Does Having a Bank Account With an Issuer Make Credit Card Approval Easier?

Better the risk you know than the one you don't.

When it comes to personal finance, nothing is guaranteed. That goes double for credit. That's why, no matter how perfect your credit or how many times you've applied for a new credit card, there's always that moment of doubt while you wait for a decision.

Issuing banks look at a wide range of factors when making a decision -- and your credit score is only one of them. They look at your entire credit history, and consider things like your income and even your history with the bank itself.

For example, if you defaulted on a credit card with a given bank 15 years ago, that mistake is likely long gone from your credit reports. To you and the three major credit bureaus, it is ancient history. But banks are like elephants -- they never forget. And that mistake could be enough to stop your approval.

But does it go the other way, too? Does having a bank account that's in good standing with an issuer make you more likely to get approved? While there's no clear-cut answer, there are a few cases when it could help.

A good relationship may weigh in your favor

Credit card issuers rarely come right out and say much about their approval processes, so we often have to rely on anecdotal evidence to get an idea of what works. That said, you can find a number of stories of folks who have been approved for a credit card they were previously denied for after they opened a savings or checking account with the issuer.

These types of stories are more common at the extreme ends of the card range. If you have a borderline bad credit score, for instance, having a long, positive banking history with the issuer -- like no overdrafts or other problems -- may weigh in your favor when applying for a credit card. That's because the bank is able to see that you have regular income and don't overspend.

Similarly, a healthy savings or investment account with a bank could be a helpful factor when applying for a high-end rewards credit card. This allows the bank to see that you can afford its product and that you have the type of funds required to put some serious spend on it.

Having a good banking relationship with an issuer can be particularly helpful when the economy is questionable and banks are tightening their proverbial pursestrings. When trying to minimize risk, going with applicants you've known for years simply makes more sense than starting fresh with a stranger.

Some banks provide targeted offers

Another way having a previous banking relationship with an issuer can help is when you can receive targeted credit card offers. These are sort of like invitations to apply for a card that the bank thinks will be a good fit for you. While approval for targeted offers is still not guaranteed, some types of targeted offers can be almost as good.

For example, the only confirmed way to get around Chase's 5/24 rule (which is that any card application will be automatically denied if you've opened five or more cards in the last 24 months) is to receive a special "just for you" offer through your online Chase account. When these offers show up -- they're marked with a special black star -- they will generally lead to an approval, no matter what your current 5/24 status.

Credit unions require membership

For the most part, you aren't usually required to have a bank account with a particular issuer to get a credit card with that bank. However, there is one big exception: credit unions. Due to the different structure of a credit union vs. a bank, credit unions only offer their products to current members of the credit union.

To become a member, you need to actually have a stake in that credit union. In most cases, this is done by opening a savings account and maintaining a small balance -- $5 is a common minimum.

You can only apply for a credit union credit card once you've joined, so a bank account is an actual requirement in this case. That said, your chances of being approved once you're a member aren't necessarily impacted by how much money you have in the account.

In general, while having a bank account with an issuer may be helpful in some cases, it's not a cure-all for bad credit. Your credit history will always have more impact than your banking history when it comes to getting approved for a credit card.

For more information on bad credit, check out our guide to learn how to rebuild your credit.