Amex have had enough of me!

[Durban]

Myself and my partner have held various Amex cards over the years. He currently has an ordinary Amex cashback card , had it for over 10 years , always paid off full balance in full. The last one that he had was an Amex BAPP , companion voucher and bonus Avios received and BAPP cancelled. Throw in a few Amex Gold cards over the years for the bonus Avios and lounge passes and then cancelled.

I have done the same and currently have an Amex BAPP , also paid off in full each month.

We have a trip coming up and wanted the lounge passes with the Gold Card ( wouldn’t be entitled to the bonus Avios)
He was declined , I applied and I was declined.

Definitely nothing to do with credit rating. Always a high limit and always paid off in full each month.

I guess they have had enough of not really making anything out of us and us taking full advantage. I was surprised that we were both declined for the Gold card but I really shouldn’t be. It was good whilst it lasted

[Harrier25]

The more likely reason is that your credit limits are too high on the Amex cards you currently have. Reduce the limits on those and you may then be accepted for Gold.

[NorthernLass]

Yes, Amex has become much more strict with acceptance of late – it’s worth actually contacting them and they may tell you why you were declined and suggest , e.g. what Harrier says. This happened to me about 18 months ago, they said cancel my other Amex and wait 90 days, I then reapplied and was accepted.

[Durban]

Good idea , thank you , I will contact them tomorrow although I really would like those lounge passes by the end of Feb so may not work this time and we have got another couple of 0 percent cards that we stooze on so that could also be a reason

[Jonathans]

I was declined for the BaPP and when I called Amex I was advised to reduce the limits on one card by £8k and they would reassess my application. Got accepted for the BaPP with just a £2k limit. Had to wait a month or two and then transferred some of my other remaining credit limit over.

[Colin MacKinnon]

Stoozing may well be the issue – it appears as “debt”.

Debt not liked by lenders nowadays.

[zapato1060]

Just get the £15 Lloyds with PP for 2x people that’s even superior to Amex. Cancel afterwards if you wishm

[S879]

Which card/account is this zapato1060?

[Rui N.]

Lloyds Bank World Elite Mastercard.

[Durban]

The replies have been incredibly helpful. Thank you.

I phoned Amex today and yes , it is correct , my limit on the BAPP card is too high. I now have to wait 5 working days in order to receive an email from Amex requesting that I phone them to give them permission to lower my credit limit.

They will then review the application and they have said that “ because it’s a system decline and I’ve been a wonderful Amex customer for 10 years they hope that it will be looked on favourably “

Failing that and looking into the other very helpful post about the Lloyds World Elite card , I have looked further into this and as I have a Santander Select account , I should hopefully be able to get the Santander World Elite card with unlimited lounge access fairly painlessly I hope

Thank you all again , I had resigned myself to having to buy the 2 lounge passes

[QFFlyer]

Colin MacKinnon wrote:

Stoozing may well be the issue – it appears as “debt”.

Debt not liked by lenders nowadays.

This could well be the issue. It’s been years since I got an Amex decline, but was refused a random Nectar (for the referral bonus) recently, which I suspect has to do with the significant 0% debt I’ve never had before. With interest rates as they are, they’re offsetting my entire mortgage though, so for now I’ll give Amex a while until the 0%s start expiring/getting repaid, I think.

[NorthernLass]

You can reduce your own credit limit in your account.

[CarpalTravel]

NorthernLass wrote:

You can reduce your own credit limit in your account.

You absolutely can and on reading this thread did just that with my cashback card yesterday on the Amex web portal, to help with my BAPP application in April. @Durban – I see no need to wait 5 days for them to email you, what an odd process they have tried to send you on there! Unless they will be reviewing the application as a part of that call.

[Durban]

CarpalTravel wrote:

NorthernLass wrote:

You can reduce your own credit limit in your account.

You absolutely can and on reading this thread did just that with my cashback card yesterday on the Amex web portal, to help with my BAPP application in April. @Durban – I see no need to wait 5 days for them to email you, what an odd process they have tried to send you on there! Unless they will be reviewing the application as a part of that call.

Yes , they told me it was lengthy but I received the email from them today with a phone number and application number

I called them and they said that my credit limit needed to be reduced by £6000 which they are doing and they are now submitting my application for a manuel review and I should hear whether my resubmitted application is successful within 8 days.

I’m not in a huge hurry , would just like the lounge passes by the end of Feb.

[Aston100]

Durban wrote:

I’m not in a huge hurry , would just like the lounge passes by the end of Feb.

Imagine if after all this, the lounge turns you away because they are ‘full’.

[NorthernLass]

Indeed, hope OP is not flying from MAN!

[Durban]

NorthernLass wrote:

Indeed, hope OP is not flying from MAN!

Ha ha , thankfully not. I actually want those particular lounge passes for my return flight from Cape Town.
Unfortunately, for that leg of my journey , no avios business class flights available so had to try and obtain some lounge passes

[Durban]

I have now been approved. The credit limit on my BAPP card was lowered and a manual review of the application has resulted in the card being approved and I now have my lounge passes. Thank you everyone