The Definitive Amex 3X CLI Guide

[nitrov]

I've had my PRG for a few years, then got my BCE for a little over a year ago now with an initial CL of $5,500. I made use of the 0% APR for purchases and carried a balance for 6 months, apped a couple times for CLIs, and got the 7-10 day message and denial shortly thereafter. I haven't used the card in a few months and left a zero balance on it. Bored last month, I apped for another CLI, got the same 7-10 day message, but then a couple days later, got a call from New Accounts Dept. to do identity verification for the fraud alert for my credit bureau. APPROVED for $15,000! (that's how much I applied for) The CSR told me the inq was a HP, but she was in fact wrong, and it was just an SP.

Very happy with my new CL. I got a new Platinum card a few months ago not realize Amex is no longer backdating accounts, and now I'm comtemplating closing it out because that AF is a little absurd. I know I've read that $25k is the magic number on CLs before amex starts asking for 4506Ts and such, so I'm wondering what my best course of action is here for my next CLI request. Should I wait the 180 days then app for something under $25k? Is it worth providing them a 4506T to get a higher amount?

TIA!

[Anonymous]

I just needed to vent for a moment. App'd for amex everyday 9/22/15. Approved for $1k. Was told I could request an increase when I got the card which I did and was denied. Reasons: score and other negative info. Next month my score increased and tried again. This time denied and just listed the negative info. Yes I know I'm supposed to wait 90 days but I just wanted to see what reasons they would give. Tried again and denied. Reasons negative info and time with amex too short. So I decided to wait until my 90 day Mark which was 1/5/16. By then my score increased 40 pts from when I applied and everything else improved. Denied. Why? Because of info they used from their update in December although they updated my score on 1/2/16 at which time all then negatives were now positives. I asked if they could reconsider using the most recent info they received. Spoke with numerous reps who gave me different answers. Must wait 90 days to try again, will be hard inquiry if sent to underwriting. Blah blah blah. I had requested reconsideration before and it was a soft pull. I was told that the automated system whether online or phone will auto deny I'd it's within 90 days, however the credit increase team can over ride that. Anyways I didn't want a hard inquiry so tired again online and via phone and chat rep and was denied due to being denied within 90 days. **bleep**? Now I know that's the rule but why wasn't that one of the reasons before. I'm totally annoyed and frustrated. Just had to let that out. 

[nitrov]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

I just needed to vent for a moment. App'd for amex everyday 9/22/15. Approved for $1k. Was told I could request an increase when I got the card which I did and was denied. Reasons: score and other negative info. Next month my score increased and tried again. This time denied and just listed the negative info. Yes I know I'm supposed to wait 90 days but I just wanted to see what reasons they would give. Tried again and denied. Reasons negative info and time with amex too short. So I decided to wait until my 90 day Mark which was 1/5/16. By then my score increased 40 pts from when I applied and everything else improved. Denied. Why? Because of info they used from their update in December although they updated my score on 1/2/16 at which time all then negatives were now positives. I asked if they could reconsider using the most recent info they received. Spoke with numerous reps who gave me different answers. Must wait 90 days to try again, will be hard inquiry if sent to underwriting. Blah blah blah. I had requested reconsideration before and it was a soft pull. I was told that the automated system whether online or phone will auto deny I'd it's within 90 days, however the credit increase team can over ride that. Anyways I didn't want a hard inquiry so tired again online and via phone and chat rep and was denied due to being denied within 90 days. **bleep**? Now I know that's the rule but why wasn't that one of the reasons before. I'm totally annoyed and frustrated. Just had to let that out. 

---

Unfortunately Amex is one that requires some patience, but they're usually worth it in the end. As you'll see in my post right before yours, it took me a solid year of having a revolver with them to get a CLI, but when I did, I went from $5500 to $15k. This is now among my highest CLs in my wallet. At least you have your foot in the door with them. Take it easy on the apps and use the card, PIF, and you'll get a CLI before you know it. Don't get discouraged. A lot of people recommend pulling your CR to see when the last SP they did was before apping for a CLI. I would recommend you try that next time.

[Anonymous]

---

@nitrov wrote:

---

@Anonymous wrote:

I just needed to vent for a moment. App'd for amex everyday 9/22/15. Approved for $1k. Was told I could request an increase when I got the card which I did and was denied. Reasons: score and other negative info. Next month my score increased and tried again. This time denied and just listed the negative info. Yes I know I'm supposed to wait 90 days but I just wanted to see what reasons they would give. Tried again and denied. Reasons negative info and time with amex too short. So I decided to wait until my 90 day Mark which was 1/5/16. By then my score increased 40 pts from when I applied and everything else improved. Denied. Why? Because of info they used from their update in December although they updated my score on 1/2/16 at which time all then negatives were now positives. I asked if they could reconsider using the most recent info they received. Spoke with numerous reps who gave me different answers. Must wait 90 days to try again, will be hard inquiry if sent to underwriting. Blah blah blah. I had requested reconsideration before and it was a soft pull. I was told that the automated system whether online or phone will auto deny I'd it's within 90 days, however the credit increase team can over ride that. Anyways I didn't want a hard inquiry so tired again online and via phone and chat rep and was denied due to being denied within 90 days. **bleep**? Now I know that's the rule but why wasn't that one of the reasons before. I'm totally annoyed and frustrated. Just had to let that out. 

---

Unfortunately Amex is one that requires some patience, but they're usually worth it in the end. As you'll see in my post right before yours, it took me a solid year of having a revolver with them to get a CLI, but when I did, I went from $5500 to $15k. This is now among my highest CLs in my wallet. At least you have your foot in the door with them. Take it easy on the apps and use the card, PIF, and you'll get a CLI before you know it. Don't get discouraged. A lot of people recommend pulling your CR to see when the last SP they did was before apping for a CLI. I would recommend you try that next time.

---

I know I must have patience. And I did check my report. As I stated hey pulled it on 1/2/16 and I requested an increase on1/5/16 and they used info they pulled from December. That's why I'm ticked off. In November I gave in and app'd for Chase freedom and got $4500. I was not planning on applying for either of those because I'm about to start the pre approval process for a house but when I got the Amex offer I couldn't resist. And chase kept sending me offers so I gave in with them as well. But all done. If reach 700 with 2 of my scores. Experian won't budge. I think it's because a tiny collection I have on it due to fall off in July reports negatively each month. However it's not on transunion at all and on Equifax it only lists the collection but no payment history

[nitrov]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

---

@nitrov wrote:

---

@Anonymous wrote:

I just needed to vent for a moment. App'd for amex everyday 9/22/15. Approved for $1k. Was told I could request an increase when I got the card which I did and was denied. Reasons: score and other negative info. Next month my score increased and tried again. This time denied and just listed the negative info. Yes I know I'm supposed to wait 90 days but I just wanted to see what reasons they would give. Tried again and denied. Reasons negative info and time with amex too short. So I decided to wait until my 90 day Mark which was 1/5/16. By then my score increased 40 pts from when I applied and everything else improved. Denied. Why? Because of info they used from their update in December although they updated my score on 1/2/16 at which time all then negatives were now positives. I asked if they could reconsider using the most recent info they received. Spoke with numerous reps who gave me different answers. Must wait 90 days to try again, will be hard inquiry if sent to underwriting. Blah blah blah. I had requested reconsideration before and it was a soft pull. I was told that the automated system whether online or phone will auto deny I'd it's within 90 days, however the credit increase team can over ride that. Anyways I didn't want a hard inquiry so tired again online and via phone and chat rep and was denied due to being denied within 90 days. **bleep**? Now I know that's the rule but why wasn't that one of the reasons before. I'm totally annoyed and frustrated. Just had to let that out. 

---

Unfortunately Amex is one that requires some patience, but they're usually worth it in the end. As you'll see in my post right before yours, it took me a solid year of having a revolver with them to get a CLI, but when I did, I went from $5500 to $15k. This is now among my highest CLs in my wallet. At least you have your foot in the door with them. Take it easy on the apps and use the card, PIF, and you'll get a CLI before you know it. Don't get discouraged. A lot of people recommend pulling your CR to see when the last SP they did was before apping for a CLI. I would recommend you try that next time.

---

I know I must have patience. And I did check my report. As I stated hey pulled it on 1/2/16 and I requested an increase on1/5/16 and they used info they pulled from December. That's why I'm ticked off. In November I gave in and app'd for Chase freedom and got $4500. I was not planning on applying for either of those because I'm about to start the pre approval process for a house but when I got the Amex offer I couldn't resist. And chase kept sending me offers so I gave in with them as well. But all done. If reach 700 with 2 of my scores. Experian won't budge. I think it's because a tiny collection I have on it due to fall off in July reports negatively each month. However it's not on transunion at all and on Equifax it only lists the collection but no payment history

---

Credit is a funny thing. For example, you have a higher CL on Carecredit and Freedom than I do. For the life of me I couldn't get Carecredit to give me more than $7200 a couple months ago even with 700+ scores across the board. My bf has a super thin credit file and a third of the income I have and they gave him $8k. Amex is usually not that quick to use new credit information, though I get your point. Sounds like you've done enough to get yourself primed for a good deal on a mortgage, so that's def the most important thing. You can go on another CLI spree after you close if you want or after your mortgage hits your CR. I'm sure you'll have better luck then. 

[Anonymous]

After I started gardening a year ago I ask for increases all the time as long as it's a soft inquiry. My care credit started at $1k 4 years ago. I first asked for an increase 2 years ago and was denied. Asked again last year and jumped from 1k to 9k. I couldn't believe it. Walmart card I got in 11/14 at $600 as of about 4 months ago it's 6k. The only accounts that do hard inquiry are care credit_TU, best buy visa_EQ, and chase_ pulled experian and Transunion for my app and Equifax for my increase. I wanted that extra $500 to get visa signature was denied but not shocked

[Anonymous]

Thanks for this topic, its really helpful.

My experience with Amex BCP . Got in November.
App for CLI yesterday at 3X and got the message 7-10 days but when i went back to home page, it was already increased within few seconds.

My utilization was pretty high on this card, 70% almost and paid only minumum bcoz of 0% apr. So i dont think your utiliz. Affects just pay on time and use it.

[Anonymous]

---

@Anonymous wrote:
Thanks for this topic, its really helpful.

My experience with Amex BCP . Got in November.
App for CLI yesterday at 3X and got the message 7-10 days but when i went back to home page, it was already increased within few seconds.

My utilization was pretty high on this card, 70% almost and paid only minumum bcoz of 0% apr. So i dont think your utiliz. Affects just pay on time and use it.

---

Welcome to MyFico and congrats on the CLI.

[Anonymous]

Has anyone done an increase 3 times in a row?

For Example.

I was approved for 2.5k almost a year ago. I got an increase at activation to $7.5k.

After 181 days I requested an increase for 3x and they countered to $19.3k.

Im almost at another 181 day mark. Should I request to $24.9k??? Its a 0% card so Ive been carrying a small balance of about $1k since Dec. Paying $100 every 2 weeks. 

Ideas? My CS has gone up since I got the card. Its around 770 now.

[Anonymous]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

Has anyone done an increase 3 times in a row?

For Example.

I was approved for 2.5k almost a year ago. I got an increase at activation to $7.5k.

After 181 days I requested an increase for 3x and they countered to $19.3k.

Im almost at another 181 day mark. Should I request to $24.9k??? Its a 0% card so Ive been carrying a small balance of about $1k since Dec. Paying $100 every 2 weeks. 

Ideas? My CS has gone up since I got the card. Its around 770 now.

---

Request $40K and then drop it down if they ask for the 4506-T,  Lots of people are getting approved for amounts over $25K without providing income verification.  That number really isnt applicalble any longer.