Amex Blue Cash Two Credit Limits

[tlgp]

I was recently approved for a new Amex Blue Cash Everyday card.  I haven't gotten the card in the mail yet, and the approval email didn't mention what the credit limit would be.  I was able to get into the online account, however, where the card shows "Avaliable Credit" of $500 and "Credit Limit" of $1000.   Which of these is the real credit limit?  If I have a credit limit of $1000, why is there only $500 of avaliable credit?  Does anyone understand the difference between these two number and what they mean?

[GaTech]

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@tlgp wrote:

I was recently approved for a new Amex Blue Cash Everyday card.  I haven't gotten the card in the mail yet, and the approval email didn't mention what the credit limit would be.  I was able to get into the online account, however, where the card shows "Avaliable Credit" of $500 and "Credit Limit" of $1000.   Which of these is the real credit limit?  If I have a credit limit of $1000, why is there only $500 of avaliable credit?  Does anyone understand the difference between these two number and what they mean?

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That's odd. Did you request a balance transfer to your new BCE card?

congrats on getting this card and welcome to AMEX family if you're new!

[longtime_lurker]

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@tlgp wrote:

I was recently approved for a new Amex Blue Cash Everyday card.  I haven't gotten the card in the mail yet, and the approval email didn't mention what the credit limit would be.  I was able to get into the online account, however, where the card shows "Avaliable Credit" of $500 and "Credit Limit" of $1000.   Which of these is the real credit limit?  If I have a credit limit of $1000, why is there only $500 of avaliable credit?  Does anyone understand the difference between these two number and what they mean?

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The $500 available credit was because you asked to see your credit card number when you were approved. If you were to go to Amazon and use that card number, a charge of up to $500 of would be approved. You cannot use the full limit until you phyically receive the card.

[tlgp]

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@GaTech wrote:

That's odd. Did you request a balance transfer to your new BCE card?

congrats on getting this card and welcome to AMEX family if you're new!

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I did not request a balance transfer or anything else like that- I just applied normally online.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but my understanging of these numbers is that the Credit Limit should always be the same (unless you get a CLI), and the avaliable credit should be the Credit Limit minus the current balance on the card; e.g. if you have a credit limit of $1000 and you make $150 in purchases, you should have $850 of avaliable credit.  Since I haven't made any purchases yet, I should have $1000 in avaliable credit, right?

[tlgp]

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@longtime_lurker wrote:

The $500 available credit was because you asked to see your credit card number when you were approved. If you were to go to Amazon and use that card number, a charge of up to $500 of would be approved. You cannot use the full limit until you phyically receive the card.

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That makes sense.  So that should go up to $1000 when I activate the physical card, then.

[longtime_lurker]

Yes.

[Startome]

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@longtime_lurker wrote:

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@tlgp wrote:

I was recently approved for a new Amex Blue Cash Everyday card.  I haven't gotten the card in the mail yet, and the approval email didn't mention what the credit limit would be.  I was able to get into the online account, however, where the card shows "Avaliable Credit" of $500 and "Credit Limit" of $1000.   Which of these is the real credit limit?  If I have a credit limit of $1000, why is there only $500 of avaliable credit?  Does anyone understand the difference between these two number and what they mean?

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The $500 available credit was because you asked to see your credit card number when you were approved. If you were to go to Amazon and use that card number, a charge of up to $500 of would be approved. You cannot use the full limit until you phyically receive the card.

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+1

[user5387]

I'm not sure that an AMEX CL on a revolver actually means that you can spend that amount.

There's also the internal limit that Amex maintains.