American Express Preapproval: How To Get It (And Why You Should Care)

American Express has three screening levels for credit card applicants: its Apply with Confidence feature, pre-qualification and preapproval.

Amex Apply With Confidence

A unique feature among card issuers is the American Express “Apply with Confidence” feature that began in 2022. A prospective customer can visit the Amex site, choose a card to apply for, apply with a soft inquiry into their credit report and get instant notice whether they’re approved. If approved and the customer accepts the card, Amex will perform a hard inquiry. This means you can check your approval odds for any card they offer without a major ding to your credit report.

The new application experience is available for individuals applying for a U.S. personal card via Forbes Advisor, at AmericanExpress.com/us/credit-cards, or by calling American Express and is not available if you apply for a card after you log into an existing account.

American Express Pre-qualified Offers

Pre-qualified offers aren’t much more than a marketing opportunity. Based on your profile, American Express may provide special offers it believes are a good match for you. Often, this is as simple as looking at your demographics or the other cards listed on your credit report. In this case, pre-qualification doesn’t give you a heads up on your approval odds, but may help you find a card that fits your spending habits.

You can check for American Express pre-qualified offers right from the Amex website. Note that existing card members aren’t eligible for pre-qualified offers. If you’re already an existing cardholder and you’d like to sign up for a new card, your best bet is to use Amex’s “Apply With Confidence” tool to see if you’re approved before you apply.

American Express Preapproval

Preapproval is an Amex-initiated more in-depth look at your candidacy for a card in its portfolio. Using only a soft credit pull—which does not impact your credit score—Amex can check to see if you meet its minimum standards for that card. If you do, it may send you a preapproved offer in the mail, via email or your online account.

Despite the name, preapproval does not mean your application will be automatically approved, though it does mean you have better odds. You will still need to submit a completed application so American Express can confirm your eligibility based on your current income, assets, debt and credit score.

Being a current cardmember with American Express may lead to more targeted offers. As an existing customer, they have access to your spending habits and payment history so they can line up appropriate cards and offers just for you.

Using the “Apply with Confidence” option is straightforward and like applying for any credit card. Existing customers may receive a notification that they’re preapproved for the new card and can fill out the application to find out if they’re fully approved.

1. Gather the information you’ll need for a credit card application like Social Security number and income information.
2. Visit the American Express website and select the card you want to apply for.
3. Click on Apply Now and fill out the form with your personal information.
4. Click on Continue to Terms at the bottom of the online form.
5. After reading the terms and conditions, click on Agree & Submit Application.

Those who aren’t already Amex card members can check for pre-qualified offers on the American Express credit cards website. Scroll down toward the middle of the page and find its Check for Offers button.

Fill out the form with the same information you would use to apply for a card and click on View My Card Offers to see if Amex has matched you to one or more cards.

American Express does not offer a tool to check for preapproved offers on its website. Instead, potential customers may receive these offers by mail. If you do not receive credit offers in the mail, you can opt in to these types of offers to improve your odds.

Occasionally, cardholders may see targeted offers as pop-ups when logging into their online account. They may also receive emails advertising preapproval for a specific card.

Sizable welcome offers on Amex cards can be a large factor in determining if you should apply for a new card. Being preapproved for a card is different from being eligible for a welcome bonus. That’s because the terms and conditions often specify that each customer can only earn that bonus once per lifetime (or in a specific number of years). Other factors, such as the number of cards you have opened and closed in the past, may also be considered.

Unique in the industry, American Express offers an additional level of screening before you formally submit an application for a new card. When you apply, the company quickly runs your profile against its database to determine if you’re eligible for a welcome bonus on that card. If its system determines you’re not eligible, you have the option to withdraw your application before a hard credit pull is run.

This pre screening is another useful tool to help you avoid an inquiry on your credit report—and to set expectations about whether the card is a good match for you. In some cases, even without the bonus, the ongoing earning options and included card benefits may still make applying worthwhile.

While it can be tempting to apply for a credit card when you know you’re likely to receive approval, you shouldn’t dive right in. In some cases, a card that you aren’t preapproved for might be a better fit for your personal needs, even if American Express didn’t proactively pick up on that.

Additionally, American Express sometimes has different welcome offers even on the same card. For example, applying through a preapproval channel might offer a higher welcome bonus than applying through an offer for the general public, but it also might come with a larger minimum spending requirement or a higher APR. Before applying, make sure you’ve selected the best offer for your needs.

The methods to increase your odds of preapproval are nearly identical to improving your credit score. Like all card issuers, American Express is looking for credit-worthy customers. A soft credit check provides the issuer an inside look at how much credit you already have, how much you’re using and how you’re managing your accounts. Making the effort to pay on time and only charging a responsible amount makes you a more attractive applicant.

If you already have an American Express card in your wallet, you may want to position yourself as a valuable customer if you want to increase your chances of being preapproved for additional cards. Using your card often, rather than letting it collect dust in your wallet, signals that you’re an interested, worthwhile customer.

Lastly, current cardmembers should keep their profile at American Express up-to-date with current income and assets information. This will help Amex more accurately determine if you’re a good candidate for other cards.

Just like preapproval doesn’t make your application a sure bet, a lack of preapproval doesn’t mean an automatic rejection. This is especially true if you’ve previously opted out from receiving unsolicited offers. In that case, you’ll need to take the first step to express interest.

Before applying for a card that you weren’t preapproved for, you may want to research its eligibility requirements and what level of credit worthiness is typically required. If you believe you’re a strong candidate for a card, and that it’s the right product for your lifestyle, don’t let a lack of preapproval stand in your way.

Receiving preapproval for an Amex card is an indicator that you’ll have a higher likelihood of being approved, assuming your financial realities align with the information the company has on file for you. Knowing where you stand won’t make your application risk-free, but it can be a helpful tool for deciding whether to sign up for a new card.