Last year, Star Alliance member TAP Air Portugal launched a U.S. credit card with Cardless. At the time, they had a 60,000 point initial bonus offer, but that dropped down to 30,000 points after the initial push for cardmembers.
Now they’re back with a strong acquisition offer: 58,000 bonus miles after spending $2,500 in the first 90 days after being approved for the card. The offer lasts through October 31.
That’s an odd number, right? Two things here,
- It stands out. It might get your attention more than a round number offer, because it’s unusual.
- It’s also the cost of a saver award between the U.S. and Europe on TAP Air Portugal in economy.
From a certain point of view, the extra 2,000 bonus points in the launch offer a year ago were an unnecessary expense?
The 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 58,000 points after $2,500 spend within 90 days.
- 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
TAP Air Portugal is a Capital One and Bilt transfer partner. The card isn’t for everyone, but it’s one way to rack up additional points on top of Bilt and Capital One in the United States.
This interests me, but there’s no ability to join the waitlist now and the offer I see (when I click through) is for 40K SUB. Am I missing something?
@Gary: You missed the most important thing about this card. Cardless does not let nayone have either more thwsn one Cardless either serially or concurrently. So if you got, say the ‘Penguins’ hocey team card from them, even if you subsequently cancelled it, you cannot get the TAP or other (e.g. QATAR) cards from them.
Bizarre, and in direct opposition to the interests of the crad brands. Somehow I would have thought they would move their business elsewhere.
Regarding the Cardless one card per lifetime rule, others have documented this too:
https://frequentmiler.com/cardless-appears-to-have-a-1-card-restriction/
Cardless management is supposed to be contacting me to explain the bizarre policy.
I am also in contact with TAP, QATAR, and Avianca (just three of the many Cardless users, but the three that have affected me).
@L3 – Cardless said they’d be lifting this rule.
Is this Tim Dunn?
https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/billionaire-tim-dunn-runs-texas/
@abhinav – different tim dunn
@Gary : When? Do you have the press release? They told me today that it was in effect. Nothing about any changes.
Shouldn’t the bonus be 55,500 points, since spending $2,500 will get you another 2,500 points minimum, bringing your total to 58,000?
@Gary: Some result with CoPilot….
You
Has Cardless announced a change in their one-card-per-lifetime policy?
Copilot
As of now, Cardless has not announced any changes to their one-card-per-lifetime policy1
. According to their FAQ page, Cardless still maintains the strict rule that you can only own one Cardless card in your lifetime1
. Even if you cancel a Cardless card, you are not allowed to apply for a different one2
.
It’s definitely a unique policy that makes it important to choose your Cardless card carefully! Is there a specific Cardless card you’re interested in?
@Gary: Where did you hear of a forthcoming change?
@L3 – from Cardless’s President, and I wrote about it.