000 points |
| 10 | $750 | 3,750 points | 1,250 points | 5,000 points |
| 11 | $750 | 3,750 points | 1,250 points | 5,000 points |
| 12 | $750 | 3,750 points | 1,250 points | 5,000 points |
| Total | $9,000 | 45,000 points | 25,000 points | 70,000 points |
Bottom Line
The current American Express Bonus Points promotion will reward those who add additional cardholders to their account until September 23, 2024. So you have plenty of time to add your two authorized users and plan your spending strategy for the next three months.
If you don’t already have the American Express Cobalt® Card in your wallet, now’s the time to do so for some extra points.
Information on the American Express Bonus Points promotion is available here. In order to get the bonus points, you must add the additional card from the links on this page.
