How to get preapproved for an American Express card

Many card issuers use the terms “prequalified” and “preapproved” interchangeably, but Amex distinguishes between the two. When you check CardMatch, you might see a banner that refers to an offer as either prequalified or preapproved. How to get preapproved for an American

The main difference between the two kinds of offers is that preapproved offers a slightly better chance that you’ll be approved for the card once you submit your application. Neither of these kinds of offers are a guarantee of approval, but American Express uses your basic income and credit information to determine if you are a likely candidate. Preapproved offers have a stricter review process, so they represent your best odds. How to get preapproved for an American

Prequalify on the Amex website

Additionally, American Express allows applicants to check for prequalified offers directly on the American Express website. Just like with CardMatch, you’ll enter personal info and the last four digits of your Social Security number.

American Express prequalified offers don’t trigger a hard pull to your credit until you apply.

Other ways to prequalify for Amex cards

Although the easiest way to get a prequalified offer from American Express is online, you might be able to score a targeted offer by mail. If you have any accounts with American Express, be sure to keep your contact information up to date to boost your chances of getting one of these offers.

Boost your chances

As mentioned, most American Express cards are designed for users with good to excellent credit (above 670). If you are hovering on the edge of this threshold – or hoping to qualify for one of the issuer’s more exclusive cards, like The Platinum Card® from American Express – you might want to take steps to improve your credit score before you apply. How to get preapproved for an American

You can do this by always paying your bills on time and keeping your overall credit utilization ratio low. If you need to bulk up your credit history, you can also consider asking a family member to add you as an authorized user to one of their accounts. This strategy has its pros and cons, but it can boost your score and add to your credit file as long as the primary cardholder is responsible.

Prequalifying does not guarantee approval

Prequalifying for a credit card offer is a great way to know whether or not you will be approved, but remember – it’s not a guarantee. You may receive a prequalified card offer only to be denied for the card. Nevertheless, your chances are significantly improved by prequalifying first. And if you get a preapproved offer, your chances are even better.

One more important thing to note here: American Express is notorious for offering different introductory offers through different avenues. That means the offer you get on CardMatch or in the mail might not be the same as what you see on the website. In many cases, you can score a larger welcome offer by applying through a prequalified or preapproved offer – but you should always compare to make sure you are getting a good deal. How to get preapproved for an American

Final thoughts

If you’re unsure of your credit card approval odds, prequalified and preapproved offers are a great way to know ahead of time which cards are in your reach. With several different methods to score these offers, American Express makes it easy to improve your chances of scoring the card you want.