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Does AmEx have a 5 24 rule?

Does AmEx have a 5/24 rule? No; in fact, the AmEx welcome bonus rules work differently than Chase. Ariana is a travel rewards expert who has been covering points, miles and free travel for over seven years. She previously served as managing editor for FlyerTalk and Frugal Travel Guy.



No, American Express does not have a "5/24 rule"; that specific policy is exclusive to Chase. The 5/24 rule means Chase will automatically decline any application if you have opened five or more credit cards (with any issuer) in the past 24 months. However, AmEx has its own unique set of restrictions in 2026. The most famous is the "Once Per Lifetime" rule, which generally prevents you from earning a welcome bonus on a specific card if you have ever held that card before. Additionally, AmEx typically limits individuals to a maximum of five personal credit cards (this does not include "Pay Over Time" cards like the Gold or Platinum) and has a "1-in-5" rule, meaning you can only be approved for one credit card every five days, and a "2-in-90" rule, limiting you to two credit card approvals in a 90-day window. So while AmEx is more lenient about your total recent accounts than Chase, they are much stricter about bonus eligibility.

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The golden rule of credit card usage is to do everything you can to pay off your entire balance each month. If you can do this, you won't be charged any interest. You'll be enjoying free credit and all the other benefits your card offers. Be sure to always make at least the minimum payment on your card.

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