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NEW: Earn bonus points adding someone to your Marriott, Nectar or ARCC Amex card

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Adding a supplementary cardholder to your American Express card has two key benefits:

  • you earn points, and trigger sign-up bonuses, more quickly when two people are carrying a card
  • you receive a second batch of cardholder cashback offers, as long as the supplementary card is registered online

On most of the American Express cards, you would also receive bonus points for adding a supplementary cardholder.

This is NOT usually a benefit for holders of the Marriott, Nectar, Amex Rewards Credit Card or Harrods American Express card. However, for a limited period, it is – see the Amex website here.

Until 31st July, you will receive:

This are valuable incentives, given that the supplementary card is free:

  • 3,000 Marriott Bonvoy points are worth £15 using HfP valuations
  • 3,000 Nectar points are worth 1,875 Avios, which are worth £18.75 using HfP valuations (or use them for £15 of Sainsbury’s shopping)
  • 2,000 Membership Rewards points are worth 2,000 Avios (£20 on our valuations) if you choose to use them for that
  • 1,000 Harrods Rewards points are worth £10

The points will post very quickly. You should see them within 3-4 days of applying for the supplementary card. There is no requirement to spend a particular amount on the supplementary card.

How to apply

American Express has a special website for adding supplementary cards which you can find here.

This page also contains the standard supplementary card offers for the core Amex cards.

You cannot apply for a supplementary American Express Rewards Credit Card via that page. You need to log into your online Amex account and follow the link on your statement page, which may be under the ‘Offers’ section.

These special offers for adding supplementary American Express cards will run until 31st July.


Want to earn more points from credit cards? – April 2024 update

If you are looking to apply for a new credit card, here are our top recommendations based on the current sign-up bonuses.

In February 2022, Barclaycard launched two exciting new Barclaycard Avios Mastercard cards with a bonus of up to 25,000 Avios. You can apply here.

You qualify for the bonus on these cards even if you have a British Airways American Express card:

Barclaycard Avios Plus card

Barclaycard Avios Plus Mastercard

Get 25,000 Avios for signing up and an upgrade voucher at £10,000 Read our full review

Barclaycard Avios card

Barclaycard Avios Mastercard

5,000 Avios for signing up and an upgrade voucher at £20,000 Read our full review

You can see our full directory of all UK cards which earn airline or hotel points here. Here are the best of the other deals currently available.

British Airways American Express Premium Plus

25,000 Avios and the famous annual 2-4-1 voucher Read our full review

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold

Your best beginner’s card – 20,000 points, FREE for a year & four airport lounge passes Read our full review

The Platinum Card from American Express

40,000 bonus points and a huge range of valuable benefits – for a fee Read our full review

Virgin Atlantic Reward+ Mastercard

15,000 bonus points and 1.5 points for every £1 you spend Read our full review

Earning miles and points from small business cards

If you are a sole trader or run a small company, you may also want to check out these offers:

British Airways Accelerating Business American Express

30,000 Avios sign-up bonus – plus annual bonuses of up to 30,000 Avios Read our full review

American Express Business Platinum

40,000 points sign-up bonus and an annual £200 Amex Travel credit Read our full review

American Express Business Gold

20,000 points sign-up bonus and FREE for a year Read our full review

Capital on Tap Business Rewards Visa

Huge 30,000 points bonus until 12th May 2024 Read our full review

For a non-American Express option, we also recommend the Barclaycard Select Cashback card for sole traders and small businesses. It is FREE and you receive 1% cashback on your spending.

Barclaycard Select Cashback Business Credit Card

1% cashback uncapped* on all your business spending (T&C apply) Read our full review

Comments (66)

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

  • bafan says:

    I did it on my ARCC and the points were added instantly. Not bad Amex!

  • Grant says:

    The website seems properly messed up now. Get as far as it asking me which card I want to add a supp for and then it crashes. Same on safari, chrome or via the app.

  • Oliver says:

    I have the Prem BA AmEx with my Mum has an existing Supp cardholder. I also have the Marriott Bonvoy AmEx; can I add my Mum as a Supp cardholder to this card too, and still get the bonus?

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

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