#30 Among Airlines
Point Value
1.00 ¢
Hobby Score
3.7
TAP Portugal is a decent program for Star Alliance flights to Europe:
TAP Air Portugal (Miles&Go) associated alliance is Star Alliance
Visit Star Alliance
You can earn miles by flying on TAP Portugal or one of its partners. They belong to Star Alliance, so you can credit miles earned on United, Air Canada, or other partners to TAP. TAP Portugal has one co-branded credit card for U.S. customers, and the only credit card transfer partners are Bilt and Capital One.
You earn miles based on distance flown, the region you’re flying in, and the fare you book.
Europe and North Africa:
Intercontinental:
TAP has one co-branded card — the TAP Miles&Go American Express Credit Card. It’s a decent option if you fly TAP at least once per year, but it’s not a card that ranks high on our list of recommendations.
Bilt and Capital One are TAP Portugal transfer partners, and both transfer to TAP at a 1:1 ratio. This makes them the easiest ways to top up your Miles&Go balance without flying.
You can also earn TAP miles by booking flights with any Star Alliance or non-alliance partner airline. Each partner has its own earning chart. Go to this page and click on each airline to see how many miles you can earn.
Redeeming your points for airfare on TAP Portugal is the best use of your miles. You can also redeem for Star Alliance partner flights, but other programs often offer better value for those redemptions.
TAP uses an award chart for its own flights and for Star Alliance carriers. These charts are posted on their site. You’ll need to scroll down and click “Check miles values” to download the charts for both TAP and Star Alliance. Note that the listed prices are starting rates, so searches may show higher prices depending on date and route.
Searching for award flights is simple. Go to the TAP home page, log in, enter your trip details, and select “Pay with Miles.” Partner availability appears in the same results. You can also click “show advanced search” to filter for premium cabins, direct flights, or TAP-operated flights only.
Discover your points' highest-value redemption options. Use the filters to find the optimal sweet spot for your next trip.
TAP tacks on fuel surcharges on several partner airlines, so it is rare that you’ll want to use TAP for partner bookings
TAP passes on high surcharges from some partners, so look for flights directly on TAP metal to keep costs down
TAP Miles&Go is best for travelers who fly to Portugal regularly. There are solid redemptions from the U.S. to Portugal, but if your final destination is elsewhere in Europe, other Star Alliance programs usually offer better value and lower mileage costs.
While TAP is part of Star Alliance, its partner award pricing rarely beats competitors. You’ll generally do better booking via airlines like Air Canada Aeroplan, United MileagePlus, or even Avianca LifeMiles when redeeming for partners. TAP simply doesn’t offer enough beyond Portugal to justify prioritizing the program for most travelers.
There are four elite status tiers within TAP Miles&Go. When you sign up for a free account, you start as a TAP Miles&Go Member. To reach the higher tiers, you must earn a set number of Status Miles or take a certain number of TAP-operated flights each year. Fewer Status Miles or flights are required to retain your status once earned.
Here are the three other levels, requirements you’ll need to get to each level, and the benefits of each
If you cancel TAP’s only co-branded credit card, remember that your miles will expire 36 months after you earn them. There’s no way to extend their validity, so be sure you have a plan to redeem your miles before closing the card.
