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18 months
Intro APR on transfers
- Market-leading 18 months intro APR on transfers and purchases
- Potentially low revert rate of 14.74%-24.74% variable
- No annual fee
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How to increase your Citi credit limit
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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 do I know if I am eligible for a credit limit increase?
Citi doesn’t openly list any criteria that’ll determine your credit line increase eligibility. However, all credit card providers take the following into consideration:
- How long you had your credit card account.
Most credit card providers need to see at least six months of credit card use to determine your habits. Typically, you’ll get your first credit limit increase after you had your credit card account for more than six months. - Timely payments on your credit card account.
If you can’t pay off your debt on time, credit card providers will be reluctant to provide you with a credit limit increase. - Active credit card use.
It’s rare to get a credit limit increase if your credit card account is dormant. - An increase in your income.
High income is often associated with high spending. If your income has grown since you applied for the card, you could be considered for a credit limit increase.
Meeting the requirements doesn’t guarantee a credit line increase, but it does improve your chances of getting one.
How to increase my Citi credit limit
There are four ways to increase your credit line with a Citi credit 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.
When will I receive the credit limit increase?
As soon as your credit line increase is approved, your new credit line will appear in your account.
If you’re not satisfied with the amount, you can immediately request more. However, this may result in a hard pull on your credit, so you may want to reconsider.
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.
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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.
How often will Citi increase my credit limit?
You can request a credit limit increase as soon as your first credit limit increase request is approved. With other card providers, you have to wait at least six months between credit line increases.
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.
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