@Annabe wrote:I received a credit card with a lower than expected limit. I have a credit score of about 750+ and income with around 78k and utilitization of about 6% across the board on my other cards.
I would like to raise my limit on the new card.
Is it better to call them and ask them before I activate the card or would it matter if I ask them after I activate the card?
What's the best technique with best success?
Thanks in advance everyone who answers.
If it is a Chase card you won't get anywhere without another HP. Which of course is crazy, to begin with since you probably took at least a minor hit on your credit score due to the inquiry. At best it would be exactly what they pulled when you applied. We closed my wife's Freedom Flex because with a 784 score they gave her a $1600 limit and they wouldn't budge. Crazy. If it isn't Chase you might have a shot by calling them.
I had edited the above. 
I would try to call Citi and make your case, so far they treated us well. Amex I am less familiar with but from what I read here you can ask for a 3xCLI after just 90 days or 120 days, can't quite recall now. So Amex can grow quickly from what I heard but I feel your pain. Low limits like that make a credit card almost unusable. Good luck
@Annabe wrote:Edit:. It's with Citi Custom Cash And American Express... One with limit of $1500 and the other with $1800.
I'll recommend this read for Amex:
That's all I got
@Annabe wrote:I had edited the above.
You can recon either before or after activating your card with either issuer.
Be prepared for Citibank to make another inquiry as part of the recon process. AMEX generally will not do that but the odds of a successful recon are not good either.
@Jnbmom wrote:It never hurts to ask , but I don't think either will budge . And you can request at 91 days with AMEX , but frequently when they start out on lower end it's a hit and miss with CLI.
As @AverageJoesCredit pointed out it's just just about scores and your other limiits there is a lot more involved . I have a few 30K lines Amex offered me a 1700 limit on a card, I declined as needing a travel card that would not work well .
I somewhat disagree with that. Fico scores were designed to take everything but your income into consideration. That was the whole point of going to it so banks and credit unions could make instant approvals. I mean my wife and I have been perfect for the last 10 years as far as making payments, credit utilization, and DTI. So we really should have an 850 or close to it, but we don't because deductions are made for lack of portfolio, oldest account, charge-offs etc. I mean there was even this Fico commercial a few years back of a lady getting a mortgage and because she knew her score was high she was not going to be fooled by the banker. Banks usually use the excuse there is more considered than just credit scores but if you get that line, go elsewhere because they either try to get a higher APR out of you or they hold things you did way back when against you. Either one is their right to do, but unacceptable for a customer or at least should be. My wife and I faired well with that approach including getting a mortgage at 2.5% after getting the old switcharoo from a bigger mortgage company. If more people would walk away from subpar offers banks would change their ways. But most take whatever. The only other valid consideration is your income. If your obligations or credit card portfolio is not properly supported by your income I can see a bank or CU getting cold feet.