AMEX Green. I want my foot in the door with AMEX

[bobbay]

I spend about $7k per year at Costco so I really want that card, I fly Jet Blue when I travel so that would be nice.

When I got out of college back in 1994 I had a AMEX green for a little while sooooooooooooooooo.  Member since 1994 will go along way in the file.

I want to get my foot back in the door with AMEX Green.  I am not apping for anything till I get back in with them.  The past several years I have been Debit card almost exclusively till I found this board and decided to try to rebuild my credit.  I have not had a car loan since 2002 and need a new car but that will have to wait till I can get in with amex. 

• I have 3 closed cc accounts with balance($1500 each) on auto pay monthly and I guess I need to PIF these and

• Overdraft $2400 limit with $2k balance

• have Util <10%, other than that with a

• score is 605 but with balances above I think in the 610-640 range and an

• average account age about 4years,

• 5 accounts open and 18 closed on the report

• Income is $70k & DW is $100k

Am I close or am I really far off on getting approved for Green?

[TheConductor]

Doubtful at your current score, but pay down those balances and get it more in the neighborhood of 640, and you have a good chance.

[flowfaster]

Im just going to be blunt here.  It's not going to happen.  Even with a score of 640 it is very unlikely.  Everything in your post looks solid so you must have a recent derog you are not disclosing. With everything in your post you should have a much higher score. What are your baddies?

PS: The best card for Costco is the Fidelity Amex IMO.

[bobbay]

Thanks for the replys. 

Util may be off since the 3 accounts with $1500 Bal. each are closed accounts

5 new CC accounts, limits are $1000, $1500, $700, $500, $800 and $2,400 all last month.  That is why the low AAoA.

Amex decline, Barclays decline last month

The open cc is from 11/04 and just went from $500 to $1500 PIF every month

2010,2011,2012 many 30 day lates on the mortgage with a couple of 60 day lates in 2010 and 2011

both cars have $200k miles on them and every couple of months I get a $1500-$3000 suprise, that was what usually caused slow pays on the mortgage...gotta get to work

My income was 40-55k till last year and now 70K and climbing

DW income was 80k just got a nice bumb as well so things are getting sorted out.

Never heard of the fidelity Amex...what am I missing?

[ezdoesit]

---

@bobbay wrote:

Thanks for the replys. 

Util may be off since the 3 accounts with $1500 Bal. each are closed accounts

5 new CC accounts, limits are $1000, $1500, $700, $500, $800 and $2,400 all last month.  That is why the low AAoA.

Amex decline, Barclays decline last month

The open cc is from 11/04 and just went from $500 to $1000 PIF every month

2010,2011,2012 many 30 day lates on the mortgage with a couple of 60 day lates in 2010 and 2011

both cars have $200k miles on them and every couple of months I get a $1500-$3000 suprise, that was what usually caused slow pays on the mortgage...gotta get to work

My income was 40-55k till last year and now 70K and climbing

DW income was 80k just got a nice bumb as well so things are getting sorted out.

Never heard of the fidelity Amex...what am I missing?

---

Nothing if you want to get back with Amex then don't app for the Fidelity Amex.  Its not a true Amex card just a fidelity card in the Amex network.

[myjourney]

---

@bobbay wrote:

Thanks for the replys. 

Util may be off since the 3 accounts with $1500 Bal. each are closed accounts

5 new CC accounts, limits are $1000, $1500, $700, $500, $800 and $2,400 all last month.  That is why the low AAoA.

Amex decline, Barclays decline last month

The open cc is from 11/04 and just went from $500 to $1000 PIF every month

2010,2011,2012 many 30 day lates on the mortgage with a couple of 60 day lates in 2010 and 2011

both cars have $200k miles on them and every couple of months I get a $1500-$3000 suprise, that was what usually caused slow pays on the mortgage...gotta get to work

My income was 40-55k till last year and now 70K and climbing

DW income was 80k just got a nice bumb as well so things are getting sorted out.

Never heard of the fidelity Amex...what am I missing?

---

The closed accounts with balances are hurting your scores and the chances of Amex approval

Wait until balances are paid  if you can pay those off you would see a big jump in scores and IMHO you will be approved then 

[longtimelurker]

---

@ezdoesit wrote:

---

@bobbay wrote:

Never heard of the fidelity Amex...what am I missing?

---

Nothing if you want to get back with Amex then don't app for the Fidelity Amex.  Its not a true Amex card just a fidelity card in the Amex network.

---

Not a true Amex but still a very good card (2% on everything, redeem for cash).   But your scores are probably too low for that.

[bobbay]

The closed accounts with balances are hurting your scores and the chances of Amex approval

Wait until balances are paid  if you can pay those off you would see a big jump in scores and IMHO you will be approved then

myjourney,

Thanks, that is what i was thinking.  i think it will tike me till Feb to knock out the $4500 on the closed cards and $2k on the citi overdraft.  Then the only debt i will have is the mortgage and all of the closed cc accounts will be $0bal.  I am thinking 640-660 is very realistic score by feb and hopeful it is good enough for Green.

Depending on how that goes I may try Delta also at that time also.  228 months of account age per new account will go a long way in the file so Amex is the ace in the hole once the debt is knocked out.

[myjourney]

---

@bobbay wrote:

The closed accounts with balances are hurting your scores and the chances of Amex approval

Wait until balances are paid  if you can pay those off you would see a big jump in scores and IMHO you will be approved then

myjourney,

Thanks, that is what i was thinking.  i think it will tike me till Feb to knock out the $4500 on the closed cards and $2k on the citi overdraft.  Then the only debt i will have is the mortgage and all of the closed cc accounts will be $0bal.  I am thinking 640-660 is very realistic score by feb and hopeful it is good enough for Green.

Depending on how that goes I may try Delta also at that time also.  228 months of account age per new account will go a long way in the file so Amex is the ace in the hole once the debt is knocked out.

---

I think this is a great plan for approval and scores may even be higher by then 

I would app green and if approve seconds later app the Delta