How long do American Express balance transfers take?

Transferring a balance to an American Express credit card should take 2-3 days, after Amex approves your transfer request. Current Amex cardholders can expect a decision within 48 hours, while it can take up to 10 days if you’re applying for a new account.

So the full process, from the time you request a balance transfer to when Amex pays your other card’s issuer and the balance shows up on your American Express card account, can take anywhere from 4 to 12 days.

It’s different if you’re transferring a balance from an American Express credit card to a card from another issuer. The timeframes vary by credit card company. But you can check out the major issuers’ policies in WalletHub’s Balance Transfer Report.