Offer at a glance
- Maximum bonus amount: $300 Visa gift card for checking + $100 for savings
- Availability: LA, MS, FL, AL, & TX only
- Direct deposit required: No
- Additional requirements: E-statement enrollment and 5 transactions
- Hard/soft pull: Soft
- Credit card funding: None
- Monthly fees: Waived with $250 balance
- Early account termination fee: $25, 180 days
- Expiration date: September 30th, 2016
The Offer
Direct Link to Offer Branch Locator
- Open a checking account with Whitney Bank and receive a $300 Visa gift card after enrolling in e-statements and using your debit card 5 times before October 31st, 2016.
- Open a Silver Savings account and receive an additional $100 Visa gift card when you deposit a total of $20,000 or more in new money and maintain your $20,000 balance through October 31st, 2016.
Account must be opened in-branch or possibly over the phone. No option to open an account online. Note that in the previous offer, some bankers weren’t able to get the offer, depending on the area etc. It may be worth calling in first to verify before making the trip.
The Fine Print
- To be eligible for the promotion: A personal checking account, with new money not currently held by Whitney Bank or Hancock Bank, must be opened.
- One gift card per household.
- The offer is non-transferable and valid only for person residing at the address the mail was sent to. This cannot be combined with other offers.
- Gift card will be sent to the address associated with your new account within 4-6 weeks after the qualification expiration date of 10/31/16.
- You’re required to pay taxes on all bank account bonuses
Avoiding Fees
The basic checking account (called the ‘Access’ account) comes with a $10 monthly fee, waived with a $250 daily balance and waived for those under age 24 or over the age of 64.
According to reader Vasv, there is an early account termination fee of $25 if closed within 180 days.
Our Verdict
This is an awesome bonus, it’s a shame it’s targeted. Some people have also gotten offers for $200 just for checking or $200 for checking + $100 for savings. At the moment we have no idea how to get targeted for this offer unfortunately. If you have any ideas, please let us know in the comments. You can view the best bank account bonuses available to everybody by clicking here.
Hat tip to u/IAmUber on /r/churning
Anyone NOT get their bonus yet? I opened account 11-28. Finished debits by 12-8. So 3.5 months and no gift card. Anyone else NOT get bonus? or had to call in move things along? or it took longer than 3.5 months? Thanks for any data points.
anyone get a 1099 form? they told me that it wont be taxed. weird!
David, did you finally get a 1099 from them?
9/22: opened account
10/5: completed 5 debit transactions
12/9: received $300 gift card
i was not targeted and opened the account online.
Hey! just wanted to provide DP! I know I’m a little late
Opened account: 9/26
Debit fulfillment complete: 10/17
Received my GC today: 12/5
I was not targeted, I opened online with the promo code. I am in South Florida and do not have this bank nearby at all (closest one is 4 hours away).. Thanks!!
DP: signed up at a brank in early Sept in TX. I wasn’t targeted and had no issues with the banker. Finished 5 transaction all online late Sept. Just got my VCG last week in the mail.
completed the 5 trans in sept., but still waiting for the GC. For folks who received the GC, is it one $300 VGC and which bank is it? TIA
Received $300..
8/11/2016 – Opened account in branch
8/22/2o16 – completed 5 debit card transactions
10/3/2016 – received $300 visa gift card in mail
Were you targeted?
No, I am not targeted
Thanks for info, shame it’s ended now.
Received mine today as well. Opened on 7/28 in branch and completed transactions within a couple of weeks (don’t remember the exact date right now). I wasn’t targetted either.
7/28/2016–Opened.
8/18/2016–Completed 5 transactions.
10/3/2016–Received $300 Visa GC in mail.
Wasn’t targeted.
Vasv, remember that if you close within 180 days of opening, there is a $20 fee.
yes, i will leave it for 180 days as its anyway very less min balance required compared to others. great bonus! Thanks Doc!! you made my year 2016 financially awesome with all the bank bonuses. I almost participated in all of those nationwide and my region specific. This website rocks with all the detailed information and steps and comments.
do the debit card transactions have to be pin/signature or can we just use it online?
I *think* they had to be PIN. It’s been a couple of months since I’ve done them, so I’m not 100% sure. With that said, it’s not too hard to head to a grocery store and buy 5 cans or candy bars or fruits or vegetables and run through the self-checkout line a handful of times, or to do it over a couple of trips and spend less that $7 total on the whole thing.
If you’re adamant about doing it online/from home, I think there’s a way to force Amazon gift card purchases to use PIN instead of being PINless…but I don’t recommend it…an easy $300 at stake over avoiding a tiny bit of exta work.
thanks! yeah, i just went to grocery store during lunch and made the 5 purchases. no use risking free money.
the term stated: 5 trans with the DC, either with pin or sig excluding bill pay & atm withdrawal by 10/31.
so i guess trans with either pin or sig is ok; open in early sept., recently completed >5 trans, waiting for the GC
Opened account today in branch and can confirm the following fees
Account closure – within 180 days $20
Dormant Account – no debit or credit activity for one year – $5 /month+any applicable service charge
Overdraft – $35
Paper Statement – $3/month
Got the online temp username and pwd but its not working and i have to wait for 24 hrs to login. is this same for other who opened recently?
Thanks, added.
I opened on 7/28, and all your information seems correct based on what I remember. I signed up for online statements when I opened, and I do remember there being a fee for paper statements. I also remember that there was a 180-day minimum to avoid the early closure fee. I didn’t pay attention to the overdraft fees considering I don’t plan to use the card/account for anything other than the initial transactions.
The temp username/PW issue you’re having is one that my banker warned me about and one that I experienced as well. Just wait a couple of days and then try again…then again, if this is a new account for you, you have a couple of weeks before your funds even show availability!
You will also probably get your PIN for your debit card in the mail before you receive your actual debit card. The PIN mail looks like one of those spam pieces of mail, so make sure you don’t accidentally throw it out. The only way to know that the PIN that you receive in the mail is for your Whitney account is to look at who the letter says to contact if you have any questions (it says Whitney bank inside the letter).
Hope this helps!
Thanks Neil! I was able to login online account successfully next day. I will watch out for the PIN and debit card mails.
Opened one up today. The account opening paperwork indicates that there is a $20 fee if you close the account within 180 days.
December 12th should be the last date by which everyone who does this promotion receives the gift card. As of today, 180 days is sometime in January.
Just thought I’d add a bit of information!
Were you targeted by mail or you just opened the account with the code?
I just opened the account with the code. Start by signing up for the direct offer towards the top of the page that then asks you for your e-mail address. The code that they e-mail to you…you can just show it to your banker.
Anyone close an account with Hancock Whitney before? If so, can you do it over the phone or do you have to go back to the branch to do it? Thanks!!!
Anyone know? I closed 1 in branch last time. Hoping to close by phone or online on a spouse account. Thanks for any info!