I've been an AU on my wife's TE AMEX since '13, and have recently started to rebuild my credit, so I was pretty excited to be approved for a Delta Gold Skymiles club, with a 10k limit AND a member since 2013 date! 
Welp, guess I got caught up in the euphoria, because 10 days later I applied for an AMEX ED card and was approved for 8k...
Soooo, 3 days later ( I really need to lay off this site and chill in the garden), I got the bright idea to apply for the BCE AMEX card, and immediately got the "In progress" call this # (fraud dept). I called and gave them the address info, and they said it would sit in pending for 5 days before a decision, today I got the "cancelled" status and called the automated service, which states I was approved for the BCE, but had a duplicate application that was cancelled and that my card was mailed??? I received an email pretty much stating the same thing, BUT the customer service said the application was cancelled due to me hitting the max number of AMEX card within a short period (few months).... Soooooooo, I guess this is a sign that I should lay low! Don't want to put myself under a microscrope. Even with the cancellation, it still sounds like I would have been approved had I spaced out the app.
It does seem like a lot of applications in a very short time, sounds like you may not have even the first card in hand yet?
I have heard that AMEX has a 4 Revolvers Max limit, so keep that in mind as you add cards. As you are rebuilding, that implies some issues in the past with credit limits, and rebuilding is a slow process. It involves showing good usage and particularly on-time payments to card companies to get them comfortable with your payment ability.
Also, these three cards are somewhat different rewards objectives, only the ED and Delta potentially play together, although the BCE simple cash rewards are nice enough.
When applying for cards, it's best to take the time to really understand how a card is going to be used, and hopefully used for the long term, rather than just applying for cards because it seems like one can obtain them. That also results in taking time between applications to get to know your new card better, to understand how it does or does not fit into your spend patterns, and comparing that to other card options so your next app is both successful and heading in the right direction to your long term goals.
@NRB525 wrote:It does seem like a lot of applications in a very short time, sounds like you may not have even the first card in hand yet?
I have heard that AMEX has a 4 Revolvers Max limit, so keep that in mind as you add cards. As you are rebuilding, that implies some issues in the past with credit limits, and rebuilding is a slow process. It involves showing good usage and particularly on-time payments to card companies to get them comfortable with your payment ability.
Also, these three cards are somewhat different rewards objectives, only the ED and Delta potentially play together, although the BCE simple cash rewards are nice enough.
When applying for cards, it's best to take the time to really understand how a card is going to be used, and hopefully used for the long term, rather than just applying for cards because it seems like one can obtain them.
Excellent advice!!
Quick back history:
My main issue in the past was maxing out cards, easily done due to the low SL, but my saving grace is that I have paid on time 100%, during those 5 years, what I need to clean up is my UTIL %. Also, I have a paid federal lien showing on my report, which I need to have removed, else it's a 2 year wait! The bad part is that the lien is not 100% my fault! The tax preparer (close relative) did the paper work, but did not file (for 4 freakin years!).. in spite of that, I was able to get a mortgage, and a lease on a new luxury vehicle.
I had the Delta card, and already charged\paid $1000 within the first 2 weeks, I was still waiting for the arrival of the ED card when I applied for the BCE... Which you are correct was way too soon!! I believe I've plateaued, so I will NOT be attempting to app for any more cards, well.. maybe if I'm offered an upgrade! 
Just noticed my UTIL % with AMEX is negtive 1 %
@dstew201 wrote:I've been an AU on my wife's TE AMEX since '13, and have recently started to rebuild my credit, so I was pretty excited to be approved for a Delta Gold Skymiles club, with a 10k limit AND a member since 2013 date!
Soooo, 3 days later ( I really need to lay off this site and chill in the garden), I got the bright idea to apply for the BCE AMEX card, and immediately got the "In progress" call this # (fraud dept). I called and gave them the address info, and they said it would sit in pending for 5 days before a decision, today I got the "cancelled" status and called the automated service, which states I was approved for the BCE, but had a duplicate application that was cancelled and that my card was mailed??? I received an email pretty much stating the same thing, BUT the customer service said the application was cancelled due to me hitting the max number of AMEX card within a short period (few months).... Soooooooo, I guess this is a sign that I should lay low! Don't want to put myself under a microscrope. Even with the cancellation, it still sounds like I would have been approved had I spaced out the app.
Yes. don't rush it. you can have a total of 5 different amex cards and the limits grow very fast on the revolvers. like my delta. 3500 to 20k in 1 year. so no rush. its not going anywhere. Let Amex show respect for how you handle your usage and your bills. then they will jump thru hoops for you. Just that easy.