Why I’m Waiting A Few Days To Book My United Flight

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I have a United flight I need to book, but I’m intentionally waiting a few days before buying it.

That’s not because I expect the fare to drop, because I’m still deciding whether to take the trip, or because I’m waiting for miles to transfer to my account.

I’m waiting because of a small credit card perk that could save me $50.

Why I’m Waiting To Book My United Flight

One of the lesser-discussed benefits of the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card and IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card is the annual United TravelBank credit.

It isn’t a huge benefit. Cardholders can receive up to $50 in United TravelBank Cash each calendar year after registering the card with a MileagePlus account. But like many credit card benefits, the $50 is split into two $25 deposits.

One $25 TravelBank deposit is supposed to arrive around January 5. The second is supposed to arrive around July 5.

That leaves a small window when you can maximize the value of this perk.

The January TravelBank credit expires on July 15. The July TravelBank credit, once it posts, expires on January 15 of the following year. So for a short period in January and July, it’s possible to have both $25 credits sitting in your United TravelBank account at the same time.

If that happens, you can use $50 toward a United flight instead of two separate $25 credits, one for each half of the year.

My July Credit Hasn’t Posted Yet

As of now, my July IHG United TravelBank credit hasn’t posted to my United account.

I’m not concerned yet because, based on past deposits, these credits haven’t always shown up on the exact date.

But this year, the delay matters to me because I actually have a United flight to book.

I still have the $25 TravelBank credit from January in my account, and it’s going to expire on July 15. If the July credit posts within the next day or two, I’ll have a brief window when both credits are available.

This Is Why The “Double Dip” Window Matters

When I first wrote about this benefit, the useful point was that the timing could create a possible double dip.

But how long that opportunity lasts depends on when the funds hit your account. If your July credit posts on July 5, great. You have about 10 days to use both credits together before the older one expires.

That’s why I’m not booking my United flight just yet. I don’t want to leave $25 on the table if waiting a couple of days could let me use the full $50.

How To Check Your United TravelBank Balance

If you have one of the eligible IHG Premier cards and have already registered for the benefit, this is a good time to check your United TravelBank account.

You’ll need to log in to your United MileagePlus account and check your TravelBank balance. If the January credit is still there, check the expiration date.

In my case, the $25 credit from January is still there, but the new July credit hasn’t arrived yet.

A Few Important Reminders

This is not a reason to book a United flight you don’t need.

It’s also not a reason to keep the IHG Premier card on its own. A $50 annual United TravelBank benefit is nice, but it’s only useful if you fly United or have a realistic way to use the credit before it expires.

Yes, there are ways people talk about for trying to keep expiring United credits alive, usually by booking and later canceling a ticket. I’m not going down that rabbit hole here. For this post, I’m looking at the straightforward use of the benefit: using both $25 IHG TravelBank credits toward a single United ticket.

Final Thought

The IHG Premier card’s United TravelBank benefit is one of those perks that looks small on paper but can be useful when the timing works.

Right now, I’m waiting a few days to book a United flight because my July TravelBank credit hasn’t posted yet. If it arrives before my January credit expires on July 15, I should be able to use $50 in TravelBank cash toward a ticket I was already planning to buy.

That’s the best-case scenario.

If you have an eligible IHG Premier card, a United flight to book, and an older TravelBank credit expiring soon, this is the week to pay attention.

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This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary