Citi AA CLI question

[jd403]

I have a Citi AA card with a $3k limit.  My stement cut date id the 5th of each month.  If I make a big payment on say the 10th, do I need to wait until the next statement cuts in April before I request a CLI or can I wait for it to post and request it?

[accidentalpancake]

A single payment won't likely make a difference, but there are a lot of variables missing.

What's the current balance, and how long has it been there; how long have you had the card; do you typically carry a balance; if yes, how much; do you pay the minimum or more; etc.

[jd403]

$2500 is the current balance. I've had the card since last June and usually make a $3-400 payment each month. I use it for everything for points I get towards miles.

I will make my usual payment on the 1st and another on the 10th

[accidentalpancake]

Well I'm not intimately familiar with Citi's CLI algorithms, but I'd say on average if you're carrying the balance at $2500 (even though you're making a couple of large payments a month, the true balance isn't changing since you're continually using it) it's probably not the most positive indicator. It's really all about utilization in that case. You're over 80%, which in itself might be a flag.

It all depends, though. If you're not running balances on any other cards and you've got a clean file, they may see more opportunity for you to spend by giving you more room. 

I've been through this exact situation. Decent scores and a few cards with mid-level limits. It was always hardest to get CLIs when I ran balances. When I was finally able to pay all my cards completely down, I couldn't turn around without tripping over a CLI.

If it's a SP, though, no harm in asking...