Amex’s New “As High As” Feature: What It Means & How It Works
At Travel Freely, our points and miles approach centers on earning high welcome offers – and for good reason. Those welcome offers are the backbone of any solid points and miles strategy for free travel. But what if we told you there’s now a new way to access even higher offers than the ones you normally see?
American Express has launched a new way to personalize card offers called the “As High As” experience. This article will walk you through exactly what it is, how it works, and what to expect when you apply for a card using this offer format.
What Is the “As High As” Feature?
The “As High As” feature is Amex’s new approach to showing you the maximum welcome offer you could qualify for — when you apply, before you officially choose to accept the offer and without a hard credit pull.
What does this mean? It means you can view your highest available offer using a soft credit check only — and then decide whether to move forward before any impact to your credit score. There is zero risk in taking this step. There really is no obligation here.
While American Express isn’t the only issuer offering soft-check previews, this kind of transparency still stands out compared to most major banks.
The “As High As” difference: Unlike with other banks, this isn’t just a soft credit check on a standard public offer. Instead, it gives you a preview of the highest available offer you could be eligible for, based on your soft credit check.
And yes — there are other offer amounts between the standard offer and the maximum, so even if you don’t qualify for the top tier, you might still get something better than the base offer.
For example, check out the welcome offer for the The Platinum Card® from American Express.
Find out your welcome offer. Earn As High As 175,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in the first 6 months. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.
An ultra-premium card loaded with benefits and perks, especially for the frequent traveler. Terms apply.
If you apply and get approved, you’ll receive the specific offer you’re qualified for. If you’re approved and accept the card, your credit score will then be impacted.
How It Works: Step-by-Step
Accessing the “as high as” offer is easy and only requires a few simple steps.
1. Click through the link below offering an “As High As” offer.
An ultra-premium card loaded with benefits and perks, especially for the frequent traveler. Terms apply.
2. Click on “Apply Now.”
3. This takes you to a standard Amex credit card application. Next, fill out the application form with your personal details and click “Submit.” This process uses a soft credit check so Amex can determine whether you are eligible for this card and, if applicable, for which offer you are approved. The soft credit check gives Amex a broad summary of your credit history and credit score. At this point, this has no impact to your credit.
4. If you are approved, Amex will show you your personalized welcome offer. You can then choose to accept the card with that offer or withdraw without triggering a hard inquiry.
Important: You’ll only trigger a hard credit pull if you choose to accept the offer. If you decline, there’s no impact to your credit score.
- Offers range and you may not qualify for the full 175,000 points, but you may still receive an elevated offer above the standard public offer available. Also note that you may not be eligible for an offer.
- Since Amex is showing you their decision of your personalized offer ahead of you completing the full application process, you get to decide whether to accept it without any risk.
5. Accept or decline the offer. If you decide to move forward, select “Accept Card.” At this point, Amex will perform a hard credit inquiry and issue your card.
If you choose not to accept the offer, select “Withdraw Application” with no impact to your credit score.
6. Start using your card right away (optional). Once accepted, you can receive your new Amex card number instantly and begin using it even before your physical card arrives in the mail. (Tip: Once approved, don’t forget to add your new card to your My Cards list in the Travel Freely app and start tracking your welcome offer spend!)
7. Meet the minimum spend on your card in the required timeframe to earn your welcome offer.
Application Tips
Lifetime Rule: If you’ve ever had the same card before, you are most likely prohibited from getting a welcome offer for the card if you apply now. This is due to Amex’s lifetime rule where you can supposedly only get the welcome offer on each Amex card once in your life. Fortunately you’ll be warned during the application process if this is the case.
Family Rule: In addition to the Lifetime Rule, Amex now applies additional “family” rules to several groups of consumer cards including the Amex Membership Rewards cards (Green, Gold, Platinum). This rule states that you can get the welcome offer on any of the Amex Membership Rewards cards if you’ve never had a more expensive card than the one you are applying for. So, for example, you’re eligible for a welcome offer on the Amex Platinum if you’ve had the American Express® Gold Card, but you’re not eligible for a welcome offer on the Amex Gold if you’ve previously had the Platinum. There is a “?” here because the terms of these rules include the phrase, “you may not be eligible.” So this may not be a rule that applies to every applicant. Our advice is — if you want to make sure to get the bonuses on both cards, you could get the Gold first and then the Platinum eventually. The good news is that Amex will let you know if you are NOT eligible before running the application. Note: These rules don’t apply to business cards.
Platinum/Gold: You’re not able to get a welcome offer on the Gold, Platinum, or Charles Schwab Platinum if you’ve previously had any of the 3 Platinum cards. The Morgan Stanley Platinum currently does not have these terms. Our advice is — if you’re interested in both the Amex Gold and the Amex Platinum, we recommend going for the Amex Gold first.
1/5 Rule: You can get at most 1 credit card within every 5 days. This rule does not apply to Pay Over Time (charge) cards, which include the Amex Membership Rewards consumer and business cards (Green, Gold, and Platinum, Plum).
2/90 Rule: You can open a maximum of 2 Amex credit cards in a rolling 90 day period. This rule usually does not apply to Pay Over Time (charge) cards.
5 Credit Card Max: Amex usually won’t approve applications for new credit cards if you already have 5 or more Amex credit cards or 10 or more Pay Over Time (charge) cards. Both personal and business cards count towards the respective 5 and 10 card limits.
Key Details to Know
- This is one of the rare times you get to preview the highest elevated offer available to you risk-free.
- Not Everyone Will Qualify for 175K: Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for the maximum offer amount. This is not necessarily bad news. See below for our take. Also note that you may not be eligible for an offer.
- Soft Pull First: You’ll see your exact offer after you’re approved, before any credit impact.
- Hard Pull Second (if applicable): If you are approved and you decide to accept the offer, only then will a hard credit inquiry be done and credit agencies notified.
Here’s what we recommend:
Even if you don’t get the full 175K offer, it’s still a great entry point into the Amex ecosystem. Membership Rewards are flexible, valuable, and can unlock tons of travel perks. And with “As High As,” Amex is letting you see your top offer before you commit, which is pretty cool.
In the past, you had to stumble across an elevated offer through a referral or direct mail. Now, Amex is upfront about your best possible offer, and you get to decide if it’s worth moving forward.
What If You Don’t See the Offer?
If the “As High As” offer isn’t showing up for you:
- You may not be eligible at this time based on Amex’s internal criteria.
Frequently Asked Questions (updated)
Q. Can I still get this offer if I’ve had the Platinum before?
A: Great question! The short answer is — maybe. American Express has what’s called a “once per lifetime” rule for welcome offers on each of their cards. So if you’ve ever had The Platinum Card® from American Express in the past, even years ago, you typically won’t be eligible for the welcome offer again.
That said, there are occasional exceptions. For example, if you had a different version of the Platinum (like the Morgan Stanley or Charles Schwab versions), you might still be eligible for the regular Platinum — or vice versa.
Also, Amex has gotten better about telling you upfront whether you’re eligible. When you go through the “As High As” tool, they’ll usually let you know before your application is processed — so you won’t accidentally waste a hard credit pull.
So while most people won’t be eligible again if they’ve had the same Platinum before, the tool helps you find out with zero risk.
Q. What if my credit is frozen? Will the tool still show my offer?
A: This one’s a little tricky. The “As High As” tool uses a soft credit check to show your personalized offer — which usually doesn’t require you to unfreeze your credit. That’s one of the perks of a soft check: it doesn’t affect your credit score and often works even if your credit is frozen.
However, there’s a small catch. Some users have reported that Amex may still need access to your frozen credit report — depending on how your freeze is set up and which bureau they try to pull from. So, if your credit is currently frozen, there’s a chance the tool might not work unless you temporarily unfreeze it.
Bottom line? If the tool isn’t showing you anything, your credit freeze could be the reason. If you’re comfortable doing so, try unfreezing your credit briefly and re-checking.
Q. I’m deciding between the Gold and Platinum card — how do I choose?
The Gold and Platinum cards are 2 of the most popular cards from Amex, but they’re built for different types of spenders.
- The Gold Card is a go-to for foodies and everyday spenders. You’ll earn high rewards on restaurants and supermarkets, and the annual fee is lower. If you’re just starting out with Amex or want strong points-earning on daily purchases, the Gold is probably your best bet.
- The Platinum Card is more of a luxury travel card. You’ll get premium perks like airport lounge access, hotel elite status, and travel credits — but the annual fee is higher. It’s great if you travel often and can use those benefits to offset the cost.
Here’s one more important thing to keep in mind: Amex has family rules. If you open the Platinum first, it could make you ineligible for the Gold’s welcome offer down the road. So if you’re thinking of eventually getting both, it may make sense to start with the Gold.
Q. What is a “soft credit check” and does it affect my credit score?
A: A soft credit check (also called a soft pull) is kind of like a quick peek at your credit report — but without any consequences. It gives a company like Amex just enough info to pre-approve or personalize an offer for you, without impacting your credit score in any way.
The best part? You can see what kind of offer you qualify for — like through the “As High As” tool — without officially applying or committing to anything.
Unlike a hard credit check (which happens when you submit a real application and can affect your score), a soft check is totally safe. It’s the same kind of thing lenders use for pre-approvals or when you check your own credit.
So, bottom line:
- It won’t hurt your credit score.
- It won’t show up to other lenders.
- It’s a risk-free way to see what you can get.
Final Thoughts
The ability to preview your best possible offer without risking your credit score is a rare and welcome update.
Amex’s “As High As” feature gives you the power to make informed decisions — and if you qualify for that 175,000-points welcome offer, you’re off to an incredible start.
Reminder: Always read the terms on the application page, and make sure you understand your actual offer before accepting.
Ready to see your offer?
An ultra-premium card loaded with benefits and perks, especially for the frequent traveler. Terms apply.
And if you get the card? Check out our Membership Rewards Strategy Guide to make the most of those points!
