Deal has expired, view more bank account bonuses by clicking here
Update 7/9/19: $400 bonus has returned, but you might be better off doing the $300 deal with no direct deposit requirement instead. Hat tip to reader @patrick_sears
Offer at a glance
- Maximum bonus amount: $400
- Availability: AL, DC, FL, GA, IN, KY, MD, NC, NJ, OH, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, WV
- Direct deposit required: Optional
- Hard/soft pull: Soft pull It seems like they are very persistant about overdraft protection so make sure you don’t opt in for that
- ChexSystems: Yes
- Credit card funding: Up to $250 (says debit card only, but credit cards will work)
- Monthly fees: $30
- Early account termination fee: $25, 180 days
- Household limit: One
- Expiration date:
March 29th, 2019 May 23rd, 2019August 8th, 2019
Contents
The Offer
Direct link to offers: $400 bonus or $200 bonus, this link is probably better.
- BB&T is currently offering two bonuses:
- Earn $400 when you open an elite gold checking account with promo code AXAGC
- Complete one of the following activities within 75 days of account opening
- Have an average daily balance of $10,000 or more
- Receive direct deposits of $2,000 or more
- Complete one of the following activities within 75 days of account opening
Earn $200 when you open an bright checking account with promo code AVGFZComplete one of the following activities within 75 days of account openingReceive two direct deposits of $100 each or moreMake 3 online bill pays of $25 each or more with U by BB&T
- Earn $400 when you open an elite gold checking account with promo code AXAGC
The Fine Print
- Offer is available for new BB&T clients who open a BB&T retail checking account.
- Normal minimum opening balance requirements apply.
- Offer is limited to one incentive per household and does not apply to second or multiple personal accounts.
- All bank account bonuses are treated as income/interest and as such you have to pay taxes on them
Avoiding Fees
Elite Gold ($400 Bonus)
You can avoid the monthly fee on this account if you meet any of the following requirements:
- $25,000 combined deposit balance in checking, savings, CDs, IRAs, Money Rate Savings, Investor’s Deposit Account, or investments through BB&T Investment Services, Inc.
- $25,000 combined outstanding balance in retail loans and lines of credit3
- $150,000 BB&T personal mortgage loan balance
In PA & NJ the requirement is only $15,000 in combined deposit balances.
Bright Checking ($200 Bonus)
This account has a $12 monthly fee, this is waived if you do either of the following:
- Receive a direct deposit of $500 or more
- Have an average daily balance of $1,500 or more
Early Account Termination Fee
All accounts come with a $25 early account closure fee if you close them within 180 days of account opening. In addition accounts must be open at the time of bonus posting
Our Verdict
We’ve seen the $200 bonus before, previously the best bonus on the elite gold account was $300. With the $300 bonus the main issue is keeping the account fee free. You basically need $25,000 in combined deposits, that’s also enough to trigger the bonus requirement so that’s a plus. You’d need to keep the $25,000 invested until the bonus posts and then pay the $25 early account termination fee. This 75-120 days, let’s say 120 days just to be safe. This account earns 0.01% APY, so basically nothing. If you put the $25,000 into a 2% account during that period you’d earn ~$165. When you add the $25 closing fee you’re looking at a bonus that is only really $200 or so. I’d probably recommend just doing the $200 bonus instead. I will be adding this to our list of the best checking account bonuses.
Big thanks to reader, Patrick S who let us know. Learn how to find bonuses and contribute to the site here.
Useful posts regarding bank bonuses:
- A Beginners Guide To Bank Account Bonuses
- Bank Account Quick Reference Table (Spreadsheet) (very useful for sorting bonuses by different parameters)
- PSA: Don’t Call The Bank
- Introduction To ChexSystems
- Banks & Credit Unions That Are ChexSystems Inquiry Sensitive
- What Banks & Credit Unions Do/Don’t Pull ChexSystems?
- How To Use Our Direct Deposit Page For Bank Bonuses Page
- Common Bank Bonus Misconceptions + Why You Should Give Them A Go
- How Many Bank Accounts Can I Safely Open Within A Year For Bank Bonus Purposes?
- Affiliate Links & Bank Bonuses – We Won’t Be Using Them
- Complete List Of Ways To Close Bank Accounts At Each Bank
- Banks That Allow/Don’t Allow Out Of State Checking Applications
- Bank Bonus Posting Times
$400 Bonus posted Sept 25. Opened Elite Gold Checking on July 10. Opened 1% MM account and moved $15k there. Good deal. Thanks DoC.
Cross-checking post https://www.doctorofcredit.com/bbt-200-checking-bonus-direct-deposit-not-required-al-dc-fl-ga-in-ky-md-nc-oh-sc-tn-tx-va-wv/ The “Update 9/21/19” suggests that offer is no longer [Expired], but the direct link is not working (https://www.bbt.com/errors.html).
The link here works (http://bbt.com/eliteh), but neither pre-filled promo code (AXAGC or AVGFZ) work. Codes AWWFX and AWXFX seem to work, but both default to a Elite Gold online application.
Recommend adding [Expired] here, and dropping [Expired] on the $200 thread. I will follow up after going in-branch tomorrow or Tuesday.
I called into 800-BANK-BBT, and rep confirmed AWWFX and AWXFX are both currently valid for the Bright Banking $200 bonus offer (not the $400 Elite Gold). Telephone rep suggested a branch rep may be able to further assist.
Looks like DoC’s link pre-fills with Gold Promo AXAGC when I click it, which is dead as of 8 August per picture above. The Bright Checking Promo is covered under a different DoC article and the link(s) recently stopped working. I wouldn’t just manually type in a code, but if that works for you, it would be YMMV if it actually pays out.
With the upcoming merger, they may be shutting down promos. I would wait until a new working link is discovered, or signup in branch/over the phone. At least then you have a banker/CSR’s word that the promo is going on, which is better than just guessing.
I’ll go in branch tomorrow or Tuesday. I posted on both threads. Recommend switching the “[Expired]” language and addressing the dead links. Hopefully a bank rep can validate the terms for each of the “current” promo codes.
[My other post is still awaiting moderation] Opened Bright Banking Checking in branch today. Local rep confirmed both promo codes are good for $250 bonus after funding Bright checking with $1500 AND (1) making 3x $25 bill payments using ‘U’ mobile app OR (2) receiving two $100 DDs. He said bonus should post after the 3 month window to meet requirements closes. He also pointed out the merger should have no impact on account for another 18 months. If one is willing to risk the ETF, one might be able to do this promo now and get one more before the merger impacts operations. $250 offer is not expired. Recommend updating terms to reflect $250 and restore the other thread to the list of best banking bonuses.
$400 link opens a website with promo pre-filled, but then states “Please correct the highlighted field to continue.” Other links to offers get a 404 error. It appears AWWFX and AWXFX can be manually added on the website, but the application defaults to the Elite Gold checking, not the BB&T Bright Banking checking. Based on previous comments (here and on related pages), the promo codes appear to be linked to a specific offer.
I’d like to confirm what promo I am signing up for before submitting the application. Any insight?
I replied to your comment Midn02 but it made it a top level comment for some reason. GL!
I started at the link you mentioned earlier today. Received the https://www.bbt.com/errors.html 404 error. This post’s $400 direct link results in a functional webpage, but the pre-filled promo doesn’t work. I found the alternate promo codes on a different site discussing the $200 Bright Banking option (https://www.moneysmylife.com/bbt-promotions/), but I don’t see a method to verify the terms of either code. I am concerned since the promos result in the Elite Gold by default. I am open to either bonus, but I want to know which terms I am required to meet. I can swing into branch tomorrow. I hate to give up the CC funding, but rather lose out on that aspect than the bonus.
William Charles Can a resident living in another state other than the states listed above can apply and receive the promotion? (like M&T Personal Checking Account Bonus?)
Just came across this. From my reading, this is one of the easier ones.
Meet the “Complete three online bill payments of at least $25 each or more with U by BB&T®.” requirement and leave $1500 in the account to avoid the $12/month fee. Can easily pay my credit cards to meet the bill pay part.
Am I missing something as this seems far too simple…
“In PA & NJ the requirement is only $15,000 in combined deposit balances.”
This does not seem to be true as I go on the website. I am from PA. What is going on? Thanks.
EDIT: Never mind. I found a PDF specifically for PA which says it only needs $15K.
Anyone consider opening the high performance money market and get 1% for the $15k/$25k balance?
Yes I did and funded both the checking and MM using CIP for a total of $500. Not bad considering I’m from NJ and $15k is what I have to put in there for 3-ish months.
Is the $200 bonus still available? Theres no mention of it on the landing page
No, only $200
This $400 offer is explicitly not 2P friendly:
“Households which have a current BB&T personal checking account or have closed a BB&T consumer checking account in the past 12 months are not eligible.”
Whereas the $300 offer seems to be 2P friendly:
“To be eligible to participate in the promotion, you must be a new BB&T personal checking client and must not have closed a BB&T personal checking account since May 23, 2018”
Note the language difference, the $300 offer says “you” where the $400 offer says “households”. I would at least have a decent chance arguing to get the $300 bonus for my wife, if they were to not pay it out automatically, due to her never having had an account with them.
$300 offer has this fine print: “Offer is limited to one incentive per household and does not apply to second or multiple personal accounts.”