Chase has quietly raised its checking bonus. What used to be a $300 offer is now $400 when you open a new Chase Total Checking® account and set up direct deposit. The requirements have barely changed, so if you passed on this one last year, it is worth a second look.
Offer details verified July 25, 2026. Bank promotions change often — always confirm current terms on Chase’s site before applying. See our Advertiser Disclosure for how we work with partners.
👉 Click here to get started with my referral link and earn your $400 bonus.
🔍 Chase $400 Bonus Offer at a Glance
- Bonus amount: $400
- Account type: Chase Total Checking®
- What you must do: Receive $1,000 or more in qualifying direct deposits within 90 days
- When you get paid: Within 15 business days of meeting the requirement
- Offer expires: October 14, 2026
- Minimum to open: $0
- Availability: Nationwide, though terms can vary by ZIP code
✅ How to Get the $400 Chase Checking Bonus
1. Open a new Chase Total Checking account
- You must be a new Chase checking customer. If you hold a Chase checking account now, or you have received a Chase checking bonus recently, you will not qualify.
- There is no minimum opening deposit.
- 👉 Start here
2. Set up direct deposit
- Receive $1,000 or more in qualifying direct deposits — paycheck, pension, or government benefits — within 90 days.
- One important detail people miss: the 90-day clock starts at coupon enrollment, not account opening. Enroll first, then get your deposits moving.
- A single $1,000 deposit works. So do two $500 deposits. The total is what counts.
3. Collect your bonus
- Once the deposit requirement is met, the $400 lands in your account within 15 business days.
- Your account must be open and in good standing when the bonus posts.
⚠️ Terms Worth Knowing
- Monthly service fee: $15, but it is waived in any month you receive $500+ in electronic deposits, keep a $1,500 beginning-day balance, or hold $5,000 across qualifying Chase accounts.
- Keep it open six months. Close early and Chase can claw the bonus back.
- It is taxable. Bank bonuses are reported as interest income on a 1099-INT.
- No hard credit pull. Opening a checking account will not dent your credit score.
💡 Pro Tips to Maximize It
- Time your enrollment. Enroll in the coupon a few days before your next payday so the 90-day window starts working immediately.
- Watch what counts. Transfers from your own external account usually do not qualify as direct deposits. It needs to come from an employer or benefits provider.
- Pair it with the card ecosystem. A Chase checking relationship sits nicely alongside Sapphire and Ink cards if you are already building Ultimate Rewards points.
- Set a calendar reminder for month seven, when it is safe to close if you do not want to keep the account.
🎯 Why This One Is Worth It
- ✅ $400 for a single qualifying deposit is one of the better effort-to-reward ratios in banking right now
- 🏦 Roughly 4,700 branches and 15,000 ATMs nationwide
- 📱 Genuinely good mobile app and budgeting tools
- ✈️ Useful anchor account if you are already deep in the Chase travel card ecosystem
📲 Ready to Earn Your $400 Bonus?
The application takes about five minutes. The offer runs through October 14, 2026.
🔁 Final Thoughts
Bank bonuses remain one of the lowest-effort ways to add cash to a travel fund. You are not chasing minimum spend or juggling categories — you move a paycheck and wait. At $400, Chase is now competitive with the strongest offers on the market, and the direct deposit threshold is lower than what US Bank or BMO are asking for.
If you are working through several of these, sequence them rather than stacking them. Most banks want a genuine direct deposit, and splitting one paycheck across four applications tends to end badly.
