$300 Checking Account Promotion at National City Bank in Some States

National City is offering up to $300 for opening a checking account with direct deposit and using your check card. Earning the full $300 will take some time. The promotion doesn't seem to be listed at the bank's website. It was advertised in the 11/15/09 edition of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The ad is available online here. The offer ends November 28, 2009. I wasn't able to read the fine print of this ad, so I contacted a National City CSR on their website via the online chat. Here are the requirements mentioned by the CSR:

• First $100: Establish direct deposit of your paycheck/pension/social security (at least $400) and having 10 check card purchases in the first 60 days of the account.
• Second $100: Keep the direct deposit and complete an additional 25 check card purchases by 3/31/2010.
• Third $100: Keep the direct deposit and complete an additional 25 Check Card purchases by 5/31/2010.

The CSR also stated that a branch visit would be required for this promotion. This Crain's Chicago Business article also has info on this promotion.

Some important details related to the National City's Free Checking Plus Account include:

• $50 minimum opening balance
• Requires monthly automatic activity (direct deposit, online bill payment or ACH payment)
• Without automatic monthly activity, converted to Free Checking ($12 free for transfer)
• No maintenance fees
• Free checks
• No charges for use of non-National City ATMs (other bank may charge)

When I checked with National City last year I was told there is no hard credit inquiry in the application. They just use ChexSystem.

This promo appears to only be available in areas where National City has branches that have not yet been converted to PNC branches. National City has branches in FL, IL, IN, KY, MI, MO, OH, PA and WI. Refer to this map for the footprint of National City and PNC.

National City Branch Conversions

PNC finished the closing of its acquisition of National City on December 31, 2008. Conversion of National City branches into PNC branches was scheduled to start the second half of 2009. According to this Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article:

Besides Pittsburgh, about 160 National City offices in the Erie region, Florida and eastern Ohio, are part of the first wave. All markets are set to be converted by the end of June.

This first wave is occurring this month.

$100 PNC Bonus

For those who don't live in National City's market area, PNC still has a $100 bonus for opening its Virtual Wallet Account. Refer to my bonus review for more details.

Other Bank Bonus Deals:

• my last 40 posts on checking and savings account bonuses