Amex Gold Card preset spending limit

[Anonymous]

Is there anything that can be done to help initiate review / remove the preset spending limit?  I have had the Gold card since 2019 and I got the preset spending limit of $2000 in 2020.  Had some minor hiccups with the card in 2020 [in 2020, I linked 3 bank accounts to my Amex account as the payment methods, and I believe twice, I choose the wrong accounts so there was NSF to cover my payments, but i quickly paid it after the issue came up] but always PIF each month since the beginning of 2021. I just checked and I spent $25,000 in 2021 on my Amex Gold and $25,000 on my Amex Hilton Surpass Card ($1000 CL).  I am making payments multiple times each month so my spend is much higher than my limits allow.  I was recently approved for 2 Chase cards with limits near $10K each - might just slowly shift spend to Chase if I'm forced to stick with the low limits on Amex.  My main issue with Amex is the $1000 limit on the Hilton card since I can't even pay for an extended stay at a Hilton property w/ $1000 - but i can't get this increased until the preset spending limit on the gold is removed. 

My credit score has been slowly improving; I was approved for the Gold card with ah Exp FICO score of less than 640; it's now around 695.  720-730 for TU/Equifax. 

[K-in-Boston]

While it may seem counterintuitive, Amex and many other lenders can treat bounced payments more harshly than late payments.  When this happens multiple times, it can really be a substantial issue.  Reviews of preset spending limits are done on Amex's timetable, and unfortunately there is nothing a cardholder who has had one added can do to initiate one.  Your best options would be to allow time to pass and continue improving your Experian FICO 8 score.  CLIs can be pretty difficult to come by with sub-700 EX scores.  Use the cards, make regular payments, get that Experian score up, and allow time to pass.

[IodineNightSky]

Thanks for starting this thread, i have the same issue going on. 

I never NSF'd or didnt PIF at the end of the month, but i had high UT on a few (non-amex) cards (approx 1.5 years ago) and they moved me from the no credit limit to $4k limit on my gold charge card. once i paid off the high UT cards and my reports updated, i clicked the button to move the limit up and was approved to move it up to 10k. i'll likely never spend 10k on that card, but, as with you, i cannot get my two other Amex cards to CLI because the gold charge isn't at no CL status. I have like 100k in open credit card room (w/less than 1% UT) so i dont really need the CLIs, but my stupid 1k limit on my delta drives me crazy. 

sounds like we can't do anything but wait and see if they remove the limit.

[K-in-Boston]

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@IodineNightSky wrote:

...they moved me from the no credit limit to $4k limit on my gold charge card. once i paid off the high UT cards and my reports updated, i clicked the button to move the limit up and was approved to move it up to 10k...

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@IodineNightSky can you clarify the comment about the button?  Everything I have ever read concerning preset spending limits on Amex charge cards is that limits are changed or removed solely on their schedule and at their discretion with no input from the cardholder.  If I am reading your post correctly, you were presented with a credit line increase request button?  Or was this just the Check Spending Ability button, in which case this would have just been a one-time allowance by Amex to exceed your preset limit?

[tparks5961]

Hey guys, 

I have some experience dealing with restricted AMEX accounts.

There is an area where you can request an increase to your pre-set spending limit.. It's under Account Services---> Payment and credit options--->Increase your pre-set spending limit.  In my case they asked to link my bank account and I was approved for 2 increases over 2 weeks.

You can also call and ask to speak to underwriting. They may also help you get your limit up. As far as my account goes, I closed 3 low limit cards out of frustration.  After my probationary period, I opened a new (business) account with a $20,000.00 limit.  The limits of the cards that I closed were $700.00, $1,000.00 and $1,800.00. For me, closing the accouts was the quickest way to higher limits once my situation was better. 

[IodineNightSky]

No no, there was or is a button that is called "raise spending limit" or something similar. It's not the credit limit increase button and it's not the check spending limit button. Let me see if I can find it and I'll post a pic. 

[IodineNightSky]

The forum wouldn't let me post a pic but tparks above laid out the route to the button perfectly. I think you have to do it on a computer (not a phone) but not sure. 

[K-in-Boston]

Yeah, most of those options don't exist in the app.  If you load up the desktop version of the website on a phone, they should appear though.

Fantastic info, both of you.  Discussions about hard limits on Amex charge cards are pretty common here and this is the first time I've ever heard about that option even existing.  For OP, this doesn't really solve their issue with having it removed but might at least prevent them from having to make multiple payments if the request is successful.

[tparks5961]

Yup, 

Having the limit removed is something that will eventually happen but hasn't yet for me.  I was able to open a new account with Amex and the new card has NPSL.