TAP Air Portugal launches £1,300 New York and Cancun flight deals from the UK

TAP Air Portugal is running a special offer from London and Manchester to New York and Cancun in Business Class.

Whilst you will need to change aircraft in Portugal, the price is at least £600 cheaper than the best deal offered in the current British Airways and Virgin Atlantic sales.

These deals are available from London Heathrow, London Gatwick and Manchester.

The UK deals are as low as £1,350 to New York and Cancun.

You need to stay away at least five nights. You can book as far out as next September. Availability seems tight in 2023.

What can you do with the miles you earn?

TAP is part of Star Alliance. You cannot credit your flights to British Airways Executive Club or Virgin Atlantic, neither of whom are in Star Alliance.  However, you can credit the miles to Lufthansa Miles & More or any other Star Alliance frequent flyer programme.

Our core article on ‘what is best Star Alliance frequent flyer scheme for you?’ is here.

How to pay

For UK departures, your best option to maximise your miles when paying is American Express Preferred Rewards Gold.  This offers double Membership Rewards points – 2 per £1 – when you when you book flight tickets directly with an airline.  Our review of American Express Preferred Rewards Gold is here.

You can check prices on the TAP website here.

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How to earn Star Alliance miles from UK credit cards (September 2024)

None of the Star Alliance airlines currently have a UK credit card.

There is, however, still a way to earn Star Alliance miles from a UK credit card. 

The route is via Marriott Bonvoy. Marriott Bonvoy hotel loyalty points convert to over 40 airlines at the rate of 3:1.

The best way to earn Marriott Bonvoy points is via the official Marriott Bonvoy American Express card. It comes with 20,000 points for signing up and 2 points for every £1 you spend. At 2 Bonvoy points per £1, you are earning (at 3:1) 0.66 airline miles per £1 spent on the card.

There is a preferential conversion rate to United Airlines – which is a Star Alliance member – of 2 : 1 if you convert 60,000 Bonvoy points at once.

The Star Alliance members which are Marriott Bonvoy transfer partners are: Aegean, Air Canada, Air China, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Avianca, Copa Airlines, Singapore Airlines, TAP Air Portugal, Thai Airways, Turkish Airlines and United Airlines.

You can apply here.