What credit score do you need to get approved by American Express? (2024)

American Express issues many attractive credit cards with benefits and rewards catering to various types of consumers and small business owners. Because of this, many people may wonder what credit score you need to get approved by the issuer. Unfortunately, it’s not a simple answer, as it depends on which card you’re applying for and additional factors. We’ll walk you through the credit score range you should have to enhance your chances of approval for Amex cards, the factors impacting your score and tips for improving your credit.

What credit score do you need to get an Amex card?

The minimum credit score required to get approved for an American Express card depends on which card you apply for. While some issuers offer cards designed for those with less-than-stellar credit scores, American Express does not offer any subprime or secured cards. In most cases, you need at least good credit to get approved for an American Express card, which FICO typically defines as a score of 670 or higher.

Other banks also issue American Express cards. This can cause some confusion because Amex is both a card issuer and a type of credit card (in more formal terms, a credit card payment network). American Express is a card issuer like Chase or Citi, but it is also a card type like Visa or Mastercard. This situation provides extra opportunities for consumers and small businesses to get approved for an Amex card. Each card issuer has its own criteria for approving applications, so you’re not limited to cards issued by American Express.

How different cards require different scores

Like most banks, American Express issues a variety of credit cards to meet the needs of a diverse array of clients. With this in mind, American Express cards require different levels of credit based on the target audience. Below are a few of the most popular Amex cards and the required credit to get approved.

Just be aware that even if you have the required credit, it’s possible to get denied due to other criteria.

The Platinum Card® from American Express: Good to excellent credit

Many experienced travelers use the Amex Platinum Card (terms apply, rates & fees) as their go-to card to book flights and hotels, get airport lounge access and enjoy other travel perks. New cardholders can earn a welcome bonus of 80,000 Membership Rewards Points after spending $8,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership. Plus, the card earns 5 Membership Rewards® points per $1 for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel on up to $500,000 per calendar year, 5 points per $1 on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel and 1 point per $1 on other purchases. The card also offers approximately $1,500 in value with numerous credits for travel, retailers and more. This ultra-premium card charges an ultra-premium $695 annual fee.

Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card: Good to excellent credit

Frequent flyers on Delta appreciate the earning power and benefits of the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card (terms apply, rates & fees). It includes the first checked bag free on Delta flights and 20% off eligible in-flight purchases via statement credits. Additionally, you’ll get a $200 Delta flight credit when you spend $10,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year for use towards future travel and save 15% off award flights when using miles to book award travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. The welcome bonus is 40,000 miles after spending $2,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership, and the card earns 2 miles per $1 on Delta purchases, at U.S. supermarkets and restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. and 1 mile per $1 on other eligible purchases.

There’s a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150 annual fee.

Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card: Good to excellent credit

The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card (terms apply, rates & fees) is one of the best credit cards for low-cost elite status. Cardholders receive automatic Hilton Honors Gold status and can upgrade to Diamond status when they spend $40,000 within a calendar year. It also includes an annual free night reward when you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases each calendar year. Enrollment is required for select benefits.

You’ll earn 130,000 Hilton Honors points after spending $3,000 in purchases in the first six months of card membership. Plus, the card earns 12 Hilton Honors bonus points per $1 on eligible purchases at participating hotels or resorts within the Hilton portfolio, 4 points per $1 on eligible U.S. online retail purchases, 6 points per $1 on eligible purchases at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. supermarkets, and at U.S. gas stations and 3 points per $1 for other eligible purchases. There’s a $150 annual fee to carry the Surpass.

How the credit scale works

Many people assume that credit scores are static numbers that don’t change very often. But credit scores are actually composite numbers representing multiple factors of credit behavior. For most consumers, the credit bureaus update these factors multiple times throughout the month. In some cases, updates happen daily and can cause your score to change from one day to the next.

The five major factors that make up your credit score are:

• Payment history (35%). Your history of on-time, late or missed payments.
• Amounts owed (30%). This includes the balance on your revolving accounts (ex: credit cards) divided by the credit limit, also known as your “utilization ratio.”
• Length of credit history (15%). How long your accounts have been open, including the age of your oldest and newest account, plus the average age of all open accounts.
• Credit mix (10%). The mix of different types of term loans and revolving accounts.
• New credit (10%). The number of recent credit inquiries and newly opened accounts.

Banks, creditors and other agencies report information to the three major credit bureaus regularly. For example, many card issuers report your account information at the close of your statement cycle.

Tips for improving your credit score

If your credit score is lower than you’d like, there are simple steps you can take to improve your score. Some of these impact your credit score immediately, while others take time. Overall, you want to build good financial habits that you can maintain over the long term.

1. Make all payments on time. Pay at least your required minimum payment on time for all of your accounts. This avoids late fees and negative marks on your credit report. Consider setting up automatic payment of the minimum amount to avoid forgetting to make a payment. If possible, it’s best to pay off all cards in full every month, to avoid the interest charges incurred by carrying a balance.
2. Pay down your revolving credit balances. Reducing your credit card and line of credit balances lowers your credit utilization ratio. A good rule of thumb is to keep your utilization ratio under 30%. For example, a balance of $2,500 on a $10,000 credit card is 25% utilization.
3. Keep your oldest accounts open. Old accounts boost your average age of accounts and show lenders that you can keep accounts in good standing for long periods of time.
4. Request an increase in your credit limit. By increasing your credit limit, your credit utilization ratio decreases without paying down your balance. Just make sure you can resist the temptation to spend more with this increased limit.
5. Limit new credit applications. Only apply for credit when absolutely necessary. Each credit inquiry may drop your credit score by up to five points.

Keep in mind that your income does not factor into your credit score directly. However, by increasing your income, you may have extra money to pay down debt or ensure all payments are on time.

Why is a high credit score important? Here are some of the benefits of a good credit score

How does credit card approval work?

To get an American Express card, you start by choosing which card to apply for. During the application process, you’ll provide some basic personal information, including contact information, date of birth, Social Security number and annual income.

Upon submitting your application, American Express pulls your credit score and credit report for review. Some applicants receive automatic approval which includes their new credit limits. Other applications are held for a manual review. Applications that require a manual review issue a letter within seven to 10 business days announcing the decision. If Amex denies your application, the letter will state why and provide instructions on how to receive a free copy of your credit report.

Note, Amex’s “apply with confidence” feature may allow you to know if you’re approved without a hard inquiry dinging your credit. In this case, if you’re rejected, your credit score will see no impact — but if you are approved for the card and choose to accept, you’ll likely experience a hard pull and the associated drop of a few points off your score at that point.

If Amex approves your application, you should receive your new card within three to five business days. In some instances, you can access your card information immediately upon approval to start making purchases online, over the phone or via your digital wallet on your smartphone.

How to get approved for an Amex credit card

To be approved for an American Express credit card, it helps to have a solid credit score. American Express requires good to excellent credit for the majority of its credit cards. However, the issuer looks at numerous factors when reviewing applications including income, debt obligations, any existing Amex accounts and more.

For customers with poor credit, Amex offers prepaid cards instead of subprime or secured credit cards — though it’s important to note prepaid cards are not credit cards and won’t build credit, if that’s what you’re seeking. If your credit score is too low to get the American Express credit card your heart is set on, take steps to boost your credit until you have a FICO Score of 670 or higher and you have a better chance of approval.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

^{For rates and fees for The Platinum Card® from American Express please visit this page.}

^{For rates and fees for the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card please visit this page.}

^{For rates and fees for the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card please visit this page.}