IHG Card United TravelBank Credit
If you have been following along then you know I decided to update my old IHG Mastercard to the IHG Premier card. It just made too much sense for me not to. If you want more info on why you can read my full breakdown. One of the perks that comes with the IHG Premier card, and IHG Business card as well, is the IHG card United TravelBank credit perk. I finally got around to getting mine set up so I thought I would share the process of getting your yearly United TravelBank credits locked in. I'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:
- You will see $25 United TravelBank cash added to your account around January 1st 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 1st each year.
- This credit will be valid through January 15th
You will notice there is a little bit of overlap between the two credits. Every time the credit hits you have about a two week window to lock in a double credit, assuming you still have your previous one available. This can be useful if you find ANY one way flight etc. for around $50. You can book it and then cancel it a few days later and lock in that $50 in credit as a travel credit with United. It will now last for up to a year with the improved United Airlines cancellation rules. That is if you don't have a flight you need to book anyway.
How To Register Your IHG Card For Your TravelBank Credit
Now that we know when we get this IHG card United TravelBank credit on our IHG Premier and IHG Business card, 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 Mileagplus number and last name. Enter your info 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.
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 Premier or IHG Business card to pay the remainder of the flight.
IHG Card United TravelBank Credit: ToP Thoughts
I had not given the IHG card United TravelBank credit much thought in the past since I don't often fly United and I didn't have a Premier card before. After diving into the perk a bit I like how easy it is to set up and use. I ended up using it within the first week of getting my card, but more on that in a future article. 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.
