TAP Air Portugal is looking ahead in 2019 with an ambitious route expansion that builds on recent record years. The Portuguese flag carrier carried more than 14 million passengers in 2017 and was recognized as one of 2018’s fastest-growing airlines. At 73 years old, TAP is expanding service and modernizing its fleet to better serve travelers worldwide.
This year brings significant growth from North America, increasing U.S. access to Portugal. Starting June 1, TAP will operate five round-trip flights per week between Chicago O’Hare International Airport and Lisbon. Service from San Francisco begins June 10, followed by flights from Washington, D.C.’s Dulles International Airport on June 16.
The San Francisco and Chicago routes will be operated with the new Airbus A330-900neo, while Washington, D.C. will be served by TAP’s retrofitted A330. TAP is the launch carrier for the A330-900neo and expects to receive 21 more of these aircraft over the next two years. In total, the airline has 71 aircraft scheduled for delivery, including A320neos, A321neos and A321LR jets, underscoring a major fleet renewal and expansion plan.
Passengers flying from Chicago and San Francisco will experience the Airspace by Airbus cabin on the A330neo, which offers Economy, EconomyXtra and Executive business class. The Executive cabin features 25 lie-flat seats more than six feet long when fully reclined. Each seat includes USB ports, electrical sockets, headphone jacks, individual reading lights, increased personal space and extra storage—making long-haul travel to Portugal considerably more comfortable.
Economy and EconomyXtra cabins on the A330neo have been refreshed with new materials and a modern layout designed to improve passenger comfort. Economy seats offer a 31-inch pitch with a calming green and gray color scheme, while EconomyXtra provides an additional three inches of legroom for a 34-inch pitch and deeper recline.
In April, TAP will add new international routes from Lisbon to Tel Aviv, Dublin, Basel, Naples and Tenerife. These additions expand TAP’s global network, bringing the airline’s reach to more destinations across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
“With more than 70 new planes on the way, this is only just the beginning,” said David Neeleman, founder of JetBlue Airways and a major TAP shareholder. Neeleman noted TAP’s strong presence in Brazil with 10 gateways and signaled plans to increase connections from the United States as well. He also highlighted the airline’s expanding network beyond Lisbon, which now serves dozens of European and African destinations and carries many passengers onward from Portugal.
For travelers planning multi-leg trips, TAP’s Portugal Stopover program makes it easy to include a short visit to Portugal at no extra airfare. Passengers can add up to five nights in Lisbon or Porto when traveling through Portugal, allowing a convenient break between flights.
The Stopover program includes offers from more than 150 partners, with benefits such as hotel discounts, complimentary bottles of Portuguese wine and local experiences like tuk-tuk tours, museum visits, dolphin watching in the Sado River and culinary tastings.
Travelers heading to other parts of Portugal, such as the Algarve, the Azores or Madeira, are still eligible for the Stopover. The program also supports customizable multi-destination itineraries—flying into one city and returning from another—with the option to include Lisbon or Porto on either end. One-way stopovers to Europe or Africa are available as well.
“The Portugal Stopover has become very popular with our American customers,” said Carlos Paneiro, TAP’s vice president of sales for North and Central America. “Passengers appreciate the chance to visit two destinations for the price of one.”
TAP is among Europe’s most awarded airlines and has been a member of Star Alliance since 2005.