Amex Delta Gold approval odds?

[ACN323]

Experian is at 615. Under 1% utilization between my other three cards. Very thin file. One baddie, a charge off from 2017 that I'm paying and will be PIF next month. 3 total inquiries on EX, due to come off in November. 64k annual income. I saw recently someone got approved with a 611 EX, so now I'm itching to apply. I've been wanting to get my foot in the door with Amex on my own. (AU on my husbands Cash Magnet.) I know approvals have many factors, not just score, but was curious if I have a shot, or should wait until next month when my Charge Off is PIF and my score is higher? I haven't applied for any cards other than my Disco and Citi, around 17 months ago. Just don't want to get denied and then knock my score down anymore. I tried pre-qual and nothing came up.

Advice? Thanks! 

[Anonymous]

---

@ACN323 wrote:

Experian is at 615. Under 1% utilization between my other three cards. Very thin file. One baddie, a charge off from 2017 that I'm paying and will be PIF next month. 3 total inquiries on EX, due to come off in November. 64k annual income. I saw recently someone got approved with a 611 EX, so now I'm itching to apply. I've been wanting to get my foot in the door with Amex on my own. (AU on my husbands Cash Magnet.) I know approvals have many factors, not just score, but was curious if I have a shot, or should wait until next month when my Charge Off is PIF and my score is higher? I haven't applied for any cards other than my Disco and Citi, around 17 months ago. Just don't want to get denied and then knock my score down anymore. I tried pre-qual and nothing came up.

Advice? Thanks! 

---

I am pretty much out of the business of being suprised by this year but I think you should get scores up.

When did you get the Discover card?

[ACN323]

@Anonymous I got my Disco in June of 2019. It was secured and graduated around like 9 months if I remember correctly. It's all been a blur at this point. So I've had it like a little over a year. 

[Anonymous]

---

@ACN323 wrote:

@Anonymous I got my Disco in June of 2019. It was secured and graduated around like 9 months if I remember correctly. It's all been a blur at this point. So I've had it like a little over a year. 

---

Good timing.

Discover secured card started becoming challenging for rebuilders around that time.

However far along you are, without that you would be much further behind.

[ACN323]

@Anonymous yes, definitely thankful mine graduated and has helped me tremendously. I usually put around $200-$250 a month and let a tiny balance report and PIF. I've had my eye on the Delta gold for awhile, we live near a Delta hub (although right now that means nothing) and with the added 2x for groceries its definitely more appealing since that's where my majority spend is, as a family of 4. I don't get much from Disco in the grocery dept. due to the rotating categories, so I was wanting a card geared towards that and takeout. But I agree with you and think I should hold off until my scores are higher. Thanks for the honest advice! 

[Anonymous]

Agreed - you are very close to what should be a meaningful bump in your score. That alone makes it worth waiting for. You might get it now, although with no prequal and a 615 I think that's a long shot, but having the collections all showing zero and inquiries dropped off will look much better, all the more so since both of those have been cited as denial reasons by Amex this year.

[ACN323]

@Anonymous noted, agree- will hold off until my score is a little higher. Thanks! 

[M_Smart007]

---

@ACN323 wrote:

@Anonymous noted, agree- will hold off until my score is a little higher. Thanks! 

---

@ACN323  ..Very solid advice from @Anonymous 

[comebackkid15]

Honestly, with your profile you'd be much better served until you hit at least a 645 before taking the plunge. 

That was minimal score I had before applying for Delta and HHonors card.

Once you shed your baddies, it really wont be that long to hit that number, if not a little higher

---

@ACN323 wrote:

Experian is at 615. Under 1% utilization between my other three cards. Very thin file. One baddie, a charge off from 2017 that I'm paying and will be PIF next month. 3 total inquiries on EX, due to come off in November. 64k annual income. I saw recently someone got approved with a 611 EX, so now I'm itching to apply. I've been wanting to get my foot in the door with Amex on my own. (AU on my husbands Cash Magnet.) I know approvals have many factors, not just score, but was curious if I have a shot, or should wait until next month when my Charge Off is PIF and my score is higher? I haven't applied for any cards other than my Disco and Citi, around 17 months ago. Just don't want to get denied and then knock my score down anymore. I tried pre-qual and nothing came up.

Advice? Thanks! 

---

[ACN323]

@comebackkid15 Appreciate the feedback and agree. I honestly might hold off on applying for anything until my scores are in 700's. Have my eye on the Amex Everyday preferred. Might have to knix the Delta Gold idea all together. So easy to get sidetracked sometimes seeing others approvals.