Amex Low SL CLI schedule with 2 cards?

[jedifrogman2]

So I know about the bit where one should wait until 181 days to request CLI on Amex when given a low SL. I got a plain Hilton on September 18 and a plain SPG (now Bonvoy) on September 20, both with 1000 SL. Here is how I have fared so far with CLI:

December: Attempted to CLI both, denied for both (FICO score, time a customer too short)
January 19: Attempted to CLI Hilton, denied (same reasons) <-- Learned about the 90-day wait after denials here, as well as waiting 181 days on low SL cards

How does the whole 181 day thing work with multiple cards? My EX is above 700 now and so I want to try on SPG this week since tomorrow's 181 days since that one was opened. Is it 181 days after first being a customer, or is it 181 days from when the card in question was opened?

Either way, I'm pretty sure Hilton has to wait until April 20 now, since I jumped the gun on that one in January.

[Priory_Man]

As long as it has been more than 90 days since your first denial on the Bonvoy you could try for a CLI now.

To answer your question though, 181 days after the application was approved, your problem will be you have two cards, if your CLI is approved on the Bonvoy (SPG) you will have to wait another 181 days before you can apply for a CLI on your Hilton card. One CLI on any card in a 181 day period.

[pinkandgrey]

From what I understand, it’s 61 days from opening the card. Also, you can get only one CLI per 181 days regardless of what card 

[jedifrogman2]

So I just tried to CLI Bonvoy from 1000 to 3000 and got this message:

Our systems are updating.
Your request for a line of credit increase cannot be processed at this time.
We apologize for the inconvenience, please try again in 24 hours.

That's weird...at least it wasn't a 7-10 day message, though.

[CreditInspired]

Not weird. Their system is updating. You can try again in 24 hours.

[jedifrogman2]

I tried again this morning and got the 7-10 day message. *Sigh*...Amex hates me right now. I'm just gonna move the auto-pay transactions that Hilton and Bonvoy are being used for to another card and stash them away for now, and then *maybe* I'll try again a year from now, if I'm feeling ambitious enough.

[Priory_Man]

Are you carrying balances on both cards? What about your other non Amex cards are you also carrying balances on them.
I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Amex does not hate you, but, something in your current profile is causing them concern.

[jedifrogman2]

I have a couple cards up there but total utilization is around 14% right now. I always make it a point to PIF on the Amex ones though since I know they don't like balances. I have this Google sheet that I use to track everything. 

[Anonymous]

87.72% would be the problem.

Amex doesn't just not like balances on their cards, they don't like to see high balances on any of your cards. I would get that CU card down and see what Amex has to say.

Your overall utilization looks good on paper but in order to pay off all of your current debt load in 12 months, you would be looking at $674 a month in payments assuming you had no interest assessed and your preferred payment schedule has you paying $664 when including the minimums for your three cards that aren't in that column as well. That doesn't look good to Amex regardless of what your actual financial situation is.

[jedifrogman2]

That makes sense. I did not know that about them. I will see what the letter says, I'll bet it will say "proportion of balances too high" in that case. I just met Minimum Spend on Citi AAdvantage, so I really don't have a reason to be using any cards right now anyway, other than to keep them open so that my overall utilization stays down.