Another data point:

I had opened both personal and biz accounts in Dec 09. Received the miles between Jan and April 2010. Closed both accounts about 5 weeks ago (August). A week later, opened a personal account online, got the two print-outs (10k and 15k). Within 2 weeks, 22,500 miles have posted. I am only waiting for the remaining 2.5k from Continental.

Even the banker agreed with me that my account was closed and therefore no longer "existing" as we spoke. The help line he called told him that the marketing department told him that even my 15K shows up on online application, it will be declined later by some ecoupon department (some BS like that).

I don't think that was true but don't take anything from granted until miles posted.

A very dumb question, as someone who has never had a US debit card before and is finding the T&Cs on this offer quite confusing: am I right to think that for the second set of miles (requiring one purchase on the debit card) the debit card should be swiped as a credit card, without using the PIN? Or do I have it backwards?

Yes, swipe it and choose CREDIT card option on the POS machine, so no PIN is used for the transaction.

Or you can do online bill pay and choose Credit Card for that purpose.

In fact the 5 debit card transactions to avoid the monthly charge of $6 if you only open the minimum $100 initial deposit type of checking account, the 5 transactions need to be no PIN transactions as well. Banks charge HIGHER transaction fee on PIN-less transaction like 1.5% of the transaction amount versus much less transaction fee on debit card with PIN transaction.

So either you pay (the monthly maintenance fee) or the merchants pay (the transaction fee) to the bank in order to have the checking account.

Thanks! That makes perfect sense.

Credit and Debit is used in different context and always causing confusion:

Context #1: (pre-paid or not)

Credit = Credit Card (not pre-paid, with credit line so if you get cash from that line, it's cash advance)
Debit = Debit Card (pre-paid, with money there, there should be no cash advance - I assume)

Context #2: (Payment type at POS)

Credit = payment without pin (Bank Charge higher fee on this, assuming is credit card in context #1 above)
Debit = payment with pin (not the security code in this case)

The confusion part is that most card can use either way in context #2 no matter they are real credit card or debit card (pre-paid). Without specific context, it's very confusing.

I absolutely will, though my data may be corrupted by the fact that I'll be opening it in a different business' name, which has never had a Chase account.

I'll at least get another opinion from the biz acct guy as to what the actual rule is about closing and opening accounts in the same name. You know what they say about opinions...

It never is confusing to me.

All you need to remember is,

With credit card, you dont need to pay charges on credit card the momemt you swipe it. You pay the charges when your statement closes before or by the due day if you are like me who always pay in full to avoid finance charge. Or you can pay any amount between the minimum payment and the full balance by the due date and incur finance charge (interest is ALWAYS ACCRUED the moment you swipe the card, however accrued interests are waived if you pay in full by the due date of the statement. If you dont, then all the accrued interests will turn into REAL charge in the form of finance charges on your statement.)

With debit card, you pay the amount the moment you swipe it regardless whether a PIN is used or not - it is just paid DIRECTLY from your bank account without you getting involved of the payment process. The amount of purchase is immediately deducted from your bank account. If your bank account does not have sufficient fund to cover the purchase, you incur overdraft and overdraft fee. Because of the CARD Act, now you have an option to DECLINE the overdraft option - that is what we do on the this checking account which is opened not for day to day use but merely for the Continental miles. :D

There is something between, too.

FIDO has (or used to have) a fidelity gold card which is a deferred payment card:

1. At POS, it acts as credit card, accumulated all charges and only deduct the total from your fidelity account fund when statement closes

2. At ATM, it acts as debit card, the cash amount you got will be deducted from your fidelity account the same day

I read somewhere that a visit to a branch is not required, but now that I have a free moment to look into it I can't find it. Can someone confirm that you do not need a branch visit to take advantage of this promo?

I believe you don't need to visit for a personal account, only business.

Thanks, I could have sworn that branch visit was a requirement.

I looked but can't find a number to call to take advantage of this. Is there a particular number or did FTers just call a 800 chase number and asked to be signed up? (The add still shows the coupon to be printed and brought in to a branch...)

I and others signed up online.

For personal checking opened online, do you have to mail/fax signature card?

I never had to.