Is it hard to get an American Express card?

You can get an American Express credit card by applying online or over the phone at (800) 223-2670.

To get your American Express application approved, you must be at least 18 years old and have good credit or better, a Social Security Number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, a U.S. address, and enough annual income to afford the minimum payments.… read full answer

How to Get Approved for an American Express Credit Card

1. Check your credit score: All American Express credit cards require good credit or better for approval. That means you’ll need a credit score of at least 700 to get any Amex credit card. You can easily check your current credit score for free on WalletHub.
2. Confirm you have enough income: American Express doesn't disclose minimum income requirements for any of its credit cards. But you need to be able to afford at least minimum monthly payments and the annual fee, if the card has one. In general, the higher your income is, the better your chances of approval will be. If you're over 21 years old, you can include household income and assets on the application. But if you're under 21, you can only use your individual income.
3. Get pre-approved: You can complete an online form on the Amex website to check if you qualify for any American Express pre-approved offers. Pre-approval doesn't affect your credit score, but it doesn't guarantee you’ll get the card, either. However, it can help you gauge your chances of getting an American Express card.
4. Compare credit card offers: The main aspects you should consider when deciding on the best Amex card for your needs are the fees, rewards rates, and secondary benefits. If you're planning to carry a balance on the card, consider the regular and promotional APRs as well. You can easily compare the latest Amex credit card offers on WalletHub.
5. Complete an application: The fastest way to fill out an American Express application is online. You'll need to provide your name, address, date of birth, annual income, and Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number. If you're applying for a business card, you'll also need to provide your federal tax ID, annual revenue, and company information.

If you apply online, you'll likely receive an instant response. Once approved, you should get your new American Express credit card within 7 to 10 business days. If your application is still pending, you can check on the status by calling Amex customer service at 1-877-239-3491.

The credit score needed for an American Express business card is at least 700. That means you must have at least good credit for decent approval odds. At the moment, American Express does not offer business cards for bad, fair, limited or no credit. Nor do they have any secured business cards… read full answer to help rebuild credit.

It’s important to note that an applicant’s credit score is not the only factor that Amex considers. Things such as payment history, income and current debts are also important. But the higher your score, the better your chances of approval become. Keep in mind that Amex will look at your personal credit during the approval process because you will have to provide a personal guarantee to pay Amex back if the business cannot. This is normal for business credit cards.

There are no American Express credit cards that are easy to get. They all require good credit or better. The USAA® Secured American Express® Card used to be the easiest American Express card to obtain as it was available to people with bad credit. But USAA® Secured American Express® Card is no longer available to new applicants.

While American Express credit cards aren’t that easy to obtain, there are several other credit cards that are easy to get approved for.… read full answer

Easiest credit cards to get:

Having one of these credit cards may increase your chances of landing an American Express credit card in the future, if you use it responsibly. That means paying your bill on time every month and keeping your credit utilization below 30% of your credit limit.