Applying for a new credit card can be stressful, especially if you don’t get immediate approval. The good thing is that there are ways to check your application status while you’re waiting for approval.
In this post, we will go over everything you need to know about your American Express credit card application status and what to do if you aren’t immediately approved.
Reasons You May Not Get an Immediate Approval
There are many reasons you might not get immediate approval on your American Express credit card application. Here are a few reasons why your approval could be delayed.
- You have applied for too many credit cards. This is a common problem for those of us that love travel rewards credit cards. American Express doesn’t have a 5/24 rule like Chase, but there are restrictions on how many credit cards you can have (scroll down for more information).
- You already have a lot of credit with American Express. If you already have a couple of American Express credit cards open, you might be nearing the maximum credit they are willing to extend to you. If this is the case, it might help to lower the credit limits on your existing cards.
- You applied for a small business credit card. Business credit card applications can be a little more complicated than applications for personal credit cards, so you might need to provide some additional details to American Express to confirm the details of your business.
- You made a mistake on the application. Sometimes, an application’s pending status can simply be due to a typo or other unintentional error.
- Your history with American Express isn’t great. Amex takes into consideration your history with them as well as with other banks. If your credit history isn’t great, try to improve your credit score before applying again.
Hot Tip: If you are under 21 years old (without your parent’s permission), don’t have a Social Security number, or are unemployed, you most likely won’t be approved for an American Express credit card.
If you’re not immediately approved for a credit card, you can check the status online or by phone. Image Credit: rawpixel.com via ShutterstockAmerican Express Credit Card “Rules”
Each bank has different rules when it comes to applying for credit cards, and American Express is no exception. Here are a few of the “rules” you’ll want to keep in mind before applying for an American Express card.
2/90 Rule
You’ll only be approved for a maximum of 2 credit cards every rolling 90 day period.
1/5 Rule
You’ll only be approved for a maximum of 1 credit card every 5 rolling days
5 Credit Card Maximum
American Express limits customers to having 5 or fewer credit cards at 1 time. This includes business cards but excludes charge cards (now just called “cards” by American Express). According to crowdsourced data, this limit is can be as low as 4 cards while some report it’s as high as 6.
Welcome Bonus Rule
Unlike other banks, American Express limits your eligibility to earn a welcome bonus to once per lifetime. This applies to each card individually, not necessarily families of cards. For example, if you’ve earned a welcome bonus on the American Express® Gold Card you could still earn a bonus on the American Express® Business Gold Card.
Bottom Line: American Express has “rules” about how often you can apply for credit cards and how many credit cards you can hold at 1 time. Keep in mind these guidelines don’t apply to cards (formerly charge cards). While there may be an occasional exception to these “rules,” most of the time they will apply.
American Express Application Status and Reconsideration Line
If you don’t get the credit card approval you were looking for, you can call the bank’s reconsideration line to try to reverse the decision. Unfortunately, American Express doesn’t have a dedicated reconsideration line, but you can reach Customer Service at 800-528-4800.
If you’re not immediately approved for an American Express credit card, you’ll probably want to check your application status. You can do this easily by calling American Express at 877-239-3491. For business card application status, call 800-567-1085. You can also check your credit card application status online.
If your credit card application was declined you can call 800-567-1083 to speak to a customer service representative about the decision.
For information about applying for an American Express card, call 800-223-2670.
For other inquiries, check this full list of American Express credit card customer service numbers.
Bottom Line: To check your American Express credit card application status, call 877-239-3491.
Final Thoughts
Applying for a credit card can be fun, but if you don’t get immediate approval, it can be stressful as well. The good news is that you can check your application status easily online or by phone.
Remember that not getting an instant approval doesn’t mean you’re automatically declined. There are lots of factors that go into a credit card application, so just be patient during the process.
Featured Image Credit:
American Express
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