The most common reason you'll be denied an Amex card even with great credit is that you're already at their limit. Specifically, American Express tends to restrict each cardholder to a maximum of four "lending products" (that means revolving credit lines, like credit cards) and up to 10 charge cards.
American Express sends a letter to affected applicants citing why the application was denied. Common reasons an application could be denied include a low credit score, an insufficient annual income, number of open credit accounts, and more.
Yes, it's hard to get an American Express card because they all require good or excellent credit for approval. But American Express isn't the only credit card company to target people in the highest tiers of the credit score scale. Barclays and Wells Fargo do too, for example.
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.
When applying for the Amex Blue Card, try to have a good credit score, which is a FICO® Score of 670 or above. This is one of the easiest Membership Rewards cards to open, and even consumers with average credit scores have a decent chance of approval.
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.
According to the score ranges from FICO, that means American Express applicants typically have at least a 670 score: Exceptional. 800 and above.
They will request tax returns and bank statements. What they're looking for is to make sure the income you reported on the application is true. The process typically takes 2-3 weeks, and you're assigned a specialist to talk to.
But in terms of comparing eligibility requirements for Visa, Mastercard, and American Express, American Express may be the hardest issuer to qualify for as most cards require applicants to have a “good” credit score of at least 670 to qualify.
It's been our experience that applicants who were not approved for a new account at one time may qualify in the future. We welcome you to apply for any of our American Express Cards, but please wait at least 30 days from the date you received the decline letter before submitting a new application.
Applicants need at least good credit to have decent odds of approval for most American Express credit cards. If you're considering an American Express card but don't meet the minimum credit requirements, you can request to be added to another person's credit card as an authorized user.
Another major requirement is a steady income. American Express does not disclose a specific income requirement, but it will need to be enough to make payments on the card and to afford the $250 annual fee.
Does American Express give instant approval? Yes, many times you'll be instantly approved for an American Express credit card. You may even be eligible to get an instant credit card number so you can use your card right away.
According to an American Express representative, 99% of U.S. merchants who accept credit cards also now accept American Express. Thanks to an initiative to increase its acceptance rates among U.S. merchants, AmEx announced that it has achieved “virtual parity” with Visa and Mastercard, according to its internal data.
The Amex "2 in 90" rule limits cardholders to two card approvals every 90 days.
Getting the Amex Gold Card isn't the easiest card to qualify for as you need good or excellent credit. That means having a minimum 670 FICO score and existing cards in good standing. Being an existing American Express cardholder can also make it easier to qualify.
Yes, an American Express card is worth it for people with good or excellent credit scores who want to earn rewards on U.S. purchases that they'll pay for in full by the due date every month. An Amex card may also be worth it for people who want an introductory low-interest period in addition to rewards.
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. That's because it's the most famous.
American Express is special because it is a luxury credit card brand, known for offering elite rewards and having exclusive approval requirements. American Express also is among the country's largest credit card issuers by purchase volume, and it is one of the four major payment networks.
According to an amendment to the Card Act, borrowers over 21 can list any income to which they have “reasonable expectation of access.” This broad definition includes: Personal income. Income from a spouse or partner. Allowances and gifts.
This means you need a credit score of at least 700. If you're hovering around the 700 mark, it may be best to wait to apply when your score increases as the average applicant has a score of 715. Although, some applicants have been approved with a credit score as low as 643.
The American Express credit score requirement is of at least 700, depending on the card. That means people with good to excellent credit are eligible to get approved for an American Express credit card.
It has an initiation fee of $10,000 and an annual fee of $5,000. It's also invite-only; you can't apply without permission from Amex. The card offers some incredible benefits, like complimentary elite status across four hotel chains and with Delta, airport arrival services, and access to a concierge.
In the 2020 U.S. Credit Card Satisfaction Study by J.D. Power, American Express came in first. It has also consistently done well in these yearly studies. If you get a card that's issued by American Express, you can expect high-quality service. With Visa cards, you won't interact with Visa for customer service issues.