[HI] Bank of Hawaii $100 – $400 Checking Bonus

Offer at a glance

  • Maximum bonus amount: $400
  • Availability: HI
  • Direct deposit required: Yes, $2,000+ – $3,500
  • Additional requirements: See below
  • Hard/soft pull: Unknown
  • ChexSystems: Unknown
  • Credit card funding: Unknown
  • Monthly fees: $3.95 – $20
  • Early account termination fee: 180 days, $70
  • Household limit: $70, 180 days
  • Expiration date: None listed

The Offer

Direct link to offer

  • Bank of Hawaii is offering a bonus of up to $400 when you open a new checking account. The bonuses are as follows:
    • Earn $400 with a Bankohana III or Bankohana II account with an initial deposit of at least $500 and $3,500 in Qualifying Direct Deposits within 60 days of account opening
    • Earn $200 with a Bankohana I account with an initial deposit of at least $500 and $2,500 in Qualifying Direct Deposits within 60 days of account opening
    • Earn $100 with a Convenience Checking account with an initial deposit of at least $500 and $2,000 in Qualifying Direct Deposits within 60 days of account opening

The Fine Print

  • All bank account bonuses are treated as income/interest and as such you have to pay taxes on them

Avoiding Fees

Monthly Fees

  • Convenience checking ($100 bonus). $3.25 through 9/30/24 $5.00 from 10/1/24 and after
  • Bankohana Level I ($200 bonus). $15 (or waived with Combined Balance of $6,000)
  • Bankohana Level II ($400 bonus). $20 through 9/30/24 $25 from 10/1/24 and after (or waived with a Combined Balance of $20,000)

Early Account Termination Fee

Bankohana Accounts closed within 180 days of account opening will be assessed an early closing fee of $70

Our Verdict

The $400 bonus isn’t worth considering as you need to have $20,000 in funds to keep it fee free. The $200 bonus is worth doing especially as it’s rare to see a Hawaiian bonus.

Hat tip to Gerry

Useful posts regarding bank bonuses:
    William Charles
  • On July 7, 2024, 12:00
Tags: direct deposit requiredhi bank bonuses

View Comments (21)

  • Positive DP.

    Base NY, P1/P2 opened Bankohana Level II accounton 7/8, completed real DDs totaling 3500+ in July and August, both received $400 on 10/8.

    Both opened 6-month CD of $20000 to waive monthly fee on checking account, will closed accounts on Jan 2025 when CD expires. 

  • Bank of hawaii is now offering a $200 savings bonus. $7500 balance and maintained 4 to 5 months

  • Applied for Bankohana Level II from FL on 6/26 (because Meega Nala Kweesta!!)
    Was told that I needed to submit two notarized IDs and proof of address via mail to BOH. I ate the notary and mailing fees because getting $400 back is worth it. Within a few days of delivery, my account was approved (even with pretty high Chex inquiries) after I called to check the status.
    $500 initial deposit, no recollection of the option to fund with cc. Did real DDs that totaled $3500+ by 8/21
    9/24 $400 Credit Memo paid
    Will close down before the end of the month to avoid monthly service charges since it is supposed to be increasing from $20 to $25 starting 10/01/2024 .-.
    I would be charged $25+25+25 to keep my account open until the end of December when it would be over 180 days. I rather save the $5 and headache.
    The maintenance fee was only charged for one month (August), so unlike "The Verdict" portion of this post, I think this was well worth it even over the easier $200 bonus.

    • Do you mind sharing how your real DD was coded? Wondering if any alternative direct deposit. Thanks.

  • Hawaii guy here. Bank of Hawaii and other local banks in Hawaii don't like OOS. Most of them won't let you open accounts online and force you to open in person.

  • Sketchy bank. I opened on 6/5 with 500$ initial deposit. On 6/14 they reversed it and closed my account. , mailed me a letter that said they suspected someone fraudulently opened the account pretending to be me, and that the funds would be sent back. However, over 2 weeks later and having called multiple times, I still don’t have my $500 back and I even mailed them proof of ID , passport etc and have heard nothing back . Getting ready to call it on this one

    • Are you OOS too? Yeah this is the second time they did this to me. I tried last year and now again this year, instant approved, online access works and then it gets disabled. The check with the initial funds shows up about a week or two later after the letter. Yeah extremely un helpful over the phone.

      • Fraud DPT manager called a day after I filed CFPB. That’s the only way I could get them to call me LMAO. He is giving the run around saying chase has to accept the funds back, I’ve talked with chase and like me say they’ve never heard of such malarkey and that they need to just wire the funds back. BoH fraud guy insists I need to make a claim with chase, but I insist I am going to keep filing complaints with government agency til he coughs up my money

        • Hey man did you ever get the money reversed back or did they send a check? I filed a CFPB complaint too as I’m in the same boat and the fraud guy called me as well claiming my bank has to accept their request to sent the funds back.

        • My IOS App still lets me log in, I actually even had a DD hit because I didn’t even get the letter until almost July (written 6/14 and closed same day, approx 10 days after opening)

        • About a week/week and a half. It will say log in disabled contact customer service. They did tell me over the phone OOS is okay if applying in person. Online so far away triggers the fraud department. I don’t think flying to Oahu for this is on the table lol.

    • Same thing happened to me. Got my cards and everything, they restricted my account and wanted me to send in a notarized ID verification as well as copy of bank statement. Getting a letter in tomorrow probably saying my account is closed as well. Already got my money back so not too worried but definitely not the cleanest process

  • Worth noting: Combined Balance includes time deposit accounts. They currently offer a 6mo CD at 4.50% APY, $5k minimum. Aloha.

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