There are no American Express credit cards that are easy to get. They all require good credit or better. Compared to other American Express cards, the Amex Blue Cash Everyday card is easier to get if you have good credit or better and you meet all other criteria in order to qualify for it.
Because Visa is offered by so many more card issuers than American Express, there are more types of Visa cards, so it's typically easier to get approved for a Visa card with a lower credit score than an American Express card.
If the approved applicant then accepts the Card, a hard inquiry will be made on their credit report, which may impact their credit score.
In addition to having good to excellent credit and the rules on how many cards you can have or apply for, American Express will also review credit report information including your payment history and credit utilization. Bottom Line: You will need good to excellent credit to be approved for an Amex card.
In the past few years, American Express has worked diligently to work with merchants in the U.S. to increase acceptance. A Feb. 2020 Nilson Report claims that American Express is now accepted at 10.6 million merchants in the United States, equating to a 99% acceptance rate.
Winner: Visa
More merchants accept Visa than American Express. In fact, Visa is one of the most accepted payment networks in the world. American Express is accepted by 99% of the merchants that accept credit cards, but it's still not as widely accepted as Visa.
The hardest Amex card to get is the Centurion® Card from American Express. Also known as the “Black Card,” this Amex card is hard to get because it is available by invitation only, and potential candidates are rumored to need an annual income of at least $1 million.
Which Amex card is the easiest to get? The easiest Amex cards to get are ones with a lower minimum spending requirement for rewards, as well as a low annual fee or no annual fee. Examples include the Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express and the American Express Cash Magnet Card.
American Express does not disclose a specific income requirement, but it must be enough to make payments on the card and to afford the $250 annual fee. Amex doesn't openly state any other Amex Gold card requirements, but there are plenty of other factors that Amex considers during the approval process.
Although American Express doesn't specify any minimum credit score requirements, you'll need good credit (or better) to qualify, which means a FICO score of at least 670. A premium Amex card — say, the American Express Gold Card — likely requires a “very good” FICO score, somewhere in the range of 740 and above.
While American Express probably won't ask to verify your income, it's not a good idea to lie about your income on an application. In fact, providing false information on a credit card application is against federal law. Therefore, you're much better off being honest when applying for an American Express credit card.
Yes, the Amex Gold card is a metal credit card. New Amex Gold card applicants don't need to specify that they want a metal card, either. This is the standard design for this card. The metal Amex Gold card doesn't work any differently than a plastic card, though it will be more durable.
American Express offers two different levels of pre-screening for credit card applicants: prequalification and preapproval.
The different fees often make or break a deal for a merchant. This is why many merchants, especially small businesses, don't accept American Express. American Express' interchange fee is just too high. Providers like Visa and Mastercard charge between 1.15% and 2.5%, while Amex charges merchants between 1.43% and 3.3%.
It's known for its top-notch customer service and some of the best rewards available. From ultra-elite business travel cards to everyday rewards, American Express has credit cards that are a good choice for many different types of cardholders.
Disadvantages of AmEx cards
One disadvantage of AmEx cards is that they charge both the seller and the buyer for processing a transaction. Since they do not rely on financial companies, such as Rupay, Mastercard or Visa, and have their own payment network, they charge additional fees on the transactions.
Salary Needed for Amex Platinum Credit Card
If you make nearly $100,000 a year and have good credit, you should have no issue getting approved. But, applicants with annual incomes as low as $40,000 have also been approved if they have a low debt-to-income ratio and pay their other credit cards in full every month.
The Chase 5/24 rule is an unofficial policy that applies to Chase credit card applications. Simply put, if you've opened five or more new credit card accounts with any bank in the past 24 months, you will not likely be approved for a new Chase card.
Amex Platinum ultimately offers more value, though. For example, its benefits include airport lounge access, while the Amex Gold Card's perks do not. When it comes to ongoing rewards on purchases, Amex Platinum has a higher maximum earning rate and better travel rewards. But Amex Gold provides more everyday value.
Centurion® Card from American Express
Why It's One of the Most Exclusive Credit Cards: The most exclusive, prestigious credit card is without a doubt the American Express Centurion Card, otherwise known as the Amex Black Card.
The Black Card has a hefty $10,000 initiation fee, a $5,000 annual fee, and offers many travel perks. The Platinum Card has a $695 annual fee with many travel-related perks, and cardholders can earn points for every dollar spent. Besides Black and Platinum, American Express offers a line of 17 other cards.
If you have a Consumer or Business Green, Gold or Platinum Card, your Card does not have a credit limit.
The main reason why Amex cards are so expensive is that many American Express credit cards offer generous rewards rates and high-end perks, which warrant steep annual fees. Amex cards are targeted toward people with good credit and high incomes who are likely to charge large amounts to their cards every month.
Yes, the American Express Platinum card is a luxury card, as it offers hundreds of dollars per year in statement credits for various purchases and a bonus offer of 80,000 points for spending $6,000 in the first 6 months.
There are no American Express credit cards that are easy to get. They all require good credit or better. Compared to other American Express cards, the Amex Blue Cash Everyday card is easier to get if you have good credit or better and you meet all other criteria in order to qualify for it.