It's been 95 days since I got my BCE and was denied CLI at activation, I was going to try again or should I wait? It seems that if you get a $1,000CL Amex seems to be more wary of giving CLI's from the research I have done.
Gardening until September 2025
I do think there is something to the $1k accounts being 'stuck'... at least for a while.
I tried for a CLI on my BCP a month after activation, and was denied. I tried again 90 days later, then again 90 days after that... each time declined. My letters all state my denial is due to 'Prior negative experience with an American Express account'. They are referring to an account IIBK 15 years ago.
This time I'm waiting longer than 90 days... probably until the account anniversary. If the CLI is denied again, I'll likely just apply for one of their no-AF cards, wait a year, then move the credit line over (assuming the new account is approved).
Like you, I find it strange that they'll approve us, watch our scores improve, then use (really) old reasons to deny a CLI. 
@UncleB wrote:I do think there is something to the $1k accounts being 'stuck'... at least for a while.
I tried for a CLI on my BCP a month after activation, and was denied. I tried again 90 days later, then again 90 days after that... each time declined. My letters all state my denial is due to 'Prior negative experience with an American Express account'. They are referring to an account IIBK 15 years ago.
This time I'm waiting longer than 90 days... probably until the account anniversary. If the CLI is denied again, I'll likely just apply for one of their no-AF cards, wait a year, then move the credit line over (assuming the new account is approved).
Like you, I find it strange that they'll approve us, watch our scores improve, then use (really) old reasons to deny a CLI.
You have some nice cards UncleB. I can understand somewhat why with my limited profile, they are denying the increase, but I can't see why they continually deny you. 15 years is a long time to hold a grudge. Hope they will be more forgiving for you in the future. Like you, I would like to see if they will be more accommodating towards a CLI with 12 months of good payment history and by then my collection will no longer be there. Good luck to you.
@Anonymous wrote:
@UncleB wrote:I do think there is something to the $1k accounts being 'stuck'... at least for a while.
I tried for a CLI on my BCP a month after activation, and was denied. I tried again 90 days later, then again 90 days after that... each time declined. My letters all state my denial is due to 'Prior negative experience with an American Express account'. They are referring to an account IIBK 15 years ago.
This time I'm waiting longer than 90 days... probably until the account anniversary. If the CLI is denied again, I'll likely just apply for one of their no-AF cards, wait a year, then move the credit line over (assuming the new account is approved).
Like you, I find it strange that they'll approve us, watch our scores improve, then use (really) old reasons to deny a CLI.
You have some nice cards UncleB. I can understand somewhat why with my limited profile, they are denying the increase, but I can't see why they continually deny you. 15 years is a long time to hold a grudge. Hope they will be more forgiving for you in the future. Like you, I would like to see if they will be more accommodating towards a CLI with 12 months of good payment history and by then my collection will no longer be there. Good luck to you.
Thanks! I'm a bit surprised myself, to be honest. It seems that if they were that concerned about what happened 15 (almost 16) years ago they would have just denied giving me the account altogether.
At my one year anniversary, I'll try again. I plan on closing my green card at that time as well, so hopefully that reduced exposure will make them feel feel "comfortable" enough to give me a small CLI. Fingers crossed! 
Edited to add: You've got some nice credit lines yourself!
@UncleB wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@UncleB wrote:I do think there is something to the $1k accounts being 'stuck'... at least for a while.
I tried for a CLI on my BCP a month after activation, and was denied. I tried again 90 days later, then again 90 days after that... each time declined. My letters all state my denial is due to 'Prior negative experience with an American Express account'. They are referring to an account IIBK 15 years ago.
This time I'm waiting longer than 90 days... probably until the account anniversary. If the CLI is denied again, I'll likely just apply for one of their no-AF cards, wait a year, then move the credit line over (assuming the new account is approved).
Like you, I find it strange that they'll approve us, watch our scores improve, then use (really) old reasons to deny a CLI.
You have some nice cards UncleB. I can understand somewhat why with my limited profile, they are denying the increase, but I can't see why they continually deny you. 15 years is a long time to hold a grudge. Hope they will be more forgiving for you in the future. Like you, I would like to see if they will be more accommodating towards a CLI with 12 months of good payment history and by then my collection will no longer be there. Good luck to you.
Thanks! I'm a bit surprised myself, to be honest. It seems that if they were that concerned about what happened 15 (almost 16) years ago they would have just denied giving me the account altogether.
At my one year anniversary, I'll try again. I plan on closing my green card at that time as well, so hopefully that reduced exposure will make them feel feel "comfortable" enough to give me a small CLI. Fingers crossed!
Edited to add: You've got some nice credit lines yourself!
Thanks UncleB. I wonder if I am being hindered by my store cards, but with the exception of JJill (which I plan to close on its one year anniversary), I have all the store cards I want and use. I'm in phase 2 of my rebuilding process. I have 2 unsecured cards and 2 secured cards, of which I hope Discover will unsecure on its one year anniversary in May and I plan to close Cap1 on its anniversary in Jan/Feb and hope to replace it with an unsecured card. Then I don't plan to apply for any bank cards until next summer when most of my INQs are gone. I would like to get BoA Cash Rewards, Citi DC, and BCE. Hope OP is able to get his/her CLI on BCE in the future