topic Re: Amex CLI advice in Credit Card Approvals

Amex CLI advice

Peterparkyr — Sun, 22 Jun 2025 16:16:23 GMT

I'm planning to request a CLI from AMEX on my blue cash card. Currently CL at 5k. Card has been open for 2 years. No previous CLIs. Paid as agreed. I was declined for a CLI request 3 months ago due high monthly balances on the card. I've address the reason for decline.

Questions:

Should I unfreeze my credit reports before requesting a CLI with AMEX?

Should I limit my request to 3x the current CL?

Thanks!

Re: Amex CLI advice

JoeRockhead — Sun, 22 Jun 2025 16:17:49 GMT

@Peterparkyr wrote:
I'm planning to request a CLI from AMEX on my blue cash card. Currently CL at 5k. Card has been open for 2 years. No previous CLIs. Paid as agreed. I was declined for a CLI request 3 months ago due high monthly balances on the card. I've address the rain for decline.

Questions:
Should I unfreeze my credit reports before requesting a CLI with AMEX?
Should I limit my request to 3x the current CL?

Thanks!

No need to unfreeze reports, and yes 3x is the max they'd give you on a request.

Re: Amex CLI advice

Peterparkyr — Sun, 22 Jun 2025 16:27:30 GMT

Thanks @JoeRockhead !

Re: Amex CLI advice

Peterparkyr — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 11:42:21 GMT

UPDATE:

@JoeRockhead thanks again for the good advice. It worked as you suggested.

Requested CLI this morning and APPROVED.

5K to 15K, instantly. Credit files remained frozen.

My next question is the have others had success going from 15k to 45k (which I'll try in 90 days)?

Re: Amex CLI advice

JoeRockhead — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 18:13:03 GMT

I'm sure people have had success going that high, but be aware that requests going above $35k increase the likelihood of them initiating a FR (financial review) which can entail providing POI up to, and including pay stubs, bank statements and income tax filings, so be prepared for that if that's what you choose to request next time you're eligible.

Congratulations on your new limit @Peterparkyr !

Re: Amex CLI advice

Varsity_Lu — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 13:24:35 GMT

@Peterparkyr wrote:
UPDATE:

@JoeRockhead thanks again for the good advice. It worked as you suggested.
Requested CLI this morning and APPROVED.
5K to 15K, instantly. Credit files remained frozen.

My next question is the have others had success going from 15k to 45k (which I'll try in 90 days)?

Congrats on the CLI! As far as your jump from $15k to $45k, it kind of depends on your income. Some of us have had the experience that AmEx will not extend credit above 45%-50% of your declared annual income. When you get close, don't be offended if they ask for income verification. If your declared income is only $50k, I'm going to guess you'll get a quick "no" on $45k. If your income is $100k or higher, they may be ok with it. Many people have gone from $1k to $3k to $9k to $27k in a year. But once you start to reach the upper limit, expect denials to happen.

Re: Amex CLI advice

Peterparkyr — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 23:12:06 GMT

Thanks for the solid direction @JoeRockhead and @Varsity_Lu! Very helpful, specific, and correlative accounts.

I'm curious if those with POI have had success jumping from 15k to 45k? If the POI is the typical barrier I'll be fine. I don't want to go in ask for something that AMEX simply doesn't do. Per your advice it sounds like I'm safe to go for 45k in 3 months. I'll shoot and and see what happens. Thanks again!

Re: Amex CLI advice

Varsity_Lu — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 23:19:21 GMT

@Peterparkyr wrote:
Thanks for the solid direction @JoeRockhead and @Varsity_Lu! Very helpful, specific, and correlative accounts.

I'm curious if those with POI have had success jumping from 15k to 45k? If the POI is the typical barrier I'll be fine. I don't want to go in ask for something that AMEX simply doesn't do. Per your advice it sounds like I'm safe to go for 45k in 3 months. I'll shoot and and see what happens. Thanks again!

Worst case scenario they say no and you ask again 90 days later. They may even counter offer. They did that with my wife.

Re: Amex CLI advice

FicoMike0 — Thu, 26 Jun 2025 00:09:07 GMT

I found amex willing to go 3X until I hit 45% reported income. That's total exposure with two cards. My last request, $3000 to $9000, I got $5900, was on hilton, which gets little use. My next request will be on bcp, which is a daily driver. I think I'll request $27,000 to $35,000, which would take me to 50%.

Re: Amex CLI advice

Peterparkyr — Tue, 23 Sep 2025 22:46:37 GMT

UPDATE:

Following up 90 days after my previous increase to $15k. Requested $45k (denied and counter offer provided). Was approved for $27k. Total CL with AMEX is now $35k including 2 other cards in addition to npsl platinum card. Will test again in 90 days and provide an update.

All in all, $27k ain't bad for a card that started at $5k with a denied CLI request earlier this year! My only problem now is deciding whether to use this one or the platinum, which has helly perks and points.

Re: Amex CLI advice

dfwxjer — Wed, 24 Sep 2025 15:53:11 GMT

One thing to note, requesting higher CLs usually just involves them asking for your 3 most recent bank statements, or a 1 time access to the account you use to pay the card. It's a pretty painless process compared to the actual Amex FR.

If you ask for a CLI and they request bank statements then you can either provide the statements or ignore the request and they'll simply close the CLI request and leave your account intact. This won't affect your other Amex accounts.

An actual Amex FR will lock out all of your Amex accounts immediately, and will require you to submit bank statements/IRS documents/etc that they will review before they unlock your accounts. This usually comes up if something in your credit profile triggers Amex to initiate the FR on your account.

tl;dr one is voluntary and one is mandatory

Re: Amex CLI advice

mgood — Sun, 28 Sep 2025 01:35:25 GMT

@Varsity_Lu wrote:
Many people have gone from $1k to $3k to $9k to $27k in a year. But once you start to reach the upper limit, expect denials to happen.

A year and eight days, but that was exactly my path; $1k SL -> $3k -> $9k -> $27k, which is my current limit. 27k is way more than I need for this card. I asked just to see if they would really triple it again. I was prepared to accept whatever counter offer came my way and was a little surprised when they approved it for what I asked.

Re: Amex CLI advice

Total_Synergy — Tue, 30 Sep 2025 18:50:32 GMT

Just like @mgood, my personal Hilton was a very fast 1>3>9>27k by-the-numbers situation. I also have a lot on their business side (via SSN) and am currently at 61% TCL vs. reported individual personal income (old school: I don't report total household income, although I could). I am at 47% of total personal & business SSN income, if Amex calculates that way. Based on usage, I truly expect a 2x CLI on my BBP in a year, regardless of reported income (maybe I'm dreaming but I will report back).

When I requested another Hilton CLI to $72k on personal early last year, they stated "Your income is insufficient for any additional credit lines or increases due to the amount of existing lines open with American Express." When I requested a baby $2k CLI (testing) they replied "Your recent spending on the account is low in relation to your current credit limit." Hey, I did spend $600 on Hilton last year - for the science.

So be sure to spend sufficiently on that card before requesting a CLI - it's more than just TCL vs. Income

Re: Amex CLI advice

Clashmoore — Fri, 10 Oct 2025 20:28:24 GMT

I have three AMEX products. Gold, Platinum, and Delta Reserve.

For the Gold I have a $25,000 pay over time limit.

For the Platinum I have a $30,000 pay over time limit.

For the Delta Reserve I believe in 2/2023 I started with $5k limit. Without knowing the 90 day/3x rule. After 6 months I asked to be bumped to $10k and was given it. Then sometime in 2024 they bumped me up to $18k. After 90 days from that I asked it to be $35k and they approved. Today I asked for a CLI to $65k and was given a bump to $50k and asked for the income verification for an additional increase which I linked my account with them. Will update on the result of the verification.

My total "exposure" to them would be $105,000. Understated my w-2 income at $500k.

I put maybe <$5k spend on the Delta a year but maybe $30k-ish spend with AMEX across all the cards a year. I have an HYSA with them with $25k-ish.

Re: Amex CLI advice

hastysloth — Sat, 11 Oct 2025 10:17:52 GMT

If you don't mind me asking, what is your declared income?

Re: Amex CLI advice

Clashmoore — Sat, 11 Oct 2025 12:28:06 GMT

I declare $505,000 on my ~$535,000.

Re: Amex CLI advice

hastysloth — Sat, 11 Oct 2025 13:23:02 GMT

Sorry, I was trying to ask the original poster, but I didn't know how to quote their post. Thank you for replying though!

Re: Amex CLI advice

JoeRockhead — Sat, 11 Oct 2025 14:15:50 GMT

@hastysloth wrote:
Sorry, I was trying to ask the original poster, but I didn't know how to quote their post. Thank you for replying though!

@hastysloth To quote a post, go to the post you want to quote, then hit the reply button. On the reply screen there will be a "Quote" button on the top right. Hit the quote button and it will insert the quoted text into your reply. You can then edit out any of the quoted text that is irrelevant (if any) then type your reply, and post it.

You can also get people's attention by tagging them. Just hit the @ symbol and a list of users that have replied to the thread will populate, then click on the user you want to tag... or you can type their user name after the @ symbol. Anyone you tag will receive a notification.

Re: Amex CLI advice

hastysloth — Sat, 11 Oct 2025 14:21:43 GMT

@JoeRockhead wrote:
@hastysloth wrote:
Sorry, I was trying to ask the original poster, but I didn't know how to quote their post. Thank you for replying though!
@hastysloth To quote a post, go to the post you want to quote, then hit the reply button. On the reply screen there will be a "Quote" button on the top right. Hit the quote button and it will insert the quoted text into your reply. You can then edit out any of the quoted text that is irrelevant (if any) then type your reply, and post it.

You can also get people's attention by tagging them. Just hit the @ symbol and a list of users that have replied to the thread will populate, then click on the user you want to tag... or you can type their user name after the @ symbol. Anyone you tag will receive a notification.

Got it now. Thank you!

Re: Amex CLI advice

Peterparkyr — Sat, 11 Oct 2025 15:25:55 GMT

@hastysloth wrote:
If you don't mind me asking, what is your declared income?

I declare $195k according to my last tax return.