Deal has expired, view the best current checking bonuses by clicking here.

Update 5/10/19: Deal is back and valid until May 31st, 2019. Deal has different areas again. Hat tip to reader DirtyLilRat

Update 3/16/19: Deal is back and valid May 3rd. Deal has different area requirements now as well. Hat tip to reader Billy

Update 2/18/19: Deal is back and valid until May 31st, 2019. Hat tip to reader Frank.

Offer at a glance

The Offer

Direct link to offer

KeyBank is offering a bonus of $300 when you open a new eligible checking account and complete the following requirements: Use offer code ONSA0319 Receive a single direct deposit of $500+



The Fine Print

Offer available in certain branches within the following markets: Cleveland, OH, Akron/Canton, OH, Pittsburgh, PA, Hartford, CT, New Haven, CT, Seattle, WA, Denver, CO, Albany, NY, Syracuse, NY, Rochester, NY, and Buffalo, NY.

Offer available if you haven’t had a KeyBank Hassle-Free Account® or a KeyBank checking account during the past 12 months, open account between 11/3/18 and 1/18/18 and set-up direct deposit.

Get $300 when you open a Key Advantage®, Key Privilege® or Key Privilege Select Checking® account.

You must make ONE single direct deposit of at least $500 into the new account. Direct deposit must be made within 60 days of account opening and is limited to payroll, social security, pension and government benefits.

Offer/Reservation number cannot be sold and is required to qualify. KeyBank is not responsible for and will not honor promotional offers on third party websites that are not authorized by KeyBank. Visit key.com for any checking account service charges and balance requirements.

Limit one gift per qualifying account.

Limit one gift per individual.

The value of your gift will be reported on Form 1099-INT and deposited into your account within 90 days of meeting requirements.

If you close your Account within 180 days of account opening, you will be charged a $25 account early closure fee. Other miscellaneous charges may apply. Accounts overdrawn or closed at the time of gift payment are not eligible.

Employees of KeyBank, its affiliates, and subsidiaries are not eligible. Accounts titled as Trust Accounts, Estate, Non-Individual, and No access are excluded from eligibility. Offer is subject to cancellation without notice and cannot be combined with any other offer.

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

Avoiding Fees

Monthly Fees

The easiest account to keep fee free is the Key express checking account. This account has a $7 monthly fee and is waived if you do any of the following:

Have at least eight (8) customer initiated transactions (ANY deposits, withdrawals, including transfers) on your Key Express Checking Account or

have deposits (including transfers into this account) totaling $500.00 or more credited to your Key Express Checking Account.

This account is only available in New York

The easiest account to keep fee free for other states is the advantage checking account. This has a $18 monthly fee and is waived if you do any of the following:

Any combination of balances from your KeyBank checking, savings deposit, certificates of deposit, retirement deposits, investment* (including annuity balances reflected on your KIS account statement) and credit accounts was $10,000.00 or more. You have a KeyBank originated mortgage and you have automatic payment deducted via ACH deducting $500.00 or more from your Key Advantage Money Market Checking account during a statement cycle. If your mortgage automatic payment deduction plan should be discontinued, you may be subject to the combined balance requirements to avoid the monthly Maintenance Service Charge. You are a Key@Work program member and you have direct deposits totaling $1000.00 or more credited to your Key Advantage Money Market Checking account during a statement cycle. If you leave your current employer and direct deposits are discontinued, you may be subject to the combined balance requirement to avoid the monthly Maintenance Service Charge until direct deposits are reinstated by your new employer.

Early Account Termination Fee

If you close your account within 180 days, you are required to pay an early account closure fee of $25

KeyBank Relationship Rewards Membership Fee $30

This is optional so make sure you opt out of it.

Our Verdict

They had a similar bonus recently, three important differences:

This bonus doesn’t require 5 debit card/bill payments

The keybank express checking account no longer qualifies (easier to keep fee free)

The fine print on this offer states it’s available in certain branches, whereas the old offer didn’t mention branches at all. I think you should still be able to do this deal online but YMMV

This deal isn’t as good as the old deal, but the locations it’s available in are completely different so it’s probably still worth doing even though it’s harder to keep fee free. Sometimes Keybank bonuses require both an offer and reservation code, I’m not sure if this is the case here or not. Please share your experiences in the comments below.

Hat tip to DDG & reader Keith L

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