Chase is offering a $400 bonus for opening a new Total Checking account, and it might be worth a look! To snag the bonus, you need to deposit $1,000 or more via direct deposit within 90 days of opening the account. The offer is available nationwide, both online and in-branch, and expires in April 2026, so you have plenty of time to decide. Now, here's the kicker: the account has a $12 monthly fee, but you can easily waive it by either having $500 in monthly deposits, maintaining a $1,500 daily balance, or keeping a combined average daily balance of $5,000 across your Chase accounts. There's no early account termination fee, so you can close the account once you've received the bonus without penalty. The article also mentioned there is a larger $900 bonus available if you have the ability to deposit $15,000 for 90 days, but this offer is a solid consolation prize if that's not doable for you. Why should award travelers care? Bank bonuses are an easy way to pad your travel fund. While $400 alone won't get you a first-class ticket to Tokyo, it's a nice chunk of change that can cover baggage fees, a fancy airport meal, or a night at a budget-friendly hotel. Just make sure you meet the requirements to avoid those monthly fees! Also remember that the bonus will be taxed as interest income, so factor that in when you're crunching the numbers.