My first Cap One card was opened in 2007 with a $300 CL. That same card is now currently sitting in my wallet with a $23,250 limit. Capital One is pretty decent with the CLIs as long as you're using the card. On top of that, the ability (when you can at least) to combine cards make them a little better as well. They'd be a nice company if they didn't triple pull your credit for every new card 
@Anonymous wrote:The answer to this question can be different for two different groups of people:
Those with lower credit scores (say under 650 at the time of approval) - Yes, Capital One can be "tough" for CLIs and card growth.
Those with higher credit scores (say 700+ at the time of approval) - No, Capital One isn't very "tough" for CLIs and card growth.
It has been reported by many people and with few exceptions that if you're approved for a CO product with a fair credit score (say 600) that account will almost certainly always be viewed as a starter account and will be next to impossible to grow significantly. It doesn't matter if it's 2-5 years later and your scores are 800+, as they'll still see the account as a "just made it in with a 600" account. Such a person is recommended to apply for a new Capital One product, which will indeed be approved with a significantly higher limit.
Oh boy, my 2nd CapOne rant tonight. Will I get to bed before calling them to close my last account? LOL
While I kinda fit into BBS's buckets above, I also seem to not fit at all. I had very limited credit when I got my first CapOne product around 1999 and with apps and acquisitions of other brands, I've had about 7 CapOne cards opened from 1999-2005. I would say my scores were probably just barely south of 700 or a point or two above during all of that time. Of my direct apps, they never gave me a SL higher than $2000. My last card was a different issue originally and is a combination of a number of $500-2000 cards over the years. I have never received a CLI from CapOne in 18 years. I've never been late on any account in my life and have had zero derogs for 20+ years of credit history. I tried an app for Venture earlier this year expecting that my card had just been bucketed and fully expecting a 5-digit SL and low APR. 7 day review and denied. My only denial for a new card app in at least a decade.
For those with problems in the past, CapOne is wonderful. They are forgiving and really want to be your lender. I wonder if something in their algorithms and business model expressly prefers those with previous issues, and this is the niche market they've carved out for themselves? Like with a BK, Amex may approve you but you likely won't see a CLI on a revolver until that BK has dropped from your reports. With CapOne, they'll approve you the next day and give you the world in essence. Of course I know they also dabble in prime lending and there are plenty of people with good or great credit that they treat well, also.
From what I've heard, I have to agree with BBS about the bucket you are in when you open the account determining how easy or hard it is to get a large CL with CO. In my case, I was on the low end of the scale (570-580, EX 577) when I started with a $500 Platinum (now a $1100 QS) last December, but now with my FICO08 scores all over 700, I suspect that I wil have to apply for a new card to get a high limit, but that will have to wait for a while since I'm gardening.
The good things about CO are that they are very forgiving and that they are willing to give people with thin / new files a chance. They were the first one to accept me for my rebuild.
No credit news is good credit news!