Citibank has announced a promotion giving new checking account holders up to $400 in Gift Cards just for opening a checking account. Through December 31, 2011, open a Citigold checking account and earn $400 in gift cards. Open a Citibank checking account and earn $200 in gift cards. Earn gift cards by opening an account online, at a bank branch, or by telephone.
Citibank calls the Citigold account their premier banking relationship. They promise priority service, higher rates, and extra savings and rewards. Open a Citigold account with a minimum $500 deposit. Avoid the monthly service fee of $30 by maintaining a combined minimum balance of $50,000. Check writing is free, and non-Citibank ATM usage is also free. Also save on Citibank credit cards and credit products. Get free ATM services nationwide, plus free mobile banking with Citimobile.
The Citibank account is called Citibank’s full service package, and earns $200 in gift cards. Open the account with a minimum $100 deposit, and maintain a combined minimum balance of $6,000 to save the monthly service fee. The monthly fee is $20. Also get free non-Citibank ATM usage with the combined minimum balance of $6,000. Citibank also promises over 29,000 free ATM machines nationwide, plus free online bill payment and free mobile banking using Citimobile.
With both accounts, to get the free gift cards, enroll the account in Citi Thank You rewards. With that program, account holders earn Thank You points based on the number of qualifying products and services linked to their checking account. Sign up online at Citibank Online. Citibank credit card holders are automatically enrolled. With the Citibank checking account, earn up to 800 points per month. With the Citigold checking account, earn up to 1,200 points per month. Earn more points by using a Citibank credit or debit card at a participating merchant. There are more than four hundred participating merchants. Redeem points online at Citibank Onlinefor money, books and gifts, toys, and more. 10,000 Thank You points earns a $100 Walmart gift card, or a gift card from Gap, Banana Republic, Barnes & Noble, and other merchants. Even request certain items with Citibank “Your Wish Fulfilled.” Plus, use points to earn the new gift card bonus.
To earn a gift card with a new Citigold or Citibank checking account, it is also necessary to use the account for direct deposit and bill payment. Within forty five days of opening a Citigold or Citibank checking account, the account holder must use the account for at least one direct deposit. The account holder must also complete two consecutive monthly electronic bill payments. Those services are both free with the new checking accounts.
As for the Thank You points, it is even possible to convert those to cash or a mortgage payment. With this program, Citibank is giving money back to customers, and customers are flocking to the offer. Some consumers are getting charged higher fees but the ones that can hold minimum balances of $6,000 or more are getting some benefits like they have never seen.
Update: Offer ended in 2011.