[Expired] Fairwinds Credit Union $100 Referral Bonus

Deal has ended, view more bank account bonuses by clicking here. (Find the updated $200 Fairwinds deal here.)

Update 10/12/22: Extended until 12/31/22.

Update 9/11/22: emergency savings account is now 3% on the first $1000

Update 7/16/22: Deal is back and valid until July 14, 2022 – October 14, 2022. Hat tip to reader Oscar

Update 4/29/22: Extended until May 31, 2022

Update 2/7/22: Deal is back and valid until April 30, 2022.

Update 11/25/21: Deal is back until 12/31/21. Keep in mind the strengthen direct deposit requirements below.

Update 8/14/21: Looks like the direct deposit requirement has been strengthen, now states:

Your qualifying direct deposit needs to be an Automated Clearing House (ACH) deposit of your paycheck, pension, or government benefits (including Social Security) from the government or your employer. Person-to-person transfers (such as Zelle, PayPal or Venmo) and bank transfers between your FAIRWINDS or any other accounts you have at other financial institutions or brokerages do not qualify.

Update 7/19/21: Looks like this is actually available nationwide.

Offer at a glance

  • Maximum bonus amount: $100
  • Availability: FL only
  • Direct deposit required: Yes, $200+
  • Additional requirements: Be referred
  • Hard/soft pull: Soft pull
  • ChexSystems: Yes
  • Credit card funding: Up to $500 via credit card
  • Monthly fees: None
  • Early account termination fee: None
  • Household limit: None listed
  • Expiration date: None listed

The Offer

Direct link to offer

  • Fairwinds Credit Union is offering a $100 referral bonus when the person being referred opens a Spending or Checking Account and completes a direct deposit of $200 or more

The Fine Print

  • Your qualifying direct deposit needs to be an Automated Clearing House (ACH) deposit of your paycheck, pension, or government benefits (including Social Security) from the government or your employer. Person-to-person transfers (such as Zelle, PayPal or Venmo) and bank transfers between your FAIRWINDS or any other accounts you have at other financial institutions or brokerages do not qualify.
  • In order for both the referred individual and the referring FAIRWINDS member to each qualify for and receive the $100.00 referral reward, the following conditions must be met: The referred individual may not have previously been an owner on or a party to a FAIRWINDS account; the referred individual must open a new FAIRWINDS consumer Spending or Checking Account during the eligible program period; the referred individual must open the new account using the referring FAIRWINDS member’s unique referral link; and the referred individual must receive in the new Spending or Checking Account a qualifying direct deposit of $200.00 or more (excluding their new account deposit used to fund/open the account) within 45 days of opening. The qualifying direct deposit must be a deposit made by Automated Clearing House (ACH) deposit. The referring FAIRWINDS member must be in good standing with the credit union and must be an owner of a FAIRWINDS consumer Spending or Checking account in order to be eligible for a referral reward. FAIRWINDS Credit Union employees are not eligible to receive any referral program rewards.
  • Rewards that have been fully earned and qualified for will be paid to each party on or about the 15th day of the month following the deposit of the qualifying funds into the referred individual’s new Spending or Checking Account. Only one reward will be provided per referred individual. A referring FAIRWINDS’ member can only receive a total of up to $1,000 in referral rewards per calendar year. Referred individuals acknowledge that payment of the reward will result in the referring member’s knowledge of the referred individual’s establishment of a new account with FAIRWINDS.
  • All bank account bonuses are treated as income/interest and as such you have to pay taxes on them

Avoiding Fees

Monthly Fees

Spend account has no monthly fees to worry about.

Early Account Termination Fee

I wasn’t able to find any mention of an early account termination fee in the fee schedule.

Our Verdict

Fairwind has offered generous personal & business credit card bonuses before, but we haven’t seen any bank account bonuses. If anybody has an account already then please feel free to share your experiences along with your referral details in the comments below.

Useful posts regarding bank bonuses:
    William Charles
  • On October 12, 2022, 21:35
Tags: direct deposit requiredfl bank bonuses

View Comments (1985)

  • Like Dom's data point from a few months ago, even though the page to generate a referral link says it ended, I opened an account on April 15 with an old referral link (from @guest_1520768) on April 15, and my $100 bonus posted May 15. I don't know if the referrer got his side of the bonus. The terms on the page seen by the referred person don't mention an ending date.

  • The Emergency Savings rate has increased from 3.00% APY* to 5.00% APY* on the first $1,000.

  • Just got hit with a $10 "Inactive Account Fee" despite their site stating they don't have any monthly service charges. I don't see it listed in their fee schedule either. If you have an open account for the potential of collecting future referrals beware

  • 10/6 Opened account and funded
    11/9 $200 Real DD
    Should have received bonus on 12/15; did not receive, messaged Customer Help
    A few months, more 15ths go by, and many messages later...they had to finally just deposit the bonus manually
    3/3 bonus received "Deposit SG Refer and Earn Bonus" $100

    Referral was from a C. Moff

  • Has anyone received 1099 document from Fairwinds?
    I closed the account and have changed address, so far haven't received any documents.

    • Same. My account is open and my address has not changed. It's supposed to be online, but I don't see it there either. Annoying since this is the last one I'm waiting for before I can file.

      • What do your December 2022 statement and the statement in which you received your bonus (if it's not the same one) say for "Dividends Paid 2022 On Freedom Spending Account"? Mine says 0.00 for dividends even though I got my referral + 2 to others, which makes me think this bank, annoyingly, won't send a 1099.

  • Fairwinds just started an Earn and Learn program. Take a course and answer questions earn points. Log in daily earn points. Use points for redeeming $5 gift cards. Target and Amazon plus many others.

        • Fastest bonus ever. Screenshot? Did the person whose link you used get paid too?

          What did you use as the Wise description?

          They did this crap last time when they shut down the referral program. The referral links would still work to open an account, but per online banking, the program had ended. I didn't notice anyone bring it up that they applied after the promo ended and they did or didn't get paid. Might be a great way for them to only pay one side of the bonus.

          Also, since they pay out the bonuses on the 15th, it would be very risky to assume that accounts opened after the program ended would continue to pay out in future months. Maybe you just got lucky that they haven't completely ended the program.

          • Emailed you the screen shot. I just used a link from@guest_1522816 a few comments down.

            Would have used your link my friend but didn't see it on your site :(

          • Friends don't let friends use expired links, so I had taken it down on New Year's weekend.

            That's great it worked out for you.

          • Apologies for claiming the deal was back. I just assumed it was since I was able to open the account with no issues, but I didn't consider it was just an error on fairwind's end. Next time ill do my due diligence!

          • No apologies are necessary. On to the next!

            For those wondering for next time... Dom's Wise transfer said Direct Dep... which is contrary to other DP's that said it didn't work. Maybe because he used an LLC name too? Good to know.

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