How "3-player mode" multiplies my credit card points

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A while back, I started noticing a pattern with my credit card applications. My welcome bonus offers were getting worse, and a few of my new-card applications were flat-out rejected.

In travel-hacking Facebook groups, I kept seeing people talk about “P2” and “P3.” I finally looked it up and realized something obvious in hindsight: The best earners don’t play alone. They recruit their family. So I did the same. This has helped multiply my bonus hauls and everyday points accumulation.

Here’s how I built the system.

If your spouse or family member is game, have them apply for the same cards you have or want, or do it with them. If the card is in their name, they should be physically with you, reviewing every screen, authorizing the application, and signing any paperwork. The upside is clear: Two Chase Sapphire Reserves can mean two sets of perks, two travel credits, and two sign-up bonuses.

Just make sure one or both of you is on top of tracking minimum-spend deadlines and payments. And be clear upfront so your Player 2 knows what’s expected and when to reimburse if you’re covering spend.

And if the bonus rewards will be posted elsewhere (like with an airline card, where they’ll be credited to that airline loyalty program), make sure you have a plan to be able to get into and use the miles/points with them.

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The next layer is adding family members as authorized users on your existing cards. This works best when they don’t care about their own rewards but are happy to help you rack up more spend (and can be trusted to pay you back).

For example, I added my dad as an authorized user, and now he puts all his travel and dining spend on my card. At the end of the month, I send him the statement and he reimburses me. He jokes that I congratulate him when he has a “high-spend” month.

This is something you can set up asynchronously — the person doesn’t have to physically be with you when you add them as an authorized user. Just remember that, at the end of the day, you’re fully responsible for paying that card.

If you have a business, there’s another multiplier waiting. Most business cards let you add employee cards, sometimes with bonuses tied to employee-card spending.

In many cases, you can issue an employee card to yourself if you’re a sole proprietor or single-member LLC. For example, one card might be used for travel expenses and another for operating costs, with all spending rolling up to the same account.

That said, employee cards aren’t a guaranteed bonus loophole. Approval rules and bonus eligibility vary by issuer, and cards should reflect legitimate business use and tracking. When used thoughtfully, though, employee cards can make it easier to scale spend and rewards without opening new accounts.

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There are real friction points to be aware of. If a bank flags a suspicious charge or requires voice verification, the cardholder may need to call — which may annoy or stress them. Separate logins and two-factor authentication can make access messy. That’s why this works best with people who live with you, like a spouse, or with relatives you trust and talk to regularly.

Earning credit card rewards in multi-player mode is the single most powerful way to multiply your rewards without changing your lifestyle. You’re just redirecting spend that already exists and opening new cards strategically across your household.

In my case, my wife just wants the points for our next trip, while my dad likes being part of the system. I get the dopamine rush of more bonuses and higher balances every month. So scale your travel hacking vertically (more cards for yourself) and horizontally (with multiple players)!

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