I have only been building my credit for the last six months. I check the Amex site for pre-quals every month and it has been a no-go until today.
I got the 'check out this pre-qual offer' message for the Hilton Surpass, Hilton Aspire and Delta Reserve cards. All three show an APR range of 16.74% to 25.74%.
Fico 8 scores today are EQ 711/TU 696/EX 691; Fico 9's are EQ 711/TU 714/EX 706.
I realize that my file is very thin (like tissue paper thin) and my question is this. If I apply for one of these cards and don't qualify, is there a chance Amex will give me a lower tier card (Like I app for Delta Reserve but don't make the cut, is it possible they will offer a Delta Blue or Gold or would I have to app again to find out?
I have always received the 'sorry' message in the past so I am trying to gage my possible chances for approval and honestly all three of the cards that were offered seem way to extreme for my profile, so any advice/insights would be very much appreciated. 
@Anonymous wrote:I have only been building my credit for the last six months. I check the Amex site for pre-quals every month and it has been a no-go until today.
I got the 'check out this pre-qual offer' message for the Hilton Surpass, Hilton Aspire and Delta Reserve cards. All three show an APR range of 16.74% to 25.74%.
Fico 8 scores today are EQ 711/TU 696/EX 691; Fico 9's are EQ 711/TU 714/EX 706.
I realize that my file is very thin (like tissue paper thin) and my question is this. If I apply for one of these cards and don't qualify, is there a chance Amex will give me a lower tier card (Like I app for Delta Reserve but don't make the cut, is it possible they will offer a Delta Blue or Gold or would I have to app again to find out?
I have always received the 'sorry' message in the past so I am trying to gage my possible chances for approval and honestly all three of the cards that were offered seem way to extreme for my profile, so any advice/insights would be very much appreciated.
Amex does not counter offer credit cards. Each card is a separate application so if you get denied one but want the lower tiered card, you will need to apply for it .
My advice is dont let the prequal rule your mindset. Just because you dont have a prequal doesnt mean you cant be approved. Know your profile. Apply for cards that fit your current needs/spend not necessarily because one seems higher tier or is "boss"
. Your Ex is good enough to get an approval from Amex. Good luck
If the Delta Reserve doesn't fit your spending profile, apply for the one that does. Go for the gold!
@AverageJoesCredit wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:I have only been building my credit for the last six months. I check the Amex site for pre-quals every month and it has been a no-go until today.
I got the 'check out this pre-qual offer' message for the Hilton Surpass, Hilton Aspire and Delta Reserve cards. All three show an APR range of 16.74% to 25.74%.
Fico 8 scores today are EQ 711/TU 696/EX 691; Fico 9's are EQ 711/TU 714/EX 706.
I realize that my file is very thin (like tissue paper thin) and my question is this. If I apply for one of these cards and don't qualify, is there a chance Amex will give me a lower tier card (Like I app for Delta Reserve but don't make the cut, is it possible they will offer a Delta Blue or Gold or would I have to app again to find out?
I have always received the 'sorry' message in the past so I am trying to gage my possible chances for approval and honestly all three of the cards that were offered seem way to extreme for my profile, so any advice/insights would be very much appreciated.
Amex does not counter offer credit cards. Each card is a separate application so if you get denied one but want the lower tiered card, you will need to apply for it .
My advice is dont let the prequal rule your mindset. Just because you dont have a prequal doesnt mean you cant be approved. Know your profile. Apply for cards that fit your current needs/spend not necessarily because one seems higher tier or is "boss"
+1
Best answer for what you seek. GL2U!!
My son pre qualified yesterday for AMEX not a set apr but a range he's 19 works an entry level position at Ford (20k/year). He only has his car loan reporting other than that he's an AU on a couple of my cards. He was approved by Navy fed last week for a 500 dollar SL More Rewards. Yesterday he was approved by AMEX for a 2k SL. It blew my mind....
Thank you all for the information! I really, really appreciate the insight.
I think I was so surprised to actually see cards pop-up on the pre-qual page after getting the 'you must be joking- heck no' message since June of 2019. My scores took a dive with my Best Buy Visa ($2K) and NFCU CR's ($10K) approvals last month, so I can be patient. There is a big difference between needing and wanting...not that applying that logic is much fun lol! If the offer is there now it will probably be there in six months as well!
Once again, Mahalo!!
@addicted_to_credit a huge congrats to your son!
Thank you, @leilaniS, he's excited about it and I'm pretty nervous. I'm not so sure most 19 year olds need a 2k limit. I hope he doesn't mess up. Amex is a great one to get in with. I hope you find what fits you best and you get it!