What credit score do you need?

Conditions apply to American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

If you’re looking for a new credit card that offers perks like higher rewards on restaurants and groceries, a generous welcome bonus, and statement credits for dining and ride-sharing services, look no further than the American Express® Gold Card.

New cardholders can earn a lucrative welcome bonus of 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after spending $4,000 in the first six months of card membership. And with the American Express Gold Cardyou will earn 4 X points for your meals in restaurants around the world, as well as for takeout and delivery in the United States, and for your purchases in American supermarkets (up to 25,000 USD per calendar year), 3X points for flights booked directly with the airline or through amextravel.com and 1X points for all other qualifying purchases.

Points earned with the card can then be redeemed in a number of ways or for flights, hotels and other travel activities through amextravel.com or by transferring them to one of Amex Travel Partners, including Delta, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Hilton, Marriott and Choice Hotels, among others. It’s also worth keeping an eye out for transfer bonuses, which can further boost your points.

The American Express Gold card is also a good option for those who can take full advantage of the included meal and carpool statement credits – the combined value of the two credits is $240, which is almost as much as the $250 annual fee. from the menu (see rates and fees). Upon enrollment, cardholders can receive up to $120 in dining credits (up to $10 in statement credits each month) when you use your card to dine with GrubHub, Wine.com, Goldbelly, The Cheesecake Factory, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. . Once the card is added to your Uber account, you automatically get up to $120 Uber Cash per year ($10 each month), which you can use for rides or meals through Uber Eats.

You will also have access to American Express travel and protection benefits such as The Hotel Collection, baggage insurance and car rental loss and damage coverage, no foreign transaction fees for using the card abroad , 24/7 emergency assistance, Amex specials and exclusive offers. experiences and seating at concerts and sporting events.

Amex is known for its luxury travel rewards credit cards – the $695 annual fee American Express Platinum Card® (see rates and fees) and the annual fee of $250 American Express® Gold Card to name a few – and while they each offer a ton of travel perks, they also charge hefty annual fees and generally require applicants to have a good credit score or higher.

Below, Select takes a look at the credit score you’ll need to qualify for the American Express Gold Card, one of the best travel rewards cards on the market.

Although American Express does not publish a minimum credit score for the Amex Gold Card, in general applicants with a good credit score of 670 or higher is more likely to qualify. FICO scores range from 300 to 850, with higher scores indicating a greater likelihood that a borrower will be able to pay off their balance on time.

FICO score ranges:

• Very poor: 300 to 579
• Fair: 580 to 669
• Good: 670 to 739
• Very well: 740 to 799
• Excellent: 800 to 850

Keep in mind, however, that not all applicants with a credit score of 670 or higher will necessarily be considered – other factors, such as the five listed below that FICO uses to determine your credit score, will also be taken into account by the credit. card issuer.

FICO factors:

• Payment history (35%) — If you made your previous payments on time
• Amounts due (30%) — Your credit utilization rate, or the ratio of the amount of credit you are using to the amount that has been extended and due on your accounts
• Length of credit history (15%) — The time you have had credit
• New credit (10%) — How often you open new accounts
• Composition of credit (10%) — Whether you have different types of credit, such as installment loans or revolving lines of credit

It should also be noted that American Express offers a pre-qualification service so you can see if you qualify for the card before you apply – and no, it doesn’t hurt your credit score.

If you don’t have good credit, focus on improving it by making your payments on time and in full, using as little of your extended credit as possible, and limiting the number of credit applications you make.

Register for Experian Boostwhich takes one-time payments for certain subscription services and utilities into account when calculating your credit score, might also help boost a few points.

Although credit card issuers rely heavily on credit scores to evaluate applicants, they also consider other factors, such as your annual income, length of credit history, and number of credit cards. credit you currently have. For example, if you have a good credit rating but only have a credit history for a few months, the issuer may end up rejecting you because you don’t have a credit history long enough to indicate your creditworthiness.

American Express has also set limits on the number of its consumer and business cards you are allowed to have. Individuals are limited to only five consumer credit cards in total, so you may be automatically rejected if you already have five American Express credit cards.

If for any reason you are rejected for the Amex Gold card, card issuers and banks are required by federal law so applicants know exactly why within 60 days. It may also be worth appealing the decision by calling American Express directly. Highlighting your loyalty to the credit card issuer or your history of on-time payments on your lines of credit can increase your chances.

The American Express Gold Card is a great option for consumers who tend to be big spenders when dining out and shopping at grocery stores, especially those who will take full advantage of its included dining and Uber credits. To qualify for this $250 annual fee card, one of the best travel rewards credit cards available, you must have a credit score of at least 670.

If you apply but don’t make the cut, note that Amex has limits on the number of cards consumers are allowed to have and is required by law to state your reason for denial within 60 days.

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

For American Express Platinum Card® rates and fees, click here.