Can You Have 2 Amex Cards? A Helpful Guide on Maximizing Your Amex Setup

American Express is one of the most popular credit card issuers, offering a wide variety of cards for consumers and businesses. A common question many Amex cardholders have is “can I have two Amex cards?” The short answer is yes, you can have multiple Amex cards. However, there are some rules and restrictions to be aware of if you want to maximize your Amex card setup. In this article, we’ll provide a helpful guide on everything you need to know about having two or more Amex cards.

Overview of Rules for Multiple Amex Cards

Here’s a quick rundown of the key rules and restrictions to keep in mind:

• You can have up to 5 credit cards and 10 charge cards from Amex Both business and personal cards count towards these limits

• You can only get the welcome bonus on each Amex card once in your lifetime,

• It’s possible to apply for one Amex credit card and one charge card on the same day. Applying for two credit cards on the same day may trigger a fraud alert and result in one application being denied.

• To avoid getting denied, it’s best to space out Amex applications by at least 90 days between credit cards.

Okay, now let’s explore each of these rules in more detail.

Amex Card Limits: 5 Credit Cards and 10 Charge Cards

Amex has two types of cards – credit cards and charge cards.

Credit cards have a preset spending limit and allow you to carry a balance from month to month (though interest charges will apply, so it’s best to pay in full).

Charge cards require you to pay off the full balance each billing cycle. They do not have a preset spending limit.

The limits on number of cards you can have are:

• Up to 5 credit cards
• Up to 10 charge cards

These limits apply across both business and personal cards. So if you already have 3 personal credit cards, you could only get 2 more business credit cards before hitting the 5 card cap.

Amex cards without a preset spending limit (some charge cards and business cards) do not count towards these limits. So you could have 10 charge cards and a business card with no preset limit for a total of 11 Amex cards.

One Welcome Bonus Per Card Per Lifetime

To protect against bonus abuse, Amex restricts you to only one welcome bonus per card per lifetime. This applies to both business and personal versions of a card.

For example, say you open the Platinum Card and earn the 75,000 point welcome bonus. You later close that card. If you apply again for the same Platinum Card in the future, you won’t be eligible for the bonus again since you already got it once.

However, you can earn the welcome bonuses on the different flavors of Platinum. The Schwab and Morgan Stanley versions count as separate products from the base Platinum Card.

The key is you can only get each card’s bonus one time. So choose carefully when applying based on the current best offers.

Applying for Multiple Amex Cards on the Same Day

When applying for multiple Amex cards close together, here are some important rules:

• You can apply for one credit card and one charge card on the same day. Both applications can be approved.

• Applying for two credit cards on the same day will likely trigger a fraud alert and result in denial of the second application.

• To safely get approved for two Amex credit cards, space out your applications by at least 90 days.

So if you want both the Amex Gold Card and the Blue Cash Preferred Card, apply for one first. Then wait at least 3 months before applying for the other.

Some people have reported getting approved for two credit cards on the same day, but it’s very hit or miss. The safer approach is spacing out applications by a few months to avoid denials.

Strategies for Maximizing Your Amex Setup

Now that you know the basic rules, let’s discuss some strategies to optimize your Amex card setup:

1. Grab the most valuable welcome bonuses

Aim to get each card when it’s offering an increased welcome bonus. Check for targeted bonus offers as well. This will maximize the value you get from each application.

2. Space out applications by 90+ days

Wait at least 3 months between applying for Amex credit cards to give yourself the best approval odds.

3. Downgrade instead of canceling

When you no longer want a card, consider downgrading it to a no annual fee version instead of canceling. This will help preserve your credit history with Amex.

4. Use cardmember year upgrades

You may be targeted with upgrade offers to switch between Amex cards after your first cardmember year. Upgrading won’t make you eligible for the bonus again, but can provide account longevity.

5. Combine hard pulls

Apply for multiple cards on the same day when possible so the credit bureaus only see one hard inquiry instead of multiples. This will minimize the impact to your credit scores.

6. Track bonus timelines

Set a calendar reminder for each card’s bonus anniversary date so you remember to cancel or downgrade before the annual fee hits again.

Sample Amex Card Setups

Here are a few hypothetical examples of Amex card combinations you could hold to maximize category bonuses:

The trifecta:

• Amex Gold – 4x groceries & dining
• Amex Green – 3x travel
• Blue Business Plus – 2x everything

Maximizing categories:

• Amex Gold – 4x groceries & dining
• Blue Cash Preferred – 6% groceries, 6% streaming
• Hilton Surpass – 12x Hilton stays
• Delta Platinum – 3x Delta flights
• Business Gold – 4x categories

Focus on transfers:

• Platinum Card – 5x flights
• Green Card – 3x travel
• Gold Card – 4x dining & groceries
• Business Gold – 4x categories
• Blue Business Plus – 2x everywhere

As you can see, the possibilities are endless! Just be sure to follow the application rules to avoid getting rejected.

The Bottom Line

Having multiple Amex cards can provide flexibility to maximize your rewards. However, Amex does limit you to 5 credit cards and 10 charge cards total across personal and business. It’s also critical to space out credit card applications by at least 90 days to get approved for 2+ Amex cards. If you play by the rules, you can build an Amex setup with all your favorite cards. Just focus on applying at the right times to grab the most valuable welcome offers.