The credit score you need for popular rewards cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Capital One Venture

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• It's good to know the credit score you'll need to get approved for a credit card before you apply.
• The popular Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card generally requires a minimum credit score in the high 600s.
• Credit score guidelines vary by card, but the issuer will always make the final approval decision.
• Read Insider's guide to the best rewards credit cards.

If you have your eye on a rewards card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, you might be wondering whether your credit score is sufficient to get approved. And it's a good question - after all, many of the most popular cards are aimed at luxury travelers.

Read more: The best credit card offers in June 2021: Earn points, miles, or cash back

You might expect all rewards credit cards to require a high credit score, but that's not the case. Every card issuer has its own underwriting criteria, which isn't based strictly on credit score. Other factors can include employment, income, and any existing relationship with the bank.

What credit card issuers look at in your application

Although no banks make their underwriting criteria public (in fact, banks consider this a trade secret), consumers are free to report their experiences applying for credit cards. Online forums (such as /r/churning on Reddit) contain hundreds of posts with anecdotal information.

Read more: 6 steps you can take to boost your chances of being approved for a credit card right now

Keep in mind that this is "anecdata." Underwriting criteria for the banks can change at any time, and general criteria may not apply to your specific situation. For example, it's not unusual for banks to tighten lending requirements in a slowing economy, or to have more stringent lending criteria for people working in historically volatile industries. Remember that the bank is ultimately making a calculation about risk - specifically how high of a risk you will be.

How to determine what credit score you'll need to open a credit card

You won't find one definitive answer to what credit score you need to open a given card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. Instead, you can get a sense of the range of scores of successful applicants.

Read more: 5 ways opening a credit card and using it responsibly can boost your credit score

Credit Karma can be a good tool in this research - when you look up a card on its website, you'll see that many reader reviews include their credit score at the time of their application.

Here are the five credit score categories, according to FICO:

• Poor: 300-579
• Fair: 580-669
• Good: 670-739
• Very good: 740-799
• Excellent: 800-850

If you have a limited credit history, you might need to start smaller with a secured credit card or an option aimed at those new to credit. Check out our list of the best cards for students and others with limited credit history.

Chase Sapphire Preferred

Credit score of successful applicants, as reported on Credit Karma: High 600s to 850

What's a good consolation prize if you have great credit, but won't qualify for the premium Chase Sapphire Reserve®? The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, which comes with many of the same excellent benefits and a higher sign-up bonus: 60,000 points after you spend $4,000 in the first three months.

Read more: Chase Sapphire Preferred vs Sapphire Reserve: How to decide which travel rewards credit card is best for you

TheChase Sapphire Preferred® Card has a minimum $5,000 credit line. Although a credit score of 720 or above is typical for successful applicants, the underwriting criteria are more relaxed than for the Chase Sapphire Reserve, and even college students with income from a part-time job have been approved for this card. You must fall under the strict Chase 5/24 requirements to obtain this card - that means you can't have opened more than five new credit card accounts in the last 24 months.

Chase Sapphire Reserve

Credit score of successful applicants, as reported on Credit Karma: Low 700s to 850

Chase is a notoriously strict card issuer, but for the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, it really takes it to the next level. This card is a Visa Infinite card, with a credit line minimum of $10,000.

Read more: 7 reasons to choose the Chase Sapphire Preferred over the Sapphire Reserve - even though it doesn't come with as many fancy perks

You'll need an excellent credit score (typically above 720) to qualify for this card, along with a sufficient income to service an account with this large a credit line. You also must meet the infamous Chase 5/24 rule.

Should you apply if you don't meet these criteria? Maybe. The best way to apply is with a Chase banker in a branch, who can work to understand your personal financial situation and advocate for you with underwriting.

Another option is to apply for the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (which is easier to get) and ask to upgrade after the first year. This is often possible.

Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card

Credit score of successful applicants, as reported on Credit Karma: Mid 700s to 850 (but very few data points)

Capital One makes its underwriting criteria clearer than most issuers, with detailed information on credit quality required to open its cards. And yes, we did say credit quality; it isn't looking just at your credit score, but how you use credit.

Read more: The best Capital One credit cards

To Capital One, "excellent" means: "I've never declared bankruptcy or defaulted on a loan; I haven't been more than 60 days late on any credit card, medical bill, or loan in the last year; I've had a loan or credit card for 3 years or more with a credit limit above $5,000."

Since Capital One spells its requirements out clearly, don't apply unless you meet them.

The Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card earns 2x miles on all purchases. You can redeem Capital One miles to offset travel purchases on your statement, which makes it one of the best cards for people who don't have time to maximize award charts. You can also transfer miles to airline and hotel partners like Air Canada, British Airways, and Wyndham.

American Express cards

Although American Express is perceived as one of the higher-end issuers, as long as you're currently in good financial shape, it's believed to be relatively easier to get an American Express card than other cards.

That being said, not all Amex cards follow the same underwriting criteria. It's generally harder to get approved for cards like Platinum Card® from American Express that don't have a preset spending limit. Meanwhile, even college students (with no adverse credit history) have reported being approved (with a low credit line) for lower-tier Delta co-branded cards like the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card.

Read more: The best credit cards for fair or average credit in 2021

If you have terrible credit, you probably won't be approved for an American Express card. But you might be approved - albeit with a low credit line - if your credit isn't perfect, especially if your recent credit history is good and your income and employment meet the (hidden) criteria.