Multiple American Express Credit Card Applications

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AppId is over the quota

Here’s some potentially useful information for folks like me that like trying out new credit cards and using the promotional bonuses to boost their income (or reduce spending, however you like to look at it).

As there is a limited-time promo and I want the American Express extended warranty for some upcoming appliance purchases (don’t buy Frigidaire washers/dryers!), I just applied and got instantly approved for three different American Express cards on the same day:

You can see the date and approved status on this screenshot from the American Express application status page:

Now, this isn’t for everyone, and I’m not saying that because it worked for me that it will work for you. If you apply for multiple American Express cards in the same timeframe, the goal is that you’ll only get one credit check “hard pull” on your credit report. (Usually, only one of the three major bureaus, that’s what happened last time.) This makes the temporary ding on your credit score even less than doing them separately, giving you both more cards now and leaving you the opportunity to apply for future offers later. Your chances of getting approved for multiple cards also improves as compared to doing them spaced out, as you don’t have other existing cards in your history.

It’s always good to start each card application with a fresh web browser and cleared cookies as that makes everything standardized. I just open them in a new Chrome Incognito window each time, as it automatically cleans everything up. I apply for each card during a weekday during business hours, although that’s probably just a superstition of mine. I just sit down and apply one-by-one in an orderly fashion, although some people like to hit “submit” simultaneously as they think it helps (again, possibly just superstition).

In any case, I am going for a total of 100,000 American Express Membership Rewards points on a personal and a business Gold card, as well as the Blue Cash Preferred that has a $150 cash bonus plus gives me 6% back on supermarkets all year long (up to $6,000 per year). As always, read the terms and save a PDF copy of each application page; the Gold cards have annual fees with first-year waived, and the Blue Cash Preferred has a $75 annual fee. Please use any credit responsibly, I never carry a balance and never pay interest as it is hazardous to my financial health.

Find more in Credit Cards, Deals & Offers | 1/23/13, 6:09pm | Trackback