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When you apply for a credit card, the issuer completes what is known as a hard inquiry, or hard pull, on your credit report. Each hard pull temporarily lowers your credit score by a handful of points for up to a year and typically stays on your credit report for two years.

It is advantageous to avoid unnecessary hard pulls by only submitting applications when you know you’ll be approved. Many credit cards offer pre-approval or pre-qualification, but that doesn’t guarantee approval. However, thanks to the “Apply with confidence” feature, you can take it further with certain American Express cards and know if you’ll be approved before a hard pull is made on your credit reports.

CNBC Select explains how this feature works and alternative credit cards to consider if you can’t get approved for the best Amex cards.

Checking if you’re eligible for an Amex card without adding a hard inquiry to your credit report is simple. Apply as you normally would and Amex will let you know if you’ll be approved for the card using a soft credit inquiry. A hard inquiry is only done if you choose to accept the card.

If this feature is available, the top of the application will have a message similar to the one below confirming you can proceed without impacting your credit score.

After you fill out the application, click the blue continue button at the bottom of the page.

For business card applications, you’ll immediately receive a pop-up window letting you know if you’re eligible for the offer and asking if you want to accept it. With consumer card applications, you’re taken to a page where you can review the terms before continuing. You’ll also receive a pop-up window letting you know if you’re eligible for the card’s welcome offer as Amex typically limits you to earning the welcome bonus to once per lifetime per card type.

If you click “continue and submit” from the final pop-up window, only then is your credit pulled, and the hard inquiry is added to your credit reports. But anytime before that, you can cancel the application without any effect on your credit.

Most of the top travel rewards credit cards, including many Amex cards, require good to excellent credit. If you don’t qualify, look at the Credit One Bank Wander® Card, which is one of the best travel credit cards for average credit. It earns 5X points on eligible flights, dining and gas and 10X points on eligible hotels and rental cars booked through the Credit One Bank travel partner site. The points you earn are worth one cent each when you use them for statement credits, so you’re effectively earning 5% to 10% back on these purchases.

If you’re at least 18 years old and enrolled at an eligible college or university, the Discover it® Student Cash Back is a great option for building your credit profile and earning rewards. You’ll earn a healthy 5% cash back on the first $1,500 in combined purchases after you enroll in quarterly rotating categories, 1% on everything else. With a new Discover it Student Cash Back card, you’ll also get an intro 0% APR for six months on purchases (after that, a variable 18.24% to 27.24% APR applies). There is a 3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms)*.

If you want to simplify your financial life by keeping your card and bank accounts under one roof, American Express has you covered with checking and high-yield savings account options.

The American Express® Rewards Checking account comes with a 1.00% APY and no monthly maintenance fees. Plus, you’ll earn Membership Rewards points on eligible debit card purchases (one point for every $2 in eligible spending).

Applying for a credit card that you’re pre-approved or pre-qualified for is a smart idea because it reduces the risk of adding a hard inquiry to your credit report while having your application denied. The problem is that a pre-approved card offer doesn’t guarantee approval with most issuers. However, with American Express you can typically apply and know with certainty whether you will qualify for a card’s welcome offer.

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*Results may vary. Some may not see improved scores or approval odds. Not all lenders use Experian credit files, and not all lenders use scores impacted by Experian Boost.

For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, click here.

For rates and fees of the Discover it® Student Cash Back, click here.