Amex credit limit - Question

InsideInsurance

All credit card companies make a decision at the point of the request coming through. A good few years ago my Natwest card would always allow me to go well over my limit (obviously with £35 a time fees being applied).

I mainly use my Amex chargecard rather than credit card and it has "no limit" so cannot comment. After a mistake was made by a travel agent I ended up having 3x my previously cleared as ok amount and I just got a phone call to ask to clear it before any other transactions over £100 would be accepted

Sammiec0108

Hmm, i was deciding whether the BA Amex Premium or the Gold Amex preferred card would be best for me and in the end went for the BA card with the lure of the companion ticket at £10k spend (which i would be pretty much halfway there if I could have put the 4k railcard on it.) Needless to say this limit is causing problems in more than one way!

silvercar

Hi Silvercar, thanks for you input on this debate. When you talk about making a big payment to the card was this to clear an existing balance or was this an overpayment to 'increase' your credit limit. I would have thought getting into credit due to a refund etc would be quite common and can't really be avoided, but intentionally pre-loading credit onto a card in preparation for a big spend may be treated slightly differently?

It was the former, but to Amex it would appear to be the latter.

The card was near the limit when a flight was cancelled by the airline, so a new flight needed to be purchased immediately. As the card was near the limit I paid a lump sum off it thinking this would be necessary as the refund of the flight was expected to take 3 days to come through. In the event the refund came through quicker than my payment went through, so to Amex it would look like I had loaded a lump sum prior to making a payment.

silvercar

I've also used the card over its limit - got fined £12 for the privilege, but the transaction went through.

I don't think they credit check you for a limit increase as the response is instant. and they don't seem to judge you on repeat requests. My last one was rejected because I had had an increase within the last 6 months.

Sammiec0108

Thanks all for your replies, sounds as though i have a few options. I think I'll call Amex, enquire about the limit, then see about pre-loading and going over the limit (need to check if going over the limit will affect the amount of miles i receive and whether it would count towards a 10k spend for the companion voucher)

If none of that works then will speak to the rail company about splitting the cost over 2 cards.

Thanks again for your help

Regards

mrchiggles

Generally Amex are the most helpful company ever on the phone (in my experience) so just explain to them what you want to do and I'm sure they'd help.

jpwjpw

I wouldn't go over the limit. Usually those kind of promotions are invalidated if you go over the limit (or pay late etc..).

silvercar

Sammiec0108 wrote: »

Thanks all for your replies, sounds as though i have a few options. I think I'll call Amex, enquire about the limit, then see about pre-loading and going over the limit (need to check if going over the limit will affect the amount of miles i receive and whether it would count towards a 10k spend for the companion voucher)

If none of that works then will speak to the rail company about splitting the cost over 2 cards.

Thanks again for your help

Regards

No problem with miles awarded and counting for the companion voucher. Did both with no problem. The only bad thing with going over the limit (which won't happen if you pre-load) was the £12 charge. Plus going over the limit did not stop me getting a credit limit increase the following month.

stuff_the_mattress

mrchiggles wrote: »

Pre loading the card into credit is probably the easiest way surely?

Amex and other credit card companies tend to take a dim view of this, plus if your limit is £2000 then in one month you can only normally spent £2000.

Paying in £2000 onto a zero balance credit card with a £2000 limit won't guarantee you £4000 in spending.

InsideInsurance

stuff_the_mattress wrote: »

plus if your limit is £2000 then in one month you can only normally spent £2000.

Never experienced that with any card, most allow you to clear the balance mid term and continue spending