Amex 2/90, 1/5, 1/8 velocity rules
rules · 4 min read
The three rules
- 2/90: Amex approves at most 2 new credit card accounts in any 90-day rolling window. Charge cards (Green/Gold/Platinum pre-2020) historically didn't count, now most do.
- 1/5: Only 1 new Amex card in any 5-day window.
- 1/8: Only 1 new Amex within 8 days. Sometimes enforced, sometimes not.
How they stack
You can technically get 2 Amex cards in 6 days if you space them right — day 0 and day 6 — because 1/5 has passed. The 2/90 clock still applies.
Charge card exception (mostly gone)
Pre-2020, charge cards (Green/Gold/Plat) didn't count. Post-2020 Amex has tightened this — assume everything counts.
The velocity trick
If you're running into 2/90 but want a specific Amex card, wait exactly 91 days from your earliest approval. The oldest one ages off.