TAP Miles&Go American Express®: Embark On Your Iberian Adventure with 60,000 Bonus Miles

In-Depth Review: TAP Miles&Go American Express®

The TAP Miles&Go American Express® Credit Card is an airline card that provides a lucrative platform for earning free trips with TAP Air Portugal or other Star Alliance carriers.  The card carries a $79 annual fee but provides many impressive features that more than offset that yearly charge.

Earn 60,000 Bonus Miles Until November 30, 2023

New accounts with the card earn an impressive 60,000 bonus miles after spending $2,500 in the first three months from account opening. That welcome offer has an approximate value of $500 when redeeming your TAP Miles&Go miles on award flights with TAP or codeshare partners – a fairly generous bonus for a modest $833 spent for the first three months. Even better, TAP and Cardless claim those 60,000 miles are good enough for a one-way select premium-cabin travel award ticket!

That bonus offer is only available through November 30, 2023, and offers 20,000 more miles than the traditional welcome offer for the card. Once the limited-time welcome offer expires, new accounts will earn 40,000 bonus miles after spending $2,500 in purchases in the first 90 days from account opening. That regular onus is almost $180 lower in value than the 60,000-mile bonus – so take advantage while you can!

Earn Miles with Every Purchase

Like the other Cardless airline credit cards, the TAP Miles&Go American Express® is a lucrative earner no matter where you choose to use it. The card earns the following rewards on eligible purchases:

• 3X flights & all other purchases from TAP Air Portugal
• 2X on other key travel categories – hotels, car rentals & rideshares, plus
• 1X on all other purchases

The 3X miles on TAP purchases is great – especially since it applies to far more than just flights. You’ll earn triple miles on baggage, lounge access, and seat upgrades. Certain on-board or in-flight purchases may be processed through a third-party merchant and, as a result, may not earn 3x Miles.

Pay close attention to the 2X category when booking travel. The double miles apply to purchases with merchants whose merchant code with American Express is classified as hotels, car rental agencies, or rideshare services, including Lyft and Uber.  Outside of the obvious Uber and Lyft, here are the relevant merchant codes (MCCs) you’ll need to check to ensure your purchases qualify:

• Car rental agencies (MCC 3351-3441, 7512)
• Lodging hotels, motels, and resorts, including “branded” central reservation services (MCC 3501- 3999, 7011)

Miles earned during a billing cycle are generally transferred to TAP after the end of each billing cycle but may take up to twelve (12) weeks after the close of the billing cycle. Additionally, miles are rounded down to the nearest dollar (for example, a $45.85 purchase would earn 45 miles). TAP Miles&Go are valid for three (3) years from the date earned, except when otherwise specified.

How to Redeem Miles

Miles you earn with eligible purchases can be redeemed directly through TAP Air Portugal or through other partners.

Booking Award Flights

Award pricing on TAP Miles&Go is dynamic, meaning the award pricing you see on the website might not be accurate. That said, the dynamic nature of the award pricing means you might snag an impressive deal well below the listed price.

Booking flights with TAP Air Portugal is the easiest way to use miles. TAP flies from several U.S. cities, including Boston, Chicago, Miami, New York, San Francisco, and Washington D.C. Additionally, you can book award travel with codeshare partners, including other members of the Star Alliance. Prominent Star Alliance member airlines include United Airlines, Air Canada, and Avianca – providing exceptional access to Europe and the wider world.

Other Ways to Redeem

You can also apply award miles toward flight extras and upgrades, including additional baggage, fare upgrades, fast-track security expedited services, lounge access, pet fares, and more. You can even use your miles to upgrade your choice in on-board meals.

Other ways to redeem TAP Miles&Go miles include donations to select charitable partners like Terra Dos Sonhos, Ami, and Help; products, merchandise, and services with select partners (including hotels like IHG, LeClub Accor, Marriott, and more); at Miles&Go Bid auctions; or donations to family members on your beneficiary list.

Airline Card Comparison

How does the TAP Miles&Go American Express® rate when compared to two other airline credit cards at the same price point?

	TAP Miles&Go American Express®	LATAM Airlines World Elite Mastercard	United℠ Explorer
Annual fee	$79	$99	$95 ($0 first year)
Rewards	3X on TAP; 2X on hotels, car rentals, and rideshares; 1X on all else	4X on LATAM; 3X on dining, rideshares, taxis, and transit; 1X on all else	2X on United, dining, hotels booked directly, 1X on all else
Perks	2X lounge passes, 2X bag vouchers; pref. boarding	2X lounge passes; 3X upgrades	TSA credit; 1X free bag; priority boarding; 2X lounge passes

Preferred Boarding & Other TAP Perks

The TAP Portugal credit card provides an assortment of TAP Air Portugal benefits. These features include the following:

These features are a quality addition for the very modest annual fee. While things like TSA Precheck or additional lounge visits via Priority Pass Select would be nice, those are features you typically find with a higher annual fee.

Other Card Features

Once approved, you’ll be able to use your TAP Miles&Go American Express® Credit Card instantly. This instant virtual card access is a signature feature of cardless, the card’s issuer. While Cardless credit card products are digital credit cards and offer seamless integration with the Cardless mobile app and digital wallets like Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, and more, they also provide a physical Amex credit card for when you are on the go and don’t have your phone handy.

 Other notable features of these cards include no hidden fees such as foreign transaction fees. The card also features American Express protections and benefits, including:

Cardless Ratings

What is Cardless like to live with as a fintech and financial services company? Here is a wide selection of expert and consumer reviews for the company:

Should You Apply for the TAP Miles&Go American Express® Credit Card?

Overall, the TAP Miles&Go American Express® is an impressive airline card for anyone who is looking for something a little different from the usual card offers. TAP Air Portugal might not be a name you’d normally consider. Still, its connection with the Star Alliance – and its multiple departure points in key American cities – makes it an intriguing option you might have otherwise overlook.

The card’s rewards are decent but slightly less than those on offer from Cardless’ other credit cards from LATAM. They also provide slightly more versatility to the U.S. market than the TAP Card, but only because of the rich connections with LATAM – especially when you factor in LATAM’s ties to Delta and the SkyTeam.