Award News

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.

Hot off the presses! Hyatt is offering a super-sweet status challenge, but there's a catch: it's primarily aimed at corporate travelers. Basically, if your company is part of the program, you can snag Hyatt Explorist status for 90 days just by registering. The real kicker? Stay 10 nights during that 90-day window and you keep Explorist status all the way through February 2028!

But wait, there's more! If you REALLY want to level up your travel game, knock out a total of 20 nights within those same 90 days, and boom – you'll earn top-tier Globalist status through February 2028. Globalist is where the magic happens: think room upgrades (including standard suites!), bonus points, free breakfast, and a whole lot more.

Here's why this matters to you: if you work for a large company, it's definitely worth checking if you're eligible. Just use your company email to see if the offer pops up. Even if you weren't planning any Hyatt stays, this could be a fantastic opportunity to fast-track your way to some serious perks for years to come! Thanks to Deals We Like for the tip!

Heads up, Amex cardholders! Check your Amex Offers (log into your Amex account online or in the app) because some of you might have a sweet deal waiting for you at GoPuff. The offer gives you either a $10 statement credit after spending $30, and you can do this three times for a total of $30 back! Others are seeing an offer for 10% back (up to $100).

Why should you care? Well, if you already use GoPuff for quick deliveries of snacks, drinks, or household essentials, this is basically free money. Even if you don't use GoPuff, it might be worth checking out to grab some essentials you'd buy anyway and pocket the savings. Plus, you can stack this offer with other GoPuff promotions, making it even sweeter. Just make sure your final purchase totals at least $30 after any other discounts to trigger the Amex credit. This offer expires in March 2026, so you have time to maximize it.

Firstrade is back with a sweet deal for your retirement savings! Through January 31, 2026, they're offering a 3% contribution match for new IRA contributions made within 30 days, plus a 2% bonus if you transfer your IRA from another brokerage, with a maximum bonus of $20,000. This is basically free money to boost your retirement nest egg, which is awesome for any awardtrail reader looking to maximize their financial gains.

But, as always, there's a catch! To keep the full bonus, you need to keep your money with Firstrade for five years. If you withdraw early, they'll claw back a portion of the bonus depending on how long you've held the funds. So, make sure you're comfortable locking up your retirement funds for that period before jumping in.

Compared to similar deals like Robinhood's, Firstrade has the edge of having no associated fees to get the bonus. If you're in the market for a new IRA or looking to consolidate your accounts, this could be a great opportunity to pad your retirement savings, as long as you're okay with the five-year commitment. Do the math, and see if this deal works for you!

Heads up, savvy savers! Robinhood is back with a tempting offer to boost your retirement nest egg. From now until April 30, 2026, you can score a bonus by rolling over your existing IRA or 401(k) to Robinhood. New contributions earn a solid 3% match, while transfers get you 2%.

Now, before you jump in, there are a couple of catches. First, you'll need to subscribe to Robinhood Gold (which comes with a fee) to snag the full 3% match. Second, you'll need to keep that Gold subscription active for a year AND leave your IRA with Robinhood for at least five years. If you're already a Robinhood Gold member and planning to keep your retirement funds parked for the long haul, this could be a fantastic way to pad your savings.

Why should you care? Brokerage bonuses like this are basically free money. If you were already considering moving your retirement funds or opening a new IRA, this offer sweetens the deal. Just make sure you weigh the Robinhood Gold fee and the five-year lock-in period against the potential bonus to see if it's truly worth it for your individual situation.