Eligible new Santander checking customers can earn $500 by maintaining at least a $5,000 average daily balance, or $300 by maintaining at least $2,000, while also receiving at least one qualifying direct deposit during the first 90 days. The promotion code must be requested online and used to open an eligible account in a branch by December 18, 2026.
Resident age 18 or older of Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, or an eligible Florida areaNo account owner is a current Santander checking customer or had a Santander checking account during the 12 months before openingOnly one account can earn the bonus for accounts with the same signer or ownership, and the offer cannot be combined with another checking bonus
Entitlement facts
Benefit type
Bank account bonus. Cash or another reward offered for opening, funding, or using an eligible bank or credit-union account. Taxonomy definition →
What it unlocks
$500 with a first-90-day average daily balance of at least $5,000, or $300 with an average daily balance of at least $2,000; either tier also requires at least one qualifying direct deposit
Who qualifies
Resident age 18 or older of Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, or an eligible Florida area; No account owner is a current Santander checking customer or had a Santander checking account during the 12 months before opening; Only one account can earn the bonus for accounts with the same signer or ownership, and the offer cannot be combined with another checking bonus
Requirements
Enter a first name, last name, email address, and confirmation email on Santander's current promotion page to reveal the required promotion code, then use that code to open Santander Private Client Checking, Santander Select Checking, Simply Right Checking, or Santander Essential Checking in a branch by December 18, 2026 with the account's applicable minimum opening deposit. During the first 90 days, receive at least one qualifying payroll, pension, Social Security, or other eligible employer or government direct deposit and maintain an average daily balance of at least $5,000 for the $500 tier or at least $2,000 for the $300 tier. Teller deposits, wires, debit-card transfers, ATM or digital-banking transfers, person-to-person transfers such as Zelle or Venmo, and payroll advanced through a debit card do not count as qualifying direct deposits. Keep the account open for at least 90 days and open and in good standing through payment; Santander says payment occurs within 30 days after the initial 90-day requirements are met.
How to activate
Before sharing contact information, confirm that every account owner meets the residency and prior-customer rules. Request the promotion code on the official page, save it, and take it to a Santander branch before December 18, 2026. Confirm the chosen account's opening deposit and fee schedule, then complete both the direct-deposit and average-balance requirements during the first 90 days and keep the account open and in good standing through payment.
Cost basis
Deposit or balance activity required. The benefit requires opening, funding, maintaining, or using an account through deposits, direct deposit, balances, or qualifying transactions. Deposited principal is not necessarily a fee, but funds may be tied up and account charges may apply.
Cost and fees
The chosen account's applicable minimum opening deposit is required, and account-specific fees still apply. The current promotion page lists a $10 monthly fee for Simply Right Checking, waived with one posted financial transaction during the month or when any owner is under 26, and a $25 monthly fee for Santander Select Checking, waived with at least $25,000 in eligible combined balances. Confirm the current disclosures for Essential and Private Client Checking and for all other service fees before opening. Santander says the cash bonus is taxable interest reported on Form 1099-INT.
Geography
US, Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Miami-Dade County, Florida, Monroe County, Florida, Broward County, Florida, Collier County, Florida ZIP code 34141
Personalization
Published eligibility is not described as individually targeted.
EVIDENCE / 1 SOURCE
Eligibility is conditional, not guaranteed.
Check the provider's final terms immediately before applying, depositing funds, spending, or changing a paid relationship.
Latest audit: The latest official-source audit confirmed every normalized term it tested.
A person who qualifies for 1st Advantage membership and does not currently have a 1st Advantage checking account can earn $200 by opening Premier, Preferred, or Free Advantage Checking with promo code CHECKING200, enrolling in eStatements, establishing a monthly recurring direct deposit, and spending at least $200 with the new debit card within 60 days. The provider does not publish a minimum direct-deposit amount.