Bilt Rent Day's TAP Portugal Bonus: Should You Transfer?
Each month, Bilt Rewards cardholders eagerly anticipate Rent Day for its unique perks, including bonus points, contests, and transfer promotions to airline and hotel partners. While transferring points can be a fantastic way to unlock aspirational travel, it's crucial to assess whether a particular bonus aligns with your travel goals and represents genuine value.
May 2026's featured bonus is a significant boost of up to 125% when transferring Bilt points to TAP Air Portugal's Miles&Go program. This sounds incredible on the surface, but let's dive deeper.
Understanding TAP Air Portugal's Miles&Go Program
TAP Air Portugal, a member of the Star Alliance, offers access to a wide network of destinations. However, their Miles&Go program has a mixed reputation. Award availability can be inconsistent, and fuel surcharges on some partner airlines can be hefty. Before jumping on this bonus, research award availability for routes you're interested in. Sites like United.com or Aeroplan.com can help you search for Star Alliance award space, which you can then attempt to book through TAP Air Portugal.
Calculating the True Value
A 125% bonus sounds amazing, but what does it actually mean? Let's say you transfer 1,000 Bilt points. With the bonus, you'll receive 2,250 Miles&Go miles. Now, you need to determine what you can redeem those miles for and what the cash value of that redemption is.
Consider this example: a one-way business class flight from New York to Lisbon might cost 60,000 Miles&Go miles (this is just an example; actual pricing varies). If you transferred Bilt points during this promotion, you'd need to transfer approximately 26,667 Bilt points to get the required miles. Is that a good deal? Compare the cost of a similar flight purchased with cash. If the cash price is $2,000, then you're getting roughly 7.5 cents per Bilt point – an excellent redemption. However, if the cash price is only $1,000, you're only getting 3.75 cents per Bilt point, which is less compelling. Also, factor in potential fuel surcharges, which can significantly reduce the value of your redemption.
RewardSmart's Recommendation: Do Your Homework
Don't let the large bonus percentage blind you. Before transferring your hard-earned Bilt points to TAP Air Portugal, follow these steps:
- Research Award Availability: Check for award availability on routes you're interested in using United.com or Aeroplan.com.
- Calculate Fuel Surcharges: Be aware of potential fuel surcharges added by TAP Air Portugal.
- Compare Cash Prices: Compare the cost of award flights to the equivalent cash price to determine the true value you're receiving per Bilt point.
- Consider Alternatives: Evaluate whether you could achieve better value by transferring your Bilt points to another partner airline or hotel program.
This TAP Air Portugal bonus could be lucrative for certain travelers, but only if you do your due diligence. Remember, points and miles are only valuable if you can actually use them for travel you want to take. Don't let your points expire or become devalued! Always have a plan for your points and miles, and only transfer them when you have a specific redemption in mind.