@Anonymous wrote:
I can see that, but at the same time I had several new accounts and inquiries when I got my first cards with Amex, and more yet when I got subsequent cards (that may have been offset by being an existing member though).
I see from your sig that you're reppin' AmEx big time. Congrats! What was your app process and timeline to get "in" with them? 
@Anonymous wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
I can see that, but at the same time I had several new accounts and inquiries when I got my first cards with Amex, and more yet when I got subsequent cards (that may have been offset by being an existing member though).I see from your sig that you're reppin' AmEx big time. Congrats! What was your app process and timeline to get "in" with them?
He applied for the Delta Gold after seeing my thread on approval in October '18. We have similar scores, which is why he applied after seeing my thread, but he's been able to grow with amex while I have not. I have almost 20 inquiries on each bureau along with lates, charge offs and collections. Not sure about his history, but it goes to show that "getting in" is only half the battle. I've always PIF and have never paid interest except when I tried their plan it feature twice. Still no movement. I got in with a 641.
Im thinking of eyeballing AmEx next in a couple of months. My scores are lagging just behind the both of you. Should be getting another boost by then. Just in time for the holiday App season if that's a thing. They HP EX?
@Anonymous wrote:Im thinking of eyeballing AmEx next in a couple of months. My scores are lagging just behind the both of you. Should be getting another boost by then. Just in time for the holiday App season if that's a thing.
They always HP EX. In my case they also HP TU
@Anonymous wrote:They may double pull below a certain FICO level. I read somewhere that it might be a thing for some issuers.
Nah, they've double pulled people in the 700s. Not sure what on a report makes them double pull. Could have sworn I seen a thread where someone pulled their actual yearly report and amex had been SPing them since they first tried applying. Think someone else in that thread said amex was SPing them on EX and TU almost weekly after approval. Don't remember though.
I will never understand why in this day and age if you can app online why "some" issuers make you wait for snail mail decision. Its not an industry thing as some issuers have graduated from the stone age while others have not. It would significantly reduce CS calls and anxiety. Pulling for you OP!
@Anonymous wrote:I will never understand why in this day and age if you can app online why "some" issuers make you wait for snail mail decision. Its not an industry thing as some issuers have graduated from the stone age while others have not. It would significantly reduce CS calls and anxiety.
You don't have to wait for paper with amex. During the app you can opt for electronic disclosures. I have never gotten any paperwork from amex except for my welcome packet. You can check your application status and history here:
https://www262.americanexpress.com/eaol/statusCheckAction.do
If you opted in for digital, they will email you the decision along with this link to see everything.
@Anonymous wrote:
Having to wait for snail mail vs electronic options is up to an individual lender. If I recall my reading correctly, years back laws were enacted requiring credit decisions to be communicated in writing. That meant snail mail at the time, as it was before the widespread use of email. That law still exists and therefore banks still do it. Amex is one of the lenders who have chosen to not make applicants wait for the mail by also offering electronic information, but they still have to mail out results also.
@BES is correct, his approval with a score that was 3 points higher than mine is what got me to pull the trigger. I actually apped for Delta Gold and Hilton Honors an hour or so apart and got them both on one HP. Approval was with a single HP on EX. I don’t recall whether they also hit another bureau with a SP, but I wouldn’t be surprised since I’d never been a member before nor had I apped with them in the past. At the time I had some older paid chargeoffs on EX, but no open collections and the only lates I had were on old accounts that had long been charged off and closed. All of my open accounts had 100% payment history and my AoOA was about 11-1/2 years. UTI at the time was around 50% I believe. I did have less than half that number of HPs though, probably 7-8 at the time. Those approvals were 11/15/2018.
I apped for Hilton Surpass (it was called the Ascend at the time) on 3/3/2019 when I had an EX a little into the 640s and preapprovals for all cobranded cards in my account because we have a decent amount of hotel stays and had I known better at the time, I’d have just gone for Surpass the first time. Sometime after the first of the year I’ll move as much of the limit of the base card to the Surpass as I can and will either SD the base card or just close it - no need for two Hilton cards and the accelerated points earning structure of Surpass makes it worth the AF, especially with the automatic gold status vs the silver status with the base card.
In early May I had no preapproval for the Gold but I cold-apped it anyway and was declined. A couple weeks later My EX was at 656 and I had full preapprovals for all Amex cards, although the Gold wasn’t visible in my account. I jumped on the BCP. decided to garden then, but four days later just for grins I looked again and Gold was back in my account options and preapproved so I went for it and was approved.
As for why Brian and I have varied in our results with Amex, I’m honestly not sure due to all the similarities, plus his AoOA is older than mine. I even think I remember seeing his income range mentioned in a thread once and I think it was in the same realm as mine. It would be interesting to compare specifics at some time. He mentioned having what I assumed were open collections which may have been the factor - all of my collections were paid and closed when I apped (except for a few small Medicals but those were on EQ and TU and only would’ve been seen on a parallel SP at app time). I had derogs but none were active, and most were aged out in the 4 year range or more. Open vs closed and distance since they occurred may be a factor in this case.
Hey I remember talking with you when I was thinking of applying for my Surpass. Do you know if you can still get the sub for the no AF Hilton if you down grade from Surpass? If not, I'll eat the $450 AF on the upgrade to Aspire then downgrade to the no AF Hilton after 12 months. After looking around, I cant really get that much value out of Hilton points. I also dont want to eat up any more of my 5/24 hence the upgrading/downgrading...
