topic Re: Navy Federal what am I doing wrong !! in Credit Cards

Navy Federal what am I doing wrong !!

Joeysalaaa — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 14:04:22 GMT

I’ve been a member for years (didn’t use my accounts for many of those admittedly and re-activated heavy usage early this year), with all accounts imaginable including Flagship checking, MM, shared savings and two CDs with over $30k on deposit across these. Daily heavy use of all accounts and my cash rewards secured of $5k due to graduate in a few weeks (hopefully). Always PIF monthly or leave a small balance.

Approved today for Platinum card at $2500!! I just don’t get it. My outside CL are between $5k-$15k so I did send a detailed recon explaining my hope for a higher line esp as I want to BT $1200 from my Amex card. That’ll already out my util at 50% for this card !

FICO9 777 3% util Perfect payment history $250k+ income

What am I doing wrong lol I see people apply same day of opening and get $25k cards with scores under 650. Is this just their game lol? I love them but I want to see what they can do to raise the limit I’ve seen posts with great success so we will see!!

Any valid input is very much appreciated !!!

Re: Navy Federal what am I doing wrong !!

pizzadude — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 15:14:27 GMT

It might just be that you haven't been heavily using your accounts until as you described, "earlier this year".

Give it more time, also NFCU is one of the best CUs for growing your credit limits so your CL has a lot of potential.

Also just because your reports are clean now, doesn't mean that NFCU doesn't remember all of your prior apps / history

Re: Navy Federal what am I doing wrong !!

Joeysalaaa — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 16:00:03 GMT

Thank you pizza !! I've always had clean history with them but I agree maybe a little time will help. I'm also going to maybe open a small Personal expense loan with them to show even more usage and repayment history !

Re: Navy Federal what am I doing wrong !!

Cowboys4Life — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 18:46:13 GMT

@Joeysalaaa wrote:
Thank you pizza !! I've always had clean history with them but I agree maybe a little time will help. I'm also going to maybe open a small Personal expense loan with them to show even more usage and repayment history !

I am an NFCU member who had over 2 decades not using the membership but went back all in a few years ago. You are showing the wrong usage to get better credit limits out of them. I don't have ANY loans with them and have a GoRewards with a $6k limit and 2 years later got their Flagship card with an $8k limit that they voluntarily increased to $30k after 90 days. NFCU wants to see good credit usage for at least 6 months if not a year. Once they see you responsibly managing actual credit card(s) they will be quite generous. That is the usage they want to see other than good cash flow and direct deposit through a checking account.

Re: Navy Federal what am I doing wrong !!

Aim_High — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 23:29:38 GMT

@pizzadudeis right, @Joeysalaaa, especially with that link from your prior post he noted.

It's true that NFCU can be more lenient than some other national lenders. But they are also easy to misread and not as "easy" as some members believe. Your situation isn't unusual and there are many similar posts on My FICO. My own situation was no derogatory information but as a new member, my first CL was much lower than expected. Then they denied me for a card, and this was with high FICO and NFCU internal scores, with high income and thick file. Apparently, they didn't like my credit-seeking and I gave them too much of the benefit of the doubt by when I applied with them. Eventually, I was approved for Flagship Rewards and parlayed that into the $80K credit limit I have today.

Give it time. They like relationship (and active relationship, not just in-name.) They will warm up as they see you demonstrate good financial management.

For reference, here are highlights of my NFCU journey:

NFCU Membership + Platinum Visa approval ($10K) - Nov 2019
Platinum Visa CLI - $18K - Apr 2020
DENIAL - NFCU More Rewards - Jul 2020
Platinum Visa CLI +$4.5K - Dec 2020
Platinum Visa CLI +$4K - Jun 2021
Platinum Visa CLI +$8K ($34.5K) - Dec 2021
Platinum Visa CLI +$8K ($42.5K) - Jun 2022
Platinum Visa CLI +$7.5K ($50K) - Dec 2022

FLAGSHIP REWARDS approval - $25K - Jul 2023

*NFCU TCL now $50K + $25K = $75K

Combined limits into one Flagship Rewards card $80K - Jan 2024

That's just a little over four years from $0 to $80K. Of course, YMMV and my profile was different from yours, but we have quite a few members who have an $80K card with Navy FCU but much lower limits elsewhere. I also had some setbacks along the way with them. While that $10K SL on Platinum may look high, my other approvals around that time were $15K to $35K.

Re: Navy Federal what am I doing wrong !!

RobertS2 — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 02:20:51 GMT

The underwriting algorithms might be spooked by the sudden heavy use and coming graduation. Just be patient and pay on time.

Re: Navy Federal what am I doing wrong !!

Lurker22 — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 13:38:20 GMT

@Joeysalaaa wrote:
Thank you pizza !! I've always had clean history with them but I agree maybe a little time will help. I'm also going to maybe open a small Personal expense loan with them to show even more usage and repayment history !

Navy's internal scoring factors in your "relationship" with them, so if you haven't been using them it does negatively impact their view of you