Before you formally apply for a new credit card, it can be helpful to see where you stand. American Express typically requires good or excellent credit for approval and has strict policies about who’s eligible for a welcome bonus. These terms go beyond creditworthiness and look at your past history as an American Express cardholder as well. Someone who’s received a welcome offer on a Delta credit card in the past may not be entitled to a second bonus, even on a different Delta card.
Luckily, you don’t have to guess whether or not you’re a qualified applicant. Instead, you can submit your application without any impact to your credit report and get an official decision on whether you’re approved for the card and/or eligible for the bonus. The Amex “Apply With Confidence” feature runs a soft copy of your finances and then alerts you on your approval and welcome offer status. You’ll have one last chance to decide whether or not to proceed with your application before there are any hits or changes to your credit. Your credit score may be impacted if you are approved and choose to accept the card.
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.
The “Apply With Confidence” option isn’t available on business cards, like the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card. You may instead check for American Express prequalification offers on the Amex website as one way to estimate odds of being approved for these new, elevated offers. There’s no impact to your credit score for searching and you can get a response within 30 seconds. Submitting an application may impact your credit score.
Remember, prequalification is not as in-depth as a full application, so it’s never a guarantee that you will be approved for the card. However, it can give you an idea of whether it’s worth taking a chance on an application.
