Background: Had an Amex that I closed during divorce in 2008. Applied again in 2018, received a $9,200 limit (cannot remember which basic card). I did not work during the Covid years but kept my perfect pay history on all my credit but brought my total util up to 103% at its worst. Became gainfully employed in July 2023. Paid down accounts to get to ~75% total util. Played my part as a good consumer for a year. Had fun, enjoyed the financial breathing room. Amex got a little scared and cut my limit to $1,000 after I did a cc spree and added 3 new cards to my wallet in ~ Oct 2023. Oct 2024 showed scores in the 650-670 range due to high util. Yikes, I said! Started paying off debt at a decent clip of about $4k/mo. Pursued cli's. I have dropped from ~$50k on cards to $25k, util down to ~25%, balances on 5 of 13 cards as opposed to all cards. Demonstrating good PIF behavior on those ZERO balance cards. Scores all just at the 740 line, should pop to 750-760 later this week as paydowns finally report. (As of Feb 12, 2025).
Been pursuing cli's with Amex, achieved a product change to BCP in Nov. In December, they saw a trend and did a cli $1,000>>>$2,000 (requested my old limit of $9,200). Yesterday, saw the button turn blue, requested 3X, granted a 2X (so$2,000>>>$4,000).
I will be awaiting the next cli date to request 3X since my $103,300 income should certainly support that and my total balances should be ~ $20k of $100k total credit limits. (If you are doing the math, I am having a slowdown due to stupid stupid taxes and making IRA contribution for 2024. Id rather pay myself $8k than pay the government $2k).
Summary: I seem to be experiencing only a 2X cli behavior. I wonder what drives the 3X cli behavior at Amex? Is it more myth than reality? Did you also experience 2X until a certain point, then get 3X the love? Is the Amex algorithm a female and hormonal/moody? The next cli will determine if I am in a pattern I believe. I love data, please share your experience as they relate. Cheers.
