Writer: Adam West
Editor: Lillian Guevara-Castro
Reviewer: Jon McDonald
Disclosure: When you apply through links on our site, we may earn a referral fee from our partners. For more, see our ad disclosure and review policy.
Key Takeaways
Here’s what to know about balance transfer cards with high limits:
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The BankAmericard® credit card is our top overall choice because it offers a lengthy introductory financing period and charges no annual fee.
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Balance transfer cards with high limits typically require good to excellent credit, though issuers also consider income, existing debt, and other factors.
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A balance transfer fee may be worthwhile if the card’s promotional financing helps you save substantially on interest while paying down debt.
To effectively consolidate your credit card debt, you’ll need the right balance transfer cards with high limits. A low limit could prevent you from tackling those existing balances effectively.
With the cards listed below, you can transfer your existing debt to the new account and take advantage of a promotional period with no interest on the amount you owe. The length of your balance transfer offer will depend on the card you qualify for.
During this promotional period, you can focus on reducing your balance without the stress of high interest rates or extra fees cutting into your monthly payments. Many folks take advantage of these offers to quickly wipe out expensive credit card debt.
Best Balance Transfer Cards With High Limits
The following cards all come from big-name banks you know and trust — many of which can approve you for a credit limit that will support your balance transfer. Remember that balance transfer cards require a good to excellent credit score for approval, generally considered to be a score of 670 or higher.
- 0% Intro APR for 21 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the Intro APR offer ends, a Variable APR that’s currently 14.99% – 25.99% will apply. A 5% fee applies to all balance transfers. Balance transfers may not be used to pay any account provided by Bank of America.
- No annual fee.
- No penalty APR. Paying late won’t automatically raise your interest rate (APR). Other account pricing and terms apply.
- This offer may not be available elsewhere if you leave this page. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.
Additional Disclosure: Bank of America is a CardRates advertiser.
The BankAmericard® credit card is our top overall choice because it pairs a potentially useful credit line with one of the longest introductory financing offers available. New cardholders receive nearly two years to pay off their transferred debt without accruing interest charges.
Bank of America does not publish a maximum credit limit, and your limit will depend on factors including your income, debts, and credit history. The card charges no annual fee or penalty APR, although a 5% balance transfer fee applies, and you cannot transfer debt from another Bank of America account.
- 0% Intro APR on balance transfers for 21 months and on purchases for 12 months from date of account opening. After that the variable APR will be 16.49% – 27.24%, based on your creditworthiness. Balance transfers must be completed within 4 months of account opening.
- There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
- No Annual Fee – our low intro rates and all the benefits don’t come with a yearly charge.
- Buy now and pay later. Split your payment for eligible purchases of $75 or more into a fixed payment with Citi® Flex Pay.
- Get free access to your FICO® Score online.
Additional Disclosure: Citi is a CardRates advertiser.
If you haven’t noticed by now, Citi is a great credit card company for transferring balances and eliminating expensive debt. The Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card is a solid option that, according to cardholders, offers starting credit limits of between $500 and $10,000.
This card comes with some great perks for all cardholders, including an introductory period where you won’t accrue interest on your transferred balances. Keep in mind, this credit card is designed for those with good to excellent credit.
- INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards.
- Earn 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, automatically. You’ll still earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
- Get a 0% intro APR for 18 months on balance transfers. Then 17.49% to 26.49% Standard Variable APR applies, based on credit worthiness.
- Redeem cash back for any amount
- No annual fee.
- Terms and conditions apply.
The Discover it® Chrome has a minimum credit limit of $500, though your limit may be higher based on your credit profile. One cardholder reported a credit limit of $27,500 on a similar card after years of responsible use.
This card does come with a balance transfer fee, so it’s important to review the card’s terms before proceeding. But remember, this fee is typically much lower than the interest you’d pay on a high-interest credit card.
- Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
- Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time. Plus, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked with Citi Travel.
- Balance Transfer Only Offer: 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 17.49% – 27.49%, based on your creditworthiness.
- Balance Transfers do not earn cash back. Intro APR does not apply to purchases.
- If you transfer a balance, interest will be charged on your purchases unless you pay your entire balance (including balance transfers) by the due date each month.
- There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
Additional Disclosure: Citi is a CardRates advertiser.
The Citi Double Cash® Card’s initial credit limit will depend on your credit score and existing card accounts, but cardholders report spending limits that range between $500 and $11,000. A quick credit limit increase isn’t uncommon, as one WalletHub user claims to have received a boost from $11,000 to $19,500 right after card activation.
The Citi Double Cash® Card is a great tool for eliminating debt because of its potentially high credit limit and cash back on every eligible purchase. Your cash back can be redeemed as a statement credit, direct deposit into a bank account, a mailed check, or converted to points.
- $200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.
- Earn 6% cash back for the first year in the category of your choice. You’ll automatically earn 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs, and unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases. After the first year from account opening, you’ll earn 3% cash back on purchases in your choice category.
- Earn 6% and 2% cash back on the first $2,500 in combined purchases each quarter in the choice category, and at grocery stores and wholesale clubs, then earn unlimited 1% thereafter. After the 3% first-year bonus offer ends, you will earn 3% and 2% cash back on these purchases up to the quarterly maximum.
- No annual fee and cash rewards don’t expire as long as your account remains open.
- Turn daily purchases into everyday wins. Simply use your Customized Cash Rewards credit card for the things you already buy – from gifts to groceries – BofA Rewards™ members earn more cash back.
- 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the Intro APR offer ends, a Variable APR that’s currently 17.49% – 27.49% will apply. A 3% Intro balance transfer fee will apply for the first 60 days your account is open. After the Intro balance transfer fee offer ends, the fee for future balance transfers is 5%. Balance transfers may not be used to pay any account provided by Bank of America.
- This offer may not be available elsewhere if you leave this page. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.
Additional Disclosure: Bank of America is a CardRates advertiser.
The Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card offers a minimum initial spending limit of $5,000, which is substantially more than the initial limit on Citi cards on this list. Some cardholders report receiving a starting credit line of $10,000.
This card has stellar rewards, a sizable welcome bonus, a good variable APR, and charges no annual fee.
- Limited Time Offer! $250 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.
- Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases.
- No limit to the amount of cash back you can earn and cash rewards don’t expire as long as your account remains open.
- No annual fee.
- Turn daily purchases into everyday wins. Simply use your Unlimited Cash Rewards credit card for the things you already buy – from gifts to groceries – BofA Rewards™ members earn more cash back.
- 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the Intro APR offer ends, a Variable APR that’s currently 17.49% – 27.49% will apply. A 3% Intro balance transfer fee will apply for the first 60 days your account is open. After the Intro balance transfer fee offer ends, the fee for future balance transfers is 5%. Balance transfers may not be used to pay any account provided by Bank of America.
- This offer may not be available elsewhere if you leave this page. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.
Additional Disclosure: Bank of America is a CardRates advertiser.
The Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards credit card tends to offer lower credit limits to new cardholders, but you can boost your spending power with a credit limit increase. While Bank of America doesn’t provide any specifics on credit limits, The Ascent reports that credit limits for this card can range from $1,000 to $50,000.
Your credit limit will depend on your credit history. You could call Bank of America upon approval and request a higher credit limit by explaining that you intend to perform a balance transfer.
- Earn 20,000 bonus Points after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months of account opening.
- 0% Intro APR on balance transfers and purchases for 15 months; after that, the variable APR will be 18.49% – 28.49%, based on your creditworthiness. There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
- Earn 3 ThankYou® Points for each $1 spent in an eligible Self-Select Category of your choice (Fitness Clubs, Select Streaming Services, Live Entertainment, Cosmetic Stores/Barber Shops/Hair Salons, or Pet Supply Stores). Choose your eligible Self-Select Category on Citi Online or by calling customer service. The default Self-Select Category is Select Streaming Services.
- Earn 5 ThankYou® Points for each $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals and Attractions booked on Citi Travel® via cititravel.com; earn 3 ThankYou Points for each $1 spent at Supermarkets, on Select Transit purchases, and at Gas & EV Charging Stations.
- Earn 2 ThankYou® Points for each $1 spent at Restaurants; earn 1 ThankYou® Point for each $1 spent on All Other Purchases.
- No Annual Fee
Additional Disclosure: Citi is a CardRates advertiser.
The Citi Strata℠ Card combines a solid balance transfer offer with rewards that can provide value long after the promotional period ends. Transfers completed within the first four months qualify for the introductory 3% fee, with a $5 minimum.
Citi does not publish a minimum or maximum credit limit for this card, so your spending power will depend on your creditworthiness. Unlike many balance transfer cards, the Citi Strata℠ Card earns ThankYou® Points in several everyday spending categories and charges no annual fee. Those rewards make it a versatile option, but avoid adding purchases unless they fit comfortably within your debt-payoff plan.
What is a Balance Transfer Credit Card?
A balance transfer credit card is a traditional credit card with an added promotion for new cardholders that makes it more affordable to pay down existing credit card debt.
Many of these cards offer 0% balance transfer promotions, which can really benefit cardholders with a plan to eliminate their debt. During this promotion, new cardholders can transfer the balance from an existing credit card to their new card and pay no interest on the transferred debt for the duration of the promotion.
The length of your credit card balance transfer offer will vary by card. These offers can run for as short as six months (the legal minimum) or as long as 24 months or more. During that time, you won’t pay interest on the debt you transferred to the new card.
You may also qualify for 0% financing on new purchases, though some cards only offer interest-free financing for balance transfers or new purchases.
You’ll likely need to pay a balance transfer fee, which is a percentage of the debt you’re moving to the new card. While this one-time charge might seem steep, it’s generally much lower than the interest you’d pay over time on the debt you’re reducing.
If you still have a balance on your credit card after your balance transfer promotional offer ends, you’ll begin accruing interest on the remaining balance. You won’t have to pay interest on any amount you paid off during the promotion.
Most balance transfers are completed within a few days to about three weeks after you receive the initial approval. This gives the bank time to process your transaction, send the money to the other bank, and add the transferred debt to your credit card account.
During this time, you’ll still have to pay any monthly payments due to the old credit card company. Otherwise, you may be subject to late payment fees and credit score damage.
How Do Balance Transfers Work?
A balance transfer is very similar to transferring money from your savings account to your checking account. The main difference is that the money moves from one credit card company to another.
If your current credit card balance carries a higher interest rate than your new card, you might want to transfer that balance to save money on interest as you pay off the debt.
When you start this transfer, the new card issuer will send funds to your existing card’s issuer to settle the debt. You’ll then owe that amount to the new card issuer.
The following video explains how balance transfers work, including what happens to the original balance and what to consider before requesting a transfer.
You can initiate a balance transfer request through your bank’s website. The entire process may take up to three or so weeks to complete, though it can also be as quick as a few days, depending on the issuer. Balance transfers usually charge a fee of around 3% to 5% of the amount transferred.
It’s crucial to pay any amounts due to your credit card company during this period. If you don’t, you might face late payment fees and potential damage to your credit history. If your payment and the amount sent by your new card issuer exceed what you owe, you’ll receive a refund for the surplus after the balance transfer is completed.
Once your old card has a $0 balance, you can choose to keep the card account open or close it — but beware that closing your old account can hurt your credit utilization ratio and, ultimately, your credit score.
Which Balance Transfer Card Has the Highest Limit?
Issuers rarely disclose maximum credit limits, so it’s difficult to identify one balance transfer card with the highest possible limit. The Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card, for example, reportedly offers a minimum initial credit limit of $5,000. Your actual limit will depend on factors including your credit history, income, and existing debt.
While your credit line is important if you’re looking to transfer over a large balance, don’t base your credit card search solely on which bank will offer you the most credit. A high-limit card may charge expensive fees that offset your savings. That’s because the highest credit limits are generally reserved for premium rewards cards.
Higher credit limits may also mean more fees that could offset any balance transfer savings. Premium rewards cards may extend the most credit, but they could charge a hefty annual fee.
These fees can range from a high annual fee, a high variable APR, or an exorbitant balance transfer fee — all of which can increase your credit card debt quickly. Keep these fees in mind when shopping for the best balance transfer cards with high limits.
What’s the Biggest Benefit of a Balance Transfer?
On the surface, it may seem like a balance transfer only shifts your debt from one bank to another. But the true advantage of any balance transfer offer comes from the cost of eliminating that debt.
You should only consider a balance transfer if the card you’re moving the debt to has a lower interest rate than the card the debt is currently on. Moving your debt to a card with a higher interest rate will only increase your cost to satisfy the debt.
A lower interest rate reduces your overall cost — especially if your new card has a promotional period with 0% interest for balance transfers.
Use our balance transfer calculator to estimate your potential interest savings and compare the cost of transferring your debt with the cost of leaving it on your current card.
A balance transfer fee reduces your total savings, so include it when comparing offers. You should also determine whether your planned monthly payment will eliminate the balance before the promotional period ends.
Some cards might restrict the amount of money you can transfer to a new card. It’s essential to understand the card issuer’s specific rules and limitations before applying.
Some of the best balance transfer credit cards include rewards for every eligible purchase. This can net you cash back, a statement credit, travel discounts, gift card offers, or merchandise.
These cards have far more utility in your wallet than an average bank or credit union debit card. Even if you’re a credit newcomer, you can work your way toward a higher credit limit by proving your creditworthiness over time.
Do Balance Transfer Cards Have Higher Limits?
Typically, balance transfer cards do not have different credit limits than any other unsecured credit card. But some cards limit how much of your available credit card balance you can dedicate to balance transfers.
For example, a credit card may offer you a $10,000 credit line, but only allow up to 80% of your credit limit for balance transfers. Some banks use this tactic to limit how much interest-free debt you can add to your card, and prevent you from maxing out your credit limit.
Your balance transfer credit card offer will lay out all the rules regarding your credit line as well as how you can use the money. Be sure to research all of the fees and stipulations regarding your account to make sure you understand your advantages and limitations.
Your credit limit will depend on several factors that have nothing to do with your balance transfers. These include:
- Your credit score
- Your current debt load
- Your recent payment history
- Your length of credit history
- Your card’s issuing bank
The last point is important to consider because every bank — and each individual card offered by that bank — has different minimum and maximum credit limits available that could affect how much credit you’re offered.
Although some banks may promote their minimum credit line available, very few will advertise the maximums.
How Can I Get a Higher Credit Limit?
You can request a credit limit increase through your card’s issuing bank in several ways.
Just about every bank offers a short form on its website or mobile application that allows you to submit a credit limit increase request. This form usually requires you to provide your name, address, Social Security number, and income information. Some banks allow you to request a specific increase amount, though this amount isn’t guaranteed.
Once you submit the request, the bank should offer a near-instant decision. If you’re approved, the new credit line will appear immediately. If you’re denied, the bank will send an adverse action notice in the mail outlining the reasons for its decision. You should receive this letter within seven to 10 business days.
You can also call your bank directly and request a credit limit increase from a customer service representative. This method is the most personal and can help your cause if your credit score is not up to par.
Some customer representatives, or even a supervisor, can sometimes override automated decisions. You might also be able to negotiate a larger increase over the phone, as automated services usually assign a set increase with no room for adjustments.
A few banks regularly monitor credit accounts to see whether you qualify for an automatic credit limit increase. If you do, you will get a boost to your spending power without having to do anything.
Just remember that this can go both ways. Irresponsible credit behavior can also result in a credit limit decrease.
Banks typically limit you to one credit limit increase every six months — though it’s completely up to the bank as to how often you can request and/or receive an increase to your credit line.
Should I Close My Card After I Transfer a Balance?
You should only close a credit account if the account comes with an annual fee you don’t want to pay anymore. Otherwise, it’s smart to keep all of your credit card accounts open — even if you don’t use the card. This is mainly because of your credit utilization ratio (CUR), which we’ve already discussed.
Banks typically like to see a lower credit utilization. If you have no credit card debt at all, you won’t see a change in your utilization ratio by canceling a card. But if you carry a balance, you may see your credit score drop due to the removal of that available credit from your credit history.
To find your utilization rate, add all your current credit card balances and divide the total by the sum of your credit limits. Here’s an example of the CUR for someone who has three credit cards and a $10,000 overall credit limit:
| Card A | Card B | Card C | Overall | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balance | $500 | $0 | $2,150 | $2,650 |
| Credit Limit | $2,000 | $3,000 | $5,000 | $10,000 |
| Utilization Ratio | 25% | 0% | 43% | 26.50% |
The lower your utilization ratio, the better your credit score. Canceling an open credit account with a $0 balance will automatically increase your utilization rate.
Picture having three credit cards, each with a $2,000 limit. You’ve accumulated $800 in total credit card debt. With $6,000 in available credit and an $800 balance, your utilization rate is 13.3%. Not too shabby!
But let’s say you cancel one of those three cards because you rarely use it. That instantly lowers your available credit to $4,000, but your balance remains at $800. Just like that, your utilization rate jumped to 20%. Still not terrible, but again — the lower your credit utilization ratio, the better your credit scores.
Apply Online For a Balance Transfer Card With a High Limit
Most credit card issuers accept online applications and may provide a decision within minutes, although some applications require additional review. If approved, you’ll learn your credit limit and can determine how much debt the card may allow you to transfer.
Some issuers let you request a balance transfer during the application process, while others require you to wait until the account is open. Continue making payments on the original account until you confirm that the transfer is complete. Review the card’s fees, transfer deadline, promotional terms, and post-promotional APR before proceeding.
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