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Ways to Increase Your Chances of Getting a Credit Line Increase

7 min read

Last Updated: October 3, 2024

Table of contents

Key Takeaways

A higher credit limit can help you make bigger purchases, cover unplanned costs, and keep your credit usage lower.
Credit card companies determine how much you can increase your credit limit based on a variety of factors.
If you have a Discover® Card, you can request a credit limit increase online or over the phone.

An increase to the limit on your credit card can boost your spending power and help you make more large-scale purchases each month. And when you use your card responsibly, increasing your credit line may help boost your credit score. But there are a few things to keep in mind about increasing your credit limit.

What are the benefits of a credit line increase?

If you're planning to make a big purchase in the future, a higher credit limit can help you increase your spending power. Are you going to buy furniture, replace an appliance, or renovate your home? You can more easily cover these big purchases with a higher credit line—and also earn rewards on eligible purchases if you’re using cash back credit cards.

Emergency spending

A higher limit can really come in handy in an emergency. A credit card can be a helpful way to pay for unplanned costs—like a car repair or a last-minute plane ticket to visit a sick family member. And when you have a credit limit that is higher than your usual monthly spending, you ensure that you have a cushion of funds ready when you need it.

Balance transfers

An increased credit limit can also set you up for additional healthy financial habits. For example, do you have a credit card issuer who allows you to use your card for a balance transfer? You could use that available credit to save money by transferring credit card debt to a lower interest rate card.

Credit scores

A higher credit card limit could also help your credit score. If you find that your monthly credit card balance is very close to your credit limit, increasing your credit line may help you reduce your credit utilization ratio, and that’s a factor that contributes to your credit score.

Credit utilization ratio

Your credit card utilization ratio is the percentage of available credit you’re using. Some credit scoring models call this “amounts owed”. For example, if you have a credit limit of $500 and carry a balance of $200 every month, you would be using 40% of your available credit. But, if you were able to increase your credit limit to $1,000, with the same monthly balance of $200, you would only have a 20% credit utilization ratio.

Your credit score calculates several factors in your credit report. As such, your credit utilization ratio makes up 30% of your credit score. Your credit utilization includes all your available credit, including any credit card debt, personal loan, home loan, and auto loan in your name.

In general, you want to keep your credit usage at or below 30%. This is because lenders may worry that you are overextended and at risk of not being able to pay back your debt.

If you don’t want to adjust your spending habits, a credit line increase may help reduce your credit utilization ratio. And, if you manage your credit card wisely, it may help boost your credit score, opening you up to more credit offers, lower interest rates, and more.

Did you know?

Getting another credit card can be a great way to increase your spending power without getting a credit line increase.

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How to qualify for a credit line increase

Credit card issuers look at several different factors before deciding whether you qualify for a credit increase. It’s important to know that while you can make a credit limit increase request, your card issuer has criteria you’ll still need to meet in order to get an approval for more credit.

In other cases, you may receive an automatic credit limit increase during the life of your account, without ever asking for it.

Here are some factors that a credit card company might consider when evaluating your account for a credit line increase.

Income and debt

Lenders look at your ability to pay back debt on your credit card account. This is why your credit issuer may ask you to share your income. Creditors understand that we all have required expenses (like food, housing, and utilities), and your income isn’t fully available to go toward credit card repayments. So they may evaluate your debt-to-income ratio, which compares your monthly expenses to how much you make each month. If you have debt that eats up a large part of your income each month, you may find it harder to qualify for a credit line increase.

Account and payment history

You'll have an easier time getting a higher credit limit if you have history of making on-time payments and keep your credit utilization low. If you have a history of missed or late payments, you may be seen as a high risk to creditors.

Credit scores and credit history

Having a good credit score may make it easier to get a credit increase. Likewise, many credit card companies look at the age of the account itself. These are ways that a credit card issuer gets an understanding of how you manage and maintain your financial health.

If you’re a new account holder with your credit card company, there’s usually a waiting period between your account opening and when you can request a credit increase. This gives your credit issuer time to learn about how you use your account.

Employment history

Employment consistency, a recent change (either increase or decrease) in salary, or a change in employment status are important. Credit card companies use these factors to determine your financial stability.

How to request a credit limit increase

You may automatically qualify for a credit line increase. This usually happens if you've been paying on time, keeping your credit utilization low, and have a good credit history. Your credit card company may send you an alert to let you know that you’ve received a new credit line.

Many credit card companies have a clear process that makes it easy for a cardholder to request a credit increase.

If you’re a Discover Cardmember, you can easily request a credit line increase from the Discover mobile app or online portal by going to “Services” and selecting “Credit Line Increase”. Or you can contact customer service using the number on your card.

Whichever method you choose to request a line increase, you may need to provide information about your annual income and any rent or mortgage payments that you make.

Once you submit your information, Discover will either approve or deny your request. If you're denied a credit line increase, Discover will send you a written letter explaining the reasons why. In some cases, you may need to work on improving your credit score before trying to apply again.

How much can you increase your credit card limit by?

In most cases, you won’t be able to set the amount of your own credit line. Every credit card issuer has its own criteria to determine your credit card limit and how each factor of your credit profile is evaluated in this decision.

How much can I increase my credit limit with a secured card?

If you have a secured credit card, some credit card issuers may allow you to get a higher credit line by adding to your security deposit. There may be a maximum amount allowed at the time of card application. This amount is determined by your credit history and other factors. If you use your secured credit card wisely, you may have an easier time qualifying for an unsecured card later and an increase in credit limit.

Getting approved for a higher credit limit means more spending power, but it can also mean more debt. A good rule is only spend what you can afford to pay off in a month—carrying a balance month to month is how you start to accumulate interest charges.

Before deciding if you need a credit line increase, think about the possible benefits and what you can realistically afford. If you have a good credit score and you practice good credit management habits, extending the limit on your credit card may be helpful to you and your finances.

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