AMEX love!! Well, sorta :)

[ohreally7654]

I tried for a CLI on my Amex BCE card (account opened just over 90 days ago), and I got the dreaded 7-10 day message! I have also had my Delta Reserve (originally a Delta Gold), since April 2016, and declined 3 times, now, for a CLI. BUT! I have been eyeing the Hilton Honors Surpass, and got the 100K bonus points offer when logging in. I debated for a while before applying but ultimately decided to take the plunge, as, if it was denied, at least it would be a SP.

APPROVED, but for $1K SL. Though I have multiple cards well over the $20K SL mark, I am really okay with this, as Amex has been more than generous with me, considering at one point I was 120 days late on a prior card and was making payments through a debt management program. This was several years ago, and have since dramatically improved my financial and credit situations, but as we all know, Amex has a long memory. I’m grateful to not only be back in with them again, but to now have 5 cards with them. I am enjoying the benefits of all of the rewards I’ve earned this year, and will plan to use my Hilton points for a trip to L.A. early next year!

What I can’t figure out is why they always decline me for a CLI, but have managed to obtain 4 additional cards from them along the way. It’s a head scratcher, for sure!

[BronzeTrader]

AmEx starting credit line is $500.  You got more. 

[ohreally7654]

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@BronzeTrader wrote:

AmEx starting credit line is $500.  You got more. 

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So true!! Thank you for the positive spin! Despite the low limit, I'm very happy for the approval!

[UncleB]

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@ohreally7654 wrote:

I tried for a CLI on my Amex BCE card (account opened just over 90 days ago), and I got the dreaded 7-10 day message! I have also had my Delta Reserve (originally a Delta Gold), since April 2016, and declined 3 times, now, for a CLI. BUT! I have been eyeing the Hilton Honors Surpass, and got the 100K bonus points offer when logging in. I debated for a while before applying but ultimately decided to take the plunge, as, if it was denied, at least it would be a SP.

APPROVED, but for $1K SL. Though I have multiple cards well over the $20K SL mark, I am really okay with this, as Amex has been more than generous with me, considering at one point I was 120 days late on a prior card and was making payments through a debt management program. This was several years ago, and have since dramatically improved my financial and credit situations, but as we all know, Amex has a long memory. I’m grateful to not only be back in with them again, but to now have 5 cards with them. I am enjoying the benefits of all of the rewards I’ve earned this year, and will plan to use my Hilton points for a trip to L.A. early next year!

What I can’t figure out is why they always decline me for a CLI, but have managed to obtain 4 additional cards from them along the way. It’s a head scratcher, for sure!

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Congrats on the approval! 

My Amex experience closely mirrors your own; I included a Green card in BK7 17 years ago and they always reference that when I request a CLI - actually, the only CLI I've received was an auto-CLI on my BCP (they bumped it from $1k to $3k).

Like you mention, new accounts don't seem to be a problem.  My first two revolvers (BCP and Delta Gold) were both approved for $1k, and I was sure that I was going to be stuck with $1k approvals until I app'ed for my ED back in January... it was approved for $8k.  Before I had the PRG I had a Green card, and I have an installment loan with them as well - all of this since May 2015.  No CLIs, though! 

That said, I've never had a pre-qualified card offer - all my cards came from cold apps.  It seems that in both our cases having had past issues might have us flagged in such a way that makes customer-initiated CLIs a no-go... like you said, it's a head-scratcher for sure! 

Side note:  I still love Amex... I'm certainly not complaining! 

[ohreally7654]

Thanks so much, UncleB!! I also appreciate you sharing your experiences with Amex! I definitely think that youi're correct, in that, we seem to have been flagged somehow in their system due to past relaitonships with Amex.  But, if it was a choice between a CLI and a new card (especially the HH Surpass), I would take the new accounts for sure! Hopefully at some point I will start to see auto CLI's, but either way, I'm very happy to have Amex back in my wallet!

[Anonymous]

I just started using my BCE again. I did not even request a CLI and got an email for a CLI increas of $1K.

I now have a $2K limit.

[AverageJoesCredit]

Congrats ohreally In time the growth spurt will have you running to buy new wallet