Applying for a new credit card can sometimes be a stressful experience, but it quickly turns to excitement when you see the words “congratulations, you’ve been approved!” will appear on your screen.
If you’re applying for a new travel rewards card, you’ll probably be eager to start using your card right away. however, there are a variety of factors that will determine how quickly you can start using your new card.
While your application process may result in an instant decision, credit card issuers will generally ask you to wait until you receive the card in the mail before you start using it. the wait for your new card can often be 5-7 business days.
Some issuers will issue your credit card number instantly after approval so you can start using it right away.
To make things easier, we’ve compiled a list of the major credit card issuers and their respective policies on issuing instant credit card numbers after approval.
why would i need an instant credit card number?
So why should you rush to get your card number in the first place? here are some reasons why you might want the option to use your card right away:
- advance discount: If you’re looking for a co-branded credit card, chances are you’ll receive some kind of perk or discount with the merchant as soon as you sign up. This could be as simple as a discount on your airfare when you’re about to complete your booking. in this case, having the card number right away allows you to apply that discount to the purchase you were about to make anyway.
- next big purchase to help fulfill the bonus welcome: if you are familiar with the world of points and miles, you know that credit cards can have very lucrative welcome bonuses for meeting the minimum spending requirements. The sooner you can meet the spending requirement, the sooner you’ll get a huge influx of points! Because of this, many people like to open a new credit card when they have an upcoming big purchase, like a wedding or moving expenses.
- emergency need: sometimes , you may find yourself in need of a line of credit quickly, and perhaps a 0% introductory APR offer makes more sense to you. In any case, if you need help financing a large or unexpected purchase, you may want to access that credit sooner rather than later.
issuers offering instant card numbers
american express
An instant card number upon approval of a new account is available on all american express credit cards.
However, some people report that in the case of co-branded cards, the instantly issued card number can only be used at the co-branded location. for example, a hilton card can only be used with hilton, or a delta card can only be used with delta.
after your card number is provided, remember to write it down and/or take a screenshot. you can request the number again from amex, but it is much faster to make a note of the number card as it is approved for the card.
Note that the card number you receive will likely be the same as your physical card, but your temporary security code will likely not be the same.
Bottom line: american express is by far the most convenient option when it comes to getting access to your new credit card number right away. in this case, we highly recommend these cards as the best option for those who need access to their new credit card number instantly.
recommended american express cards (personal)
Important tip: If you don’t see your card number as soon as it’s approved, you can request the card number from amex by contacting them. In addition, many Users have reported that they receive a statement credit if the amex software crashes and cannot issue the card number.
chase (use the “instant spend” feature)
chase offers an “instant spend” feature as part of its chase mobile app. Once you’re approved for a new card, you can immediately add it through your app to 1 of 3 digital wallets: Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay.
This is how it works:
step 1: log in to your account.
Step 2: Select your new card, then scroll down to Account Services and click on Digital Wallets.
Step 3: From there, you can select which digital wallet you want to instantly link your card to.
step 4: everything is ready! now you can start using your card even before it arrives in the mail.
currently, most chase credit cards are eligible for the instant spend feature, with the exception of the aeroplan® credit card, amazon cards, business cards, chase freedom flex℠, disney cards and ihg cards luckily, 3 of our favorite cards, the chase sapphire preferred® card, the chase sapphire reserve® card, and the chase freedom unlimited® card are all included.
bank of america
According to Bank of America, customers who apply for and are approved for a credit card through the Bank of America mobile app can immediately load it into their digital wallet.
However, for those who apply through the website, the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® Credit Card appears to be the only one that provides an instant card number.
bank of missouri
sofi partners with this small regional bank to offer their credit card to customers. When you’re approved for your Sofi credit card, you can immediately add it to a digital wallet and start using it for purchases with your mobile device.
barclays
several barclays co-branded credit cards offer instant card numbers and available credit for purchases made through the co-branded website:
- frontier airlines world mastercard®: instant credit for purchases made through the frontier website
- hawaiian airlines® world elite mastercard® — instant credit for travel purchases made through the hawaiian airlines website
- the jetblue card: instant credit for purchases through the jetblue website
- priceline rewards™ visa® card: offers instant credit for purchases through the priceline website
- princess cruises® visa® rewards card: offers instant credit when used to purchase a cruise with princess cruises
city
a few citi cards will offer you instant card numbers, including:
- citi® / aadvantage® platinum select® world elite™ mastercard®
- citi custom cash℠ card
- costco card anywhere visa® by citi
goldman sachs
apple card will allow cardholders to use the card instantly upon approval through the wallet app on their iphone.
hsbc
hsbc will provide you with your credit card number after approval, but not the cvv or expiration date of your card.
synchronization
The only cards offered by synchrony that give you instant access to your card number are:
- ebay mastercard
- paypal mastercard refund
for paypal or ebay cards, you can make an online purchase of up to $250 through paypal.
united states
usaa will give you an instant card number to use, along with the expiration date and 3-digit code. this has a maximum credit limit of $1,000, which is increased to your approved credit limit when the physical card arrives.
united states bank
us bank has started issuing instant credit cards for mobile/online use on some cards with plans to roll it out to all cards in the near future. this option is currently limited to those who process a credit card application with the text message application option, which can only occur for an application processed by a banker, either at the branch, by phone, or by email .
fargo wells
the bilt master card, issued by wells fargo, allows you to access your card number instantly through the bilt mobile app after your card is approved.
issuers that do not offer instant card numbers
- credit union alliance
- bbva
- capital one
- citi
- discover
- marina federal savings and credit cooperative
final thoughts
In summary, while there are some issuers that will allow you to receive your card instantly, you will typically need to allow 5-7 business days to receive your new credit card. If you happen to need access to your card immediately, we recommend that you consider an American Express card, as this is probably your best option.
Please note that these policies may change at any time, and issuers may operate at their own discretion in deciding whether or not to issue your new card number instantly.
We love when our readers share their experiences with us, so if you have a data point that confirms (or conflicts) with ours, let us know in the comments below!
information about the alaska airlines visa signature® credit card, the frontier airlines® visa signature® card, the hawaiian airlines® world elite mastercard® card, the jetblue card, the priceline rewards™ visa® card , princess cruises® visa® card, citi® / aadvantage® platinum select® world elite™ mastercard®, bilt mastercard, apple card, ebay mastercard, paypal cashback mastercard and sofi credit card were charged independently through enhanced points and the issuer did not provide or review them.
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