How to increase your Citi credit limit

If you have big purchases to make, but not enough money in the bank, a higher credit limit can help. It can also help you keep your utilization rate low, which may directly affect your future loan terms.

If you’re not satisfied with the credit line you receive upon approval for your Citi card, you can request a higher credit limit amount. (Citi is a finder.com advertising partner.)

How can I find out my Citi credit limit?

Log in to your online account, select your credit card and look for your credit line under account summary. Alternatively, you can find it in your monthly credit card statement or you can call customer service.

How to increase my Citi credit limit

There are four ways to increase your credit line with a Citi credit card:

1. Submit your request online
2. Call the bank
3. Get an automatic credit limit increase
4. Apply for another card

Before you proceed, keep the following information close by — your annual income, employment and occupation, a reason for the request, your monthly credit card spend and mortgage/rent payment.

Submit your request online

Citi makes it easy to submit your credit limit increase online. All you have to do is:

• Log in to your online Citi account.
• Find the Credit line increase option under credit card services.
• Select the card you want to request an increase for.
• Provide your annual income and monthly mortgage/rent payment.
• Review and submit.

Call the bank

Another option is to call Citi and talk to a customer service representative to submit your credit line increase request. Here’s how to do it:

• Call Citi at 888-248-4226 or call the number on the back of your card.
• Request your credit limit increase.
• Provide the necessary information, including your income and monthly mortgage/rent payments.

Get an automatic credit limit increase

Sometimes, Citi will automatically give you a credit limit increase if they determine you fulfill their credit limit increase criteria. This is the easiest way and it doesn’t require a soft pull or a hard pull on your account. To increase your chances of getting an automatic credit limit increase, make sure to:

• Use your card often. Make purchases with your card to show Citi you could use a credit line increase.
• Use a higher amount of your credit line. Try to use a larger portion of your credit line, but don’t max it out.
• Pay your full balance on time. This is the most important criteria as it shows Citi you can easily manage your debt.

Apply for another card

If, for some reason, you can’t get a credit line increase, consider applying for another card. Aside from getting an additional line of credit, you can get perks such as a signup bonus, a 0% intro APR period, a rewards program or no annual fee.

Compare cards with higher credit limits

All credit cards in the table below come with a high credit limit. However, the credit line you receive depends on various factors, including your annual income, employment and creditworthiness.

Sort by:

Name	Product	Filter values	Rewards	Purchase APR	Annual fee
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express			6% on select US streaming services, 3% on transit and US gas stations, 6% at US supermarkets on up to $6,000 annually, then 1% after that and on all other purchases (redeem as statement credit)	0% intro for the first 12 months (then 13.99% to 23.99% variable)	$0 intro annual fee for the first year ($95 thereafter)	Apply now View details	Earn up to $350. In your first 6 months, you can earn a $150 statement credit when you spend $3,000, and earn 20% back on Amazon purchases made with your card, up to $200 total. Having 6 months to earn a welcome offer is a rare benefit as most cards give you only 3. Terms apply, see rates & fees	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express			3% at US supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year (then 1%), 2% at US gas stations and select US department stores and 1% on all other purchases (redeem as statement credit)	0% intro for the first 15 months (then 13.99% to 23.99% variable)	$0	Apply now View details	Earn up to $250. You'll get 20% back on Amazon.com purchases in the first six months for up to $150 back, and $100 after you spend $2,000 in the first six months. This is a higher-than-average welcome offer for a card with no annual fee. Terms apply, see rates & fees	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Chase Freedom Unlimited®			5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase, 5% on Lyft, 3% on dining and drugstores and 1.5% on all other purchases	0% intro for the first 15 months (then 14.99% to 23.74% variable)	$0	Apply now View details	This solid 1.5% cashback card gets even better with the addition of up to 5% back in categories like travel, drug stores and dining.	Compare	loading Fetching your data...

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How is my Citi credit limit determined?

Like most other credit card providers, Citi determines the amount of your credit line based on:

• Annual income.
  You earn more, you spend more. A high credit limit often goes hand in hand with a high annual income.
• Employment.
  A steady job shows the bank you can be a responsible cardholder.
• Creditworthiness.
  Clean credit history and timely payments can get you a higher credit limit.
• Utilization rate.
  Utilization rate at 30% or lower is often considered a good sign of your debt management.
• The type of credit card you apply for.
  High-end credit cards like Mastercard World Elite comes with a higher credit limit.
• The number of credit card inquires.
  Restrain yourself from applying for too many cards at the same time. This can raise a red flag and you could get a lower credit line than you normally would.

Bottom line

If you don’t think your current Citi credit limit will cut it, request a higher credit line. Just make sure you meet Citi’s requirements first so as not to waste time and effort going through the process.

If you can’t get a credit line increase, consider applying for a new credit card as an alternative.

Frequently asked questions

• Can requesting a credit limit increase affect my credit score?

  Yes. Citi makes a soft pull on your credit when you make the request and if you’re not happy with the credit line they approve, you can request a higher amount. This will cause a hard pull on your credit and will lower your credit score by a few points.

  But if you get approved for a credit line increase, it will lower your utilization rate and may positively affect your credit score.

• When should I request a credit limit increase?

  The timing is often subjective. However, in most cases, consider requesting a higher credit line when you:

  • Meet the eligibility requirements.
  • Have a higher credit score than when you applied for the card.
  • Have an increase in your income.
  • Plan to close another card and you don’t want your utilization rate to increase.

• If I decide to request more than the amount I'm approved for, how much should I ask?

  As a general rule, a 10% to 25% increase is considered reasonable. But if you have a credit line of $1,000 or less, you can ask for double the amount or more.