When it comes to applying for American Express cards, the issuer’s five card limit is a restriction to be aware of. In this post I wanted to discuss that in more detail, and also share a data point about how perhaps this isn’t quite so strict anymore?
American Express credit cards are incredibly popular among consumers for their generous rewards programs and premium perks. However, Amex also has strict rules regarding how many credit cards you can have at once This leaves many people wondering – how many Amex cards is too many?
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about Amex’s card limits, including:
Types of Amex Cards
First things first, let’s look at the types of cards offered by Amex:
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Credit Cards – These cards have a preset spending limit and allow you to carry a balance month-to-month while accruing interest. Examples include the Amex EveryDay® Credit Card and Amex Blue Cash Preferred® Card.
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Charge Cards – Charge cards require you to pay off the full balance each month and don’t have a preset spending limit Examples are The Platinum Card® from American Express and American Express® Gold Card
Both credit cards and charge cards count toward Amex’s card limits The only exception are the hybrid cards like the Platinum and Gold cards, Keep reading to understand why
Amex’s 5 Credit Card Limit
The major restriction to be aware of with Amex cards is their unofficial 5 credit card limit per consumer. This means you can only have 5 Amex credit cards open at any given time.
Charge cards are not included in this 5 card cap. However, this applies to both personal and business credit cards.
For example, I currently have:
- Amex EveryDay® Credit Card
- Amex Blue Cash Everyday® Card
- Amex Hilton Surpass Card
- Amex Business Gold Card
- Amex Business Platinum Card
This puts me at the 5 credit card limit. If I wanted to open another Amex credit card, I’d first need to close one of my existing cards.
Why Some Cards Are Excluded from the 5 Card Limit
There are a select few cards that do not count toward the 5 credit card restriction:
- The Platinum Card® from American Express
- American Express® Gold Card
- American Express® Green Card
Historically these were charge cards. But now they are hybrid cards that sometimes allow you to carry a balance. Due to their unique nature, Amex does not count them against the limit.
For example, I have 9 total Amex cards – 5 credit cards plus 4 hybrid cards exempt from the limit.
Is Amex Strictly Enforcing the 5 Card Rule?
The 5 card credit limit has been Amex’s policy for many years. However, recent reports indicate this rule may not be as strictly enforced anymore.
Some consumers have reported being approved for a 6th or even 7th Amex credit card, despite already being at the 5 card cap.
For example, one flyer on the blog One Mile At a Time shared that they were instantly approved for two additional Amex credit cards beyond the 5 card limit.
While it’s still just anecdotal evidence, it does suggest Amex may be loosening its policy on the credit card ceiling. The full 5 card limit is not an absolute hard rule for every applicant.
How Many Amex Cards Can You Apply for At Once?
In addition to the total card limit, Amex also restricts how many new applications you can submit. The commonly reported rules are:
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1 Credit Card Approval Every 5 Days – Applying for 2 credit cards on the same day will likely lead to 1 being denied or pended for fraud review.
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Maximum 2 Credit Card Approvals Every 90 Days – Trying to get more than 2 Amex credit card approvals in a 3 month window is very difficult.
Again, these application rules seem to focus exclusively on credit cards. You may be able to get approved for a charge card and credit card on the same day.
Welcome Bonus and Upgrade Considerations
Two final factors to keep in mind are Amex’s welcome bonus policy and how product upgrades/downgrades work:
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You can only earn the signup bonus once per Amex card in your lifetime. Earning a bonus on the Gold card prevents you from getting it again on the same product.
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Upgrading or downgrading a card also makes you ineligible for that card’s bonus in the future. You give up the ability to earn the signup perk again.
Because of these rules, you want to carefully consider when and how you apply for Amex cards to maximize your bonus earning potential.
The Bottom Line
While the published limit is 5 credit cards, some Amex consumers report being approved for 6+ cards. The strict 5 card ceiling seems to be a soft policy that may be easing up.
However, you still need to be mindful of Amex’s application rules and lifetime bonus restrictions. Have a strategy in place before applying for multiple Amex products to maximize your rewards.
Carefully review the current welcome bonuses, assess which ones offer the highest value, and pick the best times to apply. This helps ensure you extract the most value from each Amex card.
How Amex’s limit of five credit cards works
All the major card issuers have different restrictions when it comes to approving people for new cards. One of the major restrictions for getting approved for American Express cards has been a limit on how many total Amex credit cards you can have (this doesn’t include cards you have with other issuers).
Specifically, Amex limits consumers to having at most five credit cards with the issuer at a given time. It doesn’t matter if those are personal or business cards, as both count toward the limit. However, the trick is that non-credit cards, often referred to as hybrid cards, don’t count toward that limit.
Which cards don’t count toward Amex’s card limit?
Not all Amex cards count toward the five credit card limit. Generally speaking, both personal and business cards count towards the limit, with the exception of the following:
Why are these cards excluded? Historically these were known as charge cards, meaning there was no pre-set spending limit, and you couldn’t consistently finance charges. These are not credit cards. However, nowadays these are all hybrid cards, as the option to finance charges is now more consistently available.
Just as an example, looking at my Amex card strategy, I have a total of nine Amex cards — this includes five credit cards and four “hybrid” cards.
How Many Amex Cards Can You Have? | Amex Card Limits Explained
FAQ
How many Amex cards should you have?
Because each card offers different benefits and earning power, it makes sense to carry more than one card. By using the AmEx Trifecta of cards, you’ll earn maximum points on travel, dining, groceries and other purchases.
Can you have too many Amex cards?
Cate Langs, Member. You can have as many Amex credit cards as you like, provided that you meet the issuer’s eligibility requirements and get approved.Apr 21, 2025
Does Amex have a 2-90 rule?
2 in 90 Rule
You can only get approved for two credit cards every 90 days. This means that if you apply for a third card within the 90-day window, you’ll automatically be rejected. These rules apply to credit cards only and not charge cards, so you can apply for as many charge cards as you like.
Does Amex have a 5/24 rule?
How many AmEx credit cards can I have?
This question is about American Express Credit Cards You can have as many Amex credit cards as you like, provided that you meet the issuer’s eligibility requirements and get approved. There used to be a limit of 4 cards per cardholder, but according to customer service, this limit no longer applies.
What is the Amex card limit?
Now, let’s address the elephant in the room: the Amex card limit. According to American Express policy, a person may only have five credit cards in their possession at any one time. Charge cards are not included in this cap, which is applicable to both personal and business credit cards.
How many American Express credit cards can I get approved for?
A significant limitation on the number of American Express credit cards you can obtain approval for has been in place (this does not include cards you have with other issuers). Specifically, Amex limits consumers to having at most five credit cards with the issuer at a given time.
Can I have more AMEX cards?
You may be able to have more Amex cards than this new policy states if you actively use all of your lending products from Amex, but it’s unclear how much use of each card would be required to get an exception. Related reading: Choosing the best American Express credit card for you Do other issuers have similar restrictions?
What credit cards count against the American Express spending limit?
Business and personal cards both count against this limit. However, the limit doesn’t apply to cards without a spending limit. Therefore, if you already hold five American Express credit cards and want to apply for another one, you’ll have to cancel one of your existing cards.
How many credit cards are too many?
What one lender views as too many credit cards may not be the same as another. Therefore, how many credit cards are considered too many will vary depending on both your individual credit history, who is looking at your credit report and the scoring system they are using. It’s true that closing accounts may hurt your credit scores.