ma91pmh

crimson12 I do not think it is bogus. I have come up against a new limit with Amex on my last two app-o-ramas. They appear to now limit it you to four credit cards. So charge cards like Platinum, Premier Rewards Gold etc do not count. But looking at your list you have 2 x Delta and 2 x Starwood credit cards (cards not requiring payment in full at the end of each month) and as such I think you have reached the limit.

I wrote about this here and here

If you are willing to close one of the cards I mention above they will likely approve you for the new card

ma91pmh

The membership date is I assume the result of you being added as an authorized user of a parent's Amex. Amex says you were a member since the primary cardholder you are an AU on was a member since, which as you point out can be before you were born.

For someone young looking to build credit being added to a parent's Amex as an AU is a very good leg-up

crimson12

Thanks. I guess i will offer to close one of the Delta cards Do i have to close a business card to get a new business card? Also, have people generally had success offering to close one card to geta new one?

I suppose this means i would have to close a second card if i wanted to get the 65k Hilton card?

ma91pmh

I have yet to see them differentiate business and personal, not saying they don't but I have not seen it. And yes if you want more credit cards you will have to close more credit cards.

jt58203

I'm only going to seek my 3rd one in 3 years, so don't think I will have a problem getting another. Just wondering if my CL will be split again. I had the Delta Gold for a couple years before upgrading to the Platinum this year. My CL is pretty high and a few months ago I acquired the SPG card. AE automatically split my CL, not quite evenly, but about 60-40. I'm thinking of the Hilton AE before the November 30 deadline. Will they split my CL by 3? Not a big deal as I only spend what I can pay off in a month. I'm not concerned, just curious!

Also, AE cards say member since xx. In my case, 09. When I got the SPG a few months ago, it says member since 09. I usually see my fako credit report every 3-4 months. Well, it looks to me that my newly opened card appears as if I had it for almost 3 years. Does anyone know if that newly added card will be calculated as 3 years in the Avg Age of Open Credit Lines? I do Credit Karma's credit report card deal and looks like it might, but then again I'm not good at math.

texasguy77

I cant answer the CL question, I've had Amex since 1997 and they seem to give me a different credit limit for the revolving credit limit cards that I do have. They do offer you the ability to physically move around your credit limits between your cards if you so choose. Regarding the Member Since date, that date will always read the date that you received your first card. I haven't paid much attention to my credit report to see if my open dates are all the same, perhaps someone else can address that.

ma91pmh

Yes Amex is well known in that all cards are reported as being open from the date you first got an Amex card. This can even be made to apply to an authorized user where you can literally have a credit report showing you have had an Amex since before you were born (e.g. Dad has been Amex member for 20 years, adds 18 year old son as authorized user, son now has a card showing open date 20 years ago)

This is a good trick for building a long credit history very quickly

contactcr

FYI, this is no longer true for authorized users. They get a trade line on their CR but it is no longer backdated. Furthermore, the AU card has the current year as 'Member Since'.

This is my experience in January 2012 so it's been at least since then. YMMV

ma91pmh

no you can call Amex credit and they will backdate it. the system may not do it automagically but it is still possible

yoyo

I have 6:
Blue cash (old version)
Costco
Hilton
SPG
SPG Biz
Platinum Biz

Only the Platinum Business is a charge card. Maybe costco card also doesn't count? The last 4 were opened within 6 months.

ma91pmh

This is interesting. I would be curious to see what would happen if you tried for one more. It is of course possible that the cap is linked to indiviudals... i.e. they clearly won't give ME more than 4 cards but maybe for others the limit is higher. Or there is some quirk in their system that makes them think you have less. Or the Costco sits in some other bucket.

CatJo

FWIW I had 7, then closed my Personal Platinum (shortly after getting the MB version) and now have these 6:

MB Platinum
Delta Gold
Amex Hilton
SPG
Costco
Gold Biz

Also had a PRG Personal but closed that after getting the Gold Biz.

ma91pmh

This is four credit cards and two charge cards

texasguy77

If this is the case, then I'm golden. Member since 97

Earthlings

Why is Costco Amex considered a Charge Card?