DELTA SKYMILES AMERICAN EXPRESS

[tamtam84]

I have lots of vacations planned in coming years was wondering what score needed?

I am asking for my husband I got all his cards paid down and he went up 100 pts in 6 months, yay me ! 

He is 721 TU, 745 EQ, 732 EX ( current utlization 19%) .

He may go up slightly at end of statements with 9- 10% utilization - all intereset cards are @ 0 %

He has 0% interest synchrony paying off furniture within 1 year so that is at 50 % utlization, will that one promo purchase reported as credit card utilization be a deal breaker? credit age 3 yrs. 6 mo. 2 hard inquiries from 3 and 6 months ago. newest account 6 months ago. 

He has a bankruptcy in 2017 when he became disabled. 

[coldfusion]

Experian FICO 8 is the score you need to be most interested in, general rule of thumb with AMEX is that odds of approval go up starting at around the 680-690 range. 1 card at 50% shouldn't be a deal breaker,  worst case is that you could recon on denial and be prepared to explain the 50% utilization is due to you leveraging a 0% promotional offer to buy furniture.   An inquiry showing from 3 months ago and another 6 months ago shouldn't be a dealbreaker either.

Nowadays AMEX makes credit decisions based upon a soft pull and either extends an approval offer or a denial. If husband does not currently have any cards issued by American Express and your husband accepts an approval offer there will be a hard pull recorded, if he rejects the approval offer there is no hard pull.

A 2017 BK would be a minimal to non-issue as long as American Express was not IIB.  If they were included in the BK7 things get more complicated, it's stil possible to get an approval 8 years out but the amount of time before being removed from their internal blacklist varies and is based on the individual's specific circumstances related to the IIB.

[SKBirdmind]

Good luck... I've yet to crack the "AmEx Code."

How do you even get a reconsideration? Every time I've tried, I end up in some foreign call center where they will word-for-word read you your denial letter. Then some script to the effect of "Contact Experian for your free credit report, and apply again later." Which isn't a reconsideration...

[WeaponizedApe]

I was around 680, have a Sleep Number Synchrony Account that was about 70% utilized, I had a Hilton Honors Amex one month before I applied for the Delta Gold Amex. Instantly got it plus the sub. This was in November. I don't think he'll have any problems. And once you have an Amex, future apps are soft pulls for other cards. I have 4 now. Platinum and a Bonvoy Bevy. 

[md_rebuild]

I was at 690 and 61 months past BK7 when I got the Delta Platinum Reserve.   They started me out with a $5K CL.

[SKBirdmind]

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@md_rebuild wrote:

I was at 690 and 61 months past BK7 when I got the Delta Platinum Reserve.   They started me out with a $5K CL.

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You make it sound easy as drinking water! $5K on a Delta Reserve is exactly what I've been after for a while - my Ch 7 is far older than 5 x years, paid them back the amount included in Ch 7, and so on...nothing.

[md_rebuild]

@SKBirdmind   have you thought of writing a letter requesting reconsideration?   I app'd literally one day after 61 months of my Ch7 discharge.  I didn't burn them, so maybe that's the difference.

I like the card.  I have silver status, free checked bag, complimentary access to the Sky Club, 4 complimentary passes.   Plus I got 125K signup bonus, moved all my spend over there, and have about 160K miles after 6 months.   It's not a bad deal.