Cardless has launched the brand new TAP Miles&Go American Express® Credit Card and it’s far more interesting – and less of a niche product – than it might appear.

TAP Air Portugal is a Star Alliance airline. That means points can be used for travel across airlines in the global alliance, from United and Air Canada to Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines and more.

The Miles & Go program has been making a strong effort in loyalty over the past several years and has been really aggressive in delivering value not just against competitors in Europe, but making interesting offers in the U.S. as well.

This new TAP Miles&Go American Express® Credit Card lets your spend contribute to Star Alliance Gold status, their award chart is reasonable especially ‘extra miles’ awards that let you travel on far more TAPs flight than are available to other airline partners.

Key details:

• Initial bonus: Limited-time offer of 60,000 points after $2,500 spend within 90 days. If you joined the wait list for this card then you are eligible for an additional 5,000 bonus miles and status miles.

• Earning: A standard “3, 2, 1” of 3 points per dollar on TAP Air Portugal spend; 2 points per dollar on rideshare, care rental and hotel spend, and 1 point on other spend.

• Elite status-earning: 20% of points earned on the card count towards status, up to 10,000 status miles. (Points earned from the card’s initial bonus don’t count, but card spend on purchases will – even TAP Air Portugal spend at 3x.)

• Benefits: 2 free bags per year, 2 passes per year for use at TAP’s Lisbon airport lounge, preferred boarding

• Annual fee: $79 (see rates and fees)

TAP’s Miles & Go has been cleaning up at the Freddie Awards over the past two years, recognized by program members versus European peers

TAP Air Portugal – as an airline – is a great tool to have in the toolbox, and the TAP Miles&Go American Express® Credit Card makes flying with them better since it offers preferred boarding, free checked bags, and lounge passes.

While we can’t be guaranteed what their future fares look like, they’ve been one of the best discounters across the Atlantic even in business class over the past several years. Whether flying from Boston, Chicago, Miami, New York JFK, Newark, San Francisco or Washington Dulles they’ve had inexpensive coach fares and business class deals connecting through Lisbon to their myriad destinations across Europe.

They’ve had incredible one-way deals from Europe too, where it makes sense to redeem points for travel to Europe and buy the ticket coming back. This also means you need fewer miles for your travel, and earn miles in the process too.

In addition to an upfront bonus, the opportunity to earn Star Alliance status from a card (that Delta in SkyTeam and American in oneworld now have) and opportunity to earn points that offer reasonable redemptions at the rulebuster level, it’s worth noting that this is an airline rewards card which isn’t from one of the big issuers you probably have cards from already.

More competitors in the card space is great, and Cardless giving you an option for an airline card which isn’t from one of the big banks is as well.

I understand that the current bonus available at card launch is quite limited-time, so jumping on this now is a great opportunity. And since TAP also participates in some points transfer programs, you can earn the upfront bonus and points from spend and add to that balance more easily as well. That’s especially useful when booking awards beyond just saver inventory which makes it much easier to get the travel you want connecting to your preferred destination in Europe via Lisbon.

TAP Miles&Go American Express® Credit Card