IHG Card United TravelBank Credit
One of the more underrated perks that comes with several IHG cards is the IHG card United® TravelBank credit perk. We thought we would share the process of setting up your accounts to get your yearly United TravelBank credits locked in. We’ll also go over all the details on the perk and how to maximize it.
What Is the IHG Card United TravelBank Credit?
The IHG card United Travel bank credit allows you to earn up to $50 in United TravelBank Cash each calendar year. It is broken into two different $25 credits throughout the calendar year, which is a little annoying. Here is how they divide up the credits, which you may notice will overlap for a few days:
The New IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card and The New IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card
- You will see $25 United TravelBank cash added to your United MileagePlus® account around January 5th-9th each year.
- This credit will be valid through July 15th
- You will see the second $25 United TravelBank cash added to your account around July 5th-9th each year.
- This credit will be valid through January 15th
- There is some overlap time in between these two credits where you can double dip. Since the previous credits expire on the 15th of the month when the new credits should appear, which usually happens on the 5th-8th of January and July, that means you can have $50 in there at one time for a week. If you let them overlap, then you can strike it when the iron is hot and use the $50 in one swoop.
The Brand New IHG One Rewards Premier Select Credit Card
- With this newly unveiled card, you will also get two $25 United TravelBank deposits in your account:
- Receive one in your account for January 1 to June 30.
- Receive another for July 1 to December 31.
How to Register Your IHG Card For Your TravelBank Credit
Now that we know when we get this IHG card United TravelBank credit, how do we go about earning them? Here is a step by step process:
- Log into your United account to grab your United Mileageplus number
- Next you need to link your IHG and United accounts HERE.
- Once you open the link you will be prompted to log into your IHG account.
- If you have an eligible card it will ask for your United Mileageplus number and last name. Enter your info and hit submit.
- Once that is done they will tell you that your accounts are linked and you should get your TravelBank deposit soon.
- It may take up to two weeks for your registration to take effect.
- TravelBank Cash can only be used on United® or United Express® purchases and cannot be refunded or exchanged to be used for reservations at IHG® Hotels & Resorts or other purchases.
- Unfortunately you can only get the credit on one IHG card even if you carry both the Premier and the Business cards.
Even though it says it can take up to two weeks for your $25 to show up mine was in my United account within seconds.
What About In The Future?
It appears that after your initial activation the credit should automatically hit your account in the future.
What Do United TravelBank Funds Work For?
It should be noted that United TravelBank funds are a bit restrictive.
Things United TravelBank Funds Can Be Used For:
- New flight bookings
Things United TravelBank Funds Are Ineligible For:
- Award taxes & fees
- Any purchases while onboard the plane
- Seat / upgrade fees
- Baggage fees
I wish the funds were more universal, but we even see massive restrictions like this on some airlines’ gift cards etc.
Where to Find Your United TravelBank Balance
Once you have the programs linked you will want to head back over to your United Mileageplus account and locate your TravelBank balance. Here is how you do that.
When logged into your United account go to the My United section. Once you are there you can see the TravelBank balance at the ToP of your account page. To get a more detailed look you click on
- My United
- Then the Wallet drop down
- Las select TravelBank
After opening the TravelBank section you get a little more of a breakdown of your credits. If you use the United TravelBank for your Amex airline incidentals credit you will see those in here too. It will give you the expiration date for each credit as well.
How To Redeem Your United TravelBank Balance
Now that we know how to activate our IHG Card United TravelBank credit, how to maximize it (in theory) and where it is located in our United account, how do we actually go about using it? It is pretty simple.
When you go to pay for a flight just select your TravelBank credit on the payment screen and then enter how much you want to use. You can pay for the rest of your flight, if there is anything left over, with your favorite travel rewards credit card. Hopefully it is one with great travel protections like the Chase Sapphire Reserve or Chase Sapphire Preferred. You do not, and should not, need to use your IHG personal or IHG business cards to pay the remainder of the flight.
How To Maximize Your Chase IHG United TravelBank Credit
The best way to maximize the United TravelBank credit, if you don’t have a flight planned before it expires, is to book a flight with it and then cancel it after 24 hours. This would lock the credit in for 12 months from now as a travel voucher. That is better than the shorter 6 month expiration date the TravelBank credit comes with.
This is tough to do with only a $25 credit, since there are not many flights that cheap these days. It is a little easier when the United TravelBank credits overlap for a week, or so, and you can do it for $50. Just search for short routes from hubs and see if you can find one that works. It does not have to be to / from your home airport. Try not to go above the amount by much, because you may lose that money too if you don’t use the travel credits before the 12 month expiration.
IHG Card United TravelBank Credit: ToP Thoughts
After diving into the perk a bit, we like how easy it is to set up and use. Even if you don’t have an immediate use for the United TravelBank credit, you can hopefully turn it into a United travel credit that extends the life and usefulness of this perk. What value do you give the IHG card United TravelBank credit? Let us know over in the ToP Facebook Group.
