Amex & Experian Score

[CivalV]

I currently have an EX score 621. I know nothing amazing but I have stood in the 500s for months so this boost had me jumping for joy.

For those who have Amex, what score did you get in with and what SL? I know my overall profile is what counts, but I am super curious

[Anonymous]

Going by your signature, and as long as your EX report doesn’t have unpaid baddies and you have some length of credit history, your profile looks quite close to mine. I have the cards in my sig, two paid collections, 12 year AoOA/2 year AAOA, without any real significant limits other than Disco ($2800) and Target ($2100). Utilization around ~50% aggregate, and on Thursday I cold-apped and was approved for both the Delta Skymiles Gold and the Hilton Honors cards with an EX of 627, despite their prequal page saying they had no preapproved offers for me. I was given small SLs ($1k on each card) but I’m in and glad to be, and I’ll nurture the cards and the relationship with AmEx carefully as I know of their tendency to grow. Plus, for me, as with others, AmEx is and has been a “goal card” and I’m thrilled to have achieved it, regardless of small SLs.

As Brian said in a reply (he did the same with a similar setup as me - a little higher EX but I think a couple additional baddies of some sort), sometimes you just have to shoot for the moon and see what happens.

I’ve seen several posts on here in the last few days of people being approved for the Delta Gold despite an EX profile that historically wouldn’t suggest a chance at approval.

It will definitely come down to a mix of your score on EX (which at least one other person I saw had around 617 and got in) and your profile particulars, but if my assumptions are in line with your reality, I would think that given the success I and others have had recently, if you can spare the HP it may pay off for you. The Delta co-brand cards are reputed to be the easiest to get. If you’re still a little uncertain, maybe look at the Delta Blue instead of the Gold, as it’s a step down, and might be a little easier, but the counter argument I’ve seen is that the AF cards (which the Gold is, but the Blue isn’t) might be easier because AmEx knows they’ll get paid simply by granting the card. YMMV but these are my data points and my experience this week seems in line with several other forum members who have managed to get in the AmEx door with a Delta AmEx.

[Anonymous]

Also, despite the fact that for several of us, the prequal site never had anything for us and we were approved, have you tried it? The AmEx prequal Page is said to be pretty solid if it says you’re good. I have read of a couple denials after prequal came back good but for the greatest part, it seems that if they say you’re good, you are.

[CivalV]

Wow! Thank you so much for taking the time to reply & give me so much information/data points. Ive wanted an Amex for as long as I have had my Cap 1 card which is over 6 years.

I have no baddies on EX & TU. EX Had 2 collections, one was recently deleted and the other I am disputing. I paid it off in full and it states I paid less the full balance. ERC is giving me such a hard time.

EX is by far the highest of my scores. I really want to get a card with no AF but like you said Amex might be more open to giving a card with an AF because they will get paid regardless. I would generally love a card with payment flexibility, cash back and for everyday use.

I want to tread lightly. I dont want to apply and then get shot down causing my score to drop. I can definitely take the HP but boy am I nervous!!

What is the worst that can happen if I get denied by Amex? Ive seen they sometimes recommend a different card? Do you know what that is about?

[CivalV]

I have also read that on several post. I have not gotten any prequals for Amex. Ive been checking for weeks! I am so afraid to cold app.

In regards to income my spouse and my income are combined. If I were to apply would I put the combined income or just mine? Our combined income is in the high 90ks.

[Anonymous]

It depends on if the card is one of Amex's core cards or if it is a co-branded card.

For their core cards, Amex accepts Experian scores as low as 640 but you will probably be approved for a $500 or $1,000 limit.  Also, approvals in that score range often come with conditions that are referred to as "credit steps" in these forums, and you will often not be offered a signup bonus.

The Amex co-branded cards - those offered in conjunction with airlines and hotels - have less strict underwriting standards so they can be approved with EX scores below 640.  But again the credit limit is likely to be small.

To be approved with reasonable credit limits you will often need to be above the sub-prime risk rating which is a 670 Experian score. Also other factors like your entire credit profile, previous Amex membership, etc. are also considered.

[Anonymous]

I would think that for the reasons above, you’d have a good shot at the Delta card. You state wanting to get a cash back card which the Delta is not, but the AmEx cash cards are higher-tier and not co-branded and your score won’t qualify you. From what I’ve read over time here, 680-690 is the cusp of approval for such cards and seems to beget the $1-2k SLs that our scores bring on the Delta. But getting the Delta does earn you some miles to use towards airfare, so there is that. I don’t fly much but eventually these miles will help. I do stay almost exclusively at Hampton Inn when I travel so the Hilton card and its points may come in more handy.

My main point in getting these was simply to get in the door with AmEx. Once in, it can become easier to get better core cards, and under the cards area of the account you can see the cards you’re preapproved for, and if you go for them they’re a SP approval to boot. Eventually after AmEx gets to know and trust me I plan to PC both of these, hopefully to the HH Ascend and the Delta Reserve.

I don’t know whether or not they will counter with an alternate card or not but conventional wisdom says that if you are denied a card, any subsequent application in the next 30 days will be an auto-denial and you’ll have to wait.

If you can take the HP, and it’s been a goal, I would say go for it. Worst case, you wait a month before trying again. AmEx won’t HP you if they deny you - my understanding is they basically do a SP, and if they like what they see they’ll HP to determine your SL and APR. If they SP and don’t like what they see, the process stops there. There’s really nothing to lose but a 30 day window to get one, and you have been waiting 6 years already so what’s another month?

[Anonymous]

M&B makes excellent points above. As for the income question, I used my wife’s income and mine on my app, which is low $90k range, so there’s another parallel between my profile and yours.

[CivalV]

Im seriously so thankful for the FICO forums. I have learned so much! Thank you for all of the information you have given.

I want to get my foot in the door so I won’t poke at Amex and their core cards with my low scores. It has taken me a long time to even get to where I am so with more patience and time I will be able to get those core cards in the future.

[Anonymous]

I agree on the core cards...but are you going to take a stab at the Delta? You’re in line with several of us who were approved this week and once you’re in, you’ll be able to see your prequals right in your account later on for the core cards. And if you get the Delta, you’ll start building your relationship with them now.

Not trying to sway you, but I definitely am curious to the result if you app for it.