Does American Express have pre-approval?

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. And if you're fortunate enough to have good credit or better, an American Express credit card will be no harder to get than any other credit card.… read full answer

The easiest American Express cards to get are those that require a minimum of good credit for approval, as opposed to excellent credit only. You may also want to target cards that are co-branded with a certain hotel or airline, as well as offers with lower annual fees. However, Amex also offers premium cards for big-spenders, which can be relatively difficult to get. These cards also come with high fees.

Easiest American Express Cards to Get

Keep in mind that American Express also evaluates each applicant's income and debt obligations to make sure they can afford monthly bill payments on a new line of credit. However, there isn't much information available about Amex's standards in those regards. But you shouldn't expect them to differ too much from other credit card companies' policies.

You should also note that while Amex cards are relatively hard to get, there are several other credit cards that are easy to obtain.

Easiest Credit Cards to Get

If you don’t know where you stand, check your credit score for free, right here on WalletHub. You can also track your progress with free daily updates.

American Express uses all three major credit bureaus (TransUnion, Equifax and Experian) in order to assess your creditworthiness. Credit reports, however, don’t differ that much from bureau to bureau. So, there’s a huge overlap between the contents of each major credit report.

However, make sure all of your reports are in order. Remember that you are entitled to one free report from each of the three major credit bureaus every 12 months. This will provide an opportunity to check for any incorrect or outdated information on your credit report. Alternatively, you can also … read full answerget your full report and score for free, right here on WalletHub.

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.

If your credit score is below the threshold needed for a credit card from American Express, it’s best to apply only after you meet the credit score requirement. You can … read full answercheck your credit score for free, right here on WalletHub.

American Express Credit Score Requirements by Card

• The Platinum Card® from American Express: 700+ (Good credit)
• Centurion® Card from American Express: 750+ (Excellent credit)
• Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express: 700+ (Good credit)
• American Express Cash Magnet® Card: 700+ (Good credit)*
• Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express: 700+ (Good credit)
• American Express® Gold Card: 700+ (Good credit)
• Hilton Honors American Express Card: 700+ (Good credit)
• Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card: 700+ (Good credit)
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card: 700+ (Good credit)

You should note that while your credit score is an important factor, there are plenty of other things that will impact your chances of being approved for an American Express credit card, too. Some other key criteria include your income, existing debt load, number of open accounts, recent credit inquiries, employment status, and housing status.

*All information about the American Express Cash Magnet® Card has been collected independently by WalletHub. The American Express Cash Magnet® Card is no longer available to new applicants through WalletHub, but may be available on the American Express website.