What did your profile look like when you got approved for your Amex?

[SRT4kid93]

I recently applied for an Amex but was denied and the reasons listed were 

-the credit limits on your current cards are too low

-the amount paid across all your accounts in the past 6 months was too low.

At the time I only had 1 card, since then I have gotten an additional card with another $1500 in total credit limits.

what did your profile look like when you got approved for your first Amex?

specifically,

- how much total credit did you have between all your cards 

-on average how much did you charge between all your cards for the 6 months leading up to your application.   

-what were your Fico scores?

-how long was your credit history when you applied?

[dahx]

Mine was around 790 with two cards with lowish limits but years of history of use.

I believe they want to see some history > 1 year showing usage, more than one card/or installment loan, etc to go with it probably helps. 

Maybe wait 3 months or so and try again.

[Anonymous]

---

@SRT4kid93 wrote:

I recently applied for an Amex but was denied

---

@SRT4kid93 

What did your profile look like when you applied for the Amex?

[urbex]

My first AmEx was literally my first card I got at 18, 25 years ago, lol.  The only thing on my credit profile at the time was a mobile home I had bought a few months earlier.  No credit, but had VERY good cash flow at the time, at least for an 18 year old.  Though it also bit me hard, because I didn't realize there was a difference between a "charge" card and a "credit" card.  All I saw was "no preset spending limit", immediately went on a shopping spree, and about had a heart attack when I got the bill...

Many years later, after completely cratering my credit score (I was getting denied for deep subprime SECURED credit cards for a while even), recovering and getting several other V/MC cards, I started trying for AmEx again.  I couldn't tell you the exact specifics of my credit profile then, but I was in the 650 score range with just several credit cards and a student loan on my report with no negatives, and got denied for the BCE a couple times still.  I got up to 700, still denied.  I was keeping up with payments, but also had a number of 0% cards with significant balances, and was only paying the minimums. 

Once I got to the point of having several cards that showed having high balances of 50%+ of the limit, but carrying little to no balance month to month, then I got approved for the BCE and shortly after the Everyday card.  Seems Amex really likes to see heavy use of cards, but not carrying large balances month to month. 

[SRT4kid93]

If it makes you feel any better there is no way I could have handled a no limit credit card at 18. I got my first credit card around then, it was a secured card. My limit was around 1200 if I remember right. 

but an Amex with no limit, I probably would have used it every chance I got to impress girls and buy them stuff. Bragging about it and such. Honestly, I don't know any teenager that could handle that, there's a reason many believe your brain isn't fully developed until 25

[Gunnerboy]

I was approved for the AMEX Green as a part-time college student and part-time waiter.

I had three existing MC/Visa cards at that time. Limits were somewhere between $600-$3,000, I believe.

Credit history length may have been 24 months.

Back then, banks didn't disclose your credit score. Application were on paper ::gasp::

[axlm]

I got my Amex with a very thin profile at the time: first card ever was a secured BofA, autograduated around the 9 month mark with a CLI from $300 to $600, IIRC. I was obviously using most of the small limit and paying back in full every month. 

Immediately after I went on an app spree and got approved by Amex, Discover and another BofA for around a $1000 each. 

My scores at the time where around 700.

From my experience, they are pretty friendly to beginners with a thin, clean profile. 

[Shooting-For-800]

You can get an Amex charge with scores in the 660-680 range.

Try to pay down/off your cards and apply again.

Try to get all cards under 29% utilization each.

GL!

[SRT4kid93]

Sorry I should clarify, 

they did not say that my balances were too high. They said my current credit limits were too low, and my payments over the past 6 months were too low. Indicating they want me to get larger credit limits, and charge more. 

my util ratio and balances are as good as they can get. 

[dahx]

Take any reasons with a grain of salt - they can select any tangential reason related to the rejection. They're only providing a tiny sliver of the picture.