There's a bit of mystery to credit card limits. Though it is generally based on the financial information you provide, a credit limit on a new card can be based on the card itself or the specific issuer. What's even more confusing is that a limit can change over time.
Issuers typically do not divulge the range of credit limits they extend to customers. However, generally speaking, if you want to apply for a card with a high credit limit, your best bets will be premium rewards cards and business credit cards. They may be able to offer outsize credit lines based on your or your company's spending needs.
A good rule of thumb is that any card with lots of benefits or substantial minimum spending requirements will likely come with a potentially high credit limit.
You can also look at cards with Visa Infinite or Mastercard World Elite branding or cards with no preset spending limits.
As always, check out our best credit cards and best rewards credit cards for more information. In the meantime, here's what else you need to know about the best credit cards with the highest limits.
The best credit cards with high credit limits
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- Chase Sapphire Reserve®
- Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
- Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card
- Citi Prestige® Card (not available to new applicants)
The information for the Citi Prestige has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
Highest reported credit limit: $500,000, according to Quora (although a $50,000 limit seems more likely). As a Visa Signature card, the minimum credit limit this card should offer is reportedly $5,000.
Sign-up bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
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Rewards: Earn 5 points per dollar on travel when booked through the Chase Travel℠ portal (and 2 points per dollar on travel booked outside the portal) and 3 points per dollar on dining, select streaming services and online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart and Target). You'll earn 1 point per dollar on all other purchases.
Benefits: The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card comes loaded with travel perks, including an annual $50 hotel credit (to be used through the Chase travel portal), primary car rental insurance, trip delay insurance, trip cancellation and interruption insurance and baggage delay insurance.
Annual fee: $95
Apply here: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Highest reported credit limit: $80,000, according to a post on the myFICO forums. As a Visa Infinite, this card's credit limit should reportedly be $10,000 at a minimum.
Sign-up bonus: Earn 60,000 Ultimate Rewards points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.
Rewards: Earn 10 points per dollar on Chase Dining booked through Ultimate Rewards, 10 points per dollar on hotel and car rental bookings through the Chase Travel℠, 5 points per dollar on airline travel booked through the Chase Travel℠, 3 Ultimate Rewards points per dollar on travel (after the $300 travel credit is exhausted) and dining, and 1 point per dollar on everything else. You'll also earn 10 points per dollar on Lyft rides through March 2025.
Benefits: The travel benefits are top-notch, including a $300 annual travel statement credit, Priority Pass lounge access and reimbursem*nt for the Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee. Enrollment is required for select benefits.
Annual fee: $550
Apply here: Chase Sapphire Reserve
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Highest reported credit limit: $58,000, according to a member on the myFICO forums.
Sign-up bonus: Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Rewards: Earn 2 miles per dollar on every purchase.
Benefits: Benefits include lost luggage reimbursem*nt, extended warranty and Master RoadAssist® (fees apply). You'll also get travel assistance services and purchase assurance, which replaces, repairs or reimburses you for purchases in the event of theft or damage within 90 days of the purchase date.
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.
Annual fee: $95 (see rates and fees)
Learn more: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Highest reported credit limit: Several TPG staffers have reported receiving credit limits of $30,000 with their new cards. The minimum credit limit should be around $10,000 since it's a Visa Infinite.
Sign-up bonus: Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Rewards: Earn 10 miles per dollar on hotels and car rentals booked via Capital One Travel, 5 miles per dollar on flights booked via Capital One Travel, and 2 miles per dollar on everything else.
Benefits: The card gives members up to $300 credits annually for travel bookings made through Capital One's portal and 10,000 bonus miles each cardmember anniversary (worth $100 toward travel, or $185 by our valuations). It also includes complimentary access for cardholders and up to two guests per visit to Capital One lounges and more than 1,300 Priority Pass lounges worldwide. Cardholders are eligible for up to $100 in statement credits for either a TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application. The card also includes purchase and travel protections.
Annual fee: $395 (see rates and fees)
Learn more: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card
Highest reported credit limit: $50,000, according to a post on the myFICO forums.
Welcome offer: Earn 65,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new card in your first six months.
Rewards: Earn 2 miles per dollar on Delta purchases and at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets, and 1 mile per dollar on other eligible purchases.
Benefits: Enjoy priority boarding, a first free bag checked on Delta flights, no foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees) and 20% savings on inflight purchases (excluding wi-fi purchases). You'll also get a $200 Delta flight credit after you spend $10,000 in a calendar year.
Annual fee: $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150 (see rates and fees)
Apply here: Delta SkyMiles Gold Amex Card
Citi Prestige® Card
Highest reported credit limit: $92,000, according to a post on the myFICO forums.
Sign-up bonus: This card is currently unavailable to new applicants.
Rewards: Earn 5 points per dollar on dining at restaurants and on air travel, 3 points per dollar at hotels and cruise lines and 1 point per dollar everywhere else.
Benefits: The most lucrative of the many perks this card offers is its fourth-night-free benefit. Citi will give you the fourth night of your stay gratis at virtually any hotel when booking through the Citi ThankYou portal (up to twice per year).
The rate is based on your average night stay and doesn't include taxes and fees. You'll also receive an annual $250 travel credit, an up to $100 Global Entry credit and Priority Pass lounge access. Enrollment is required for select benefits.
Annual fee: $495.
Read our full review of the Citi Prestige.
What is a high credit limit?
Your definition of a high credit limit may vary. If you're just starting with credit, a few hundred to a few thousand dollars may seem like a huge credit line. More experienced users would define a high credit limit as exceeding tens of thousands of dollars.
Let's examine average credit limits. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau reported average credit lines per account broken down by FICO score range. Here's what the agency found:
| Credit category | Credit score range | Average credit line |
|---|---|---|
| Super prime | 720-850 | About $10,000 |
| Prime | 660-719 | Less than $6,000 |
| Near prime | 620-659 | About $3,000 |
| Subprime | 580-619 | About $2,000 |
Any credit line higher than $10,000 is considered above average for consumers with the best credit scores. Again, whether $10,000 is a high limit really depends on your financial situation and needs.
How to get a high credit limit
How issuers determine credit limits is proprietary, although some offer guidance.
American Express says it considers "the customer's overall level of debt relative to their financial resources known to us. Also, we look at a variety of factors that comprise a customer's overall credit profile, which includes, among other things, your credit bureau reports and scores at the time you apply, payment history (if any) with American Express, reported income and usage habits (if known)."
Discover says your credit score is important, but "a high score alone does not necessarily guarantee a certain credit limit or even card approval."
Issuers will also examine your income, monthly expenses, payment history and credit utilization. Even your age and location can be factors for issuers.
Why you might want a high credit limit
There are two main reasons to seek a credit card with a high limit: if you put as many of your monthly expenses on a credit card as you can (which you should — responsibly, of course — so you can earn the rewards) and you have many expenses that you can pay off each month, you should consider a high-limit card.
Second — and this actually works in tandem with the first reason — getting a high-limit card could help your credit score. Credit utilization, one of the elements mentioned above that influences issuers' decisions on how large your credit line will be, is a huge factor in your credit score.
The less credit you use as a percentage of the overall line of credit available to you, the lower your utilization. If you qualify for a big credit line and use only a small portion of it each month, your score can be boosted over time.
Related: Here's how to reallocate credit lines between your cards
Bottom line
If you have a solid credit score and can demonstrate a steady income, you might have a good shot at earning an above-average credit limit on your next credit card — especially if you're willing to pay a sizable annual fee on more premium credit cards.
You might not be able to get a good feel for what your specific credit limit will be before you apply — but even if your initial credit line on a new card is not high enough for your needs, you may be able to get a credit limit increase over time by using your credit responsibly.
It may also be possible to go over your credit limit, but that usually has negative consequences, so it's best avoided.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card, click here.
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
