Information on TAP AIR PORTUGAL Flights

TAP Air Portugal is Portugal’s flag carrier and while it’s never been one of the top airlines in Europe, in recent years it’s been improving. That’s largely thanks to an influx of modern new aircraft.

It’s got a comprehensive European route network and a mostly transatlantic international operation, with particularly extensive service to Brazil but also plenty of flights to North America too. And don’t forget about its African network which offers useful options to some underserved destinations.

Why should you consider TAP?

The most compelling reason to fly TAP is the airline’s often very low fares across the Atlantic, especially in premium cabins. TAP is eager to entice people to transit via its Lisbon hub on trips between Europe and the Americas, and it’s evidently using the price to poach people away from the other European major airlines. It’s not uncommon to see business class fares on TAP across the Atlantic for half the price of the competition.

It’s worth noting that there are drawbacks though, the biggest among them being the connection in Lisbon which has an old, labyrinthine and over-crowded airport, especially in summer. TAP also runs single-aisle airplanes to a growing list of transatlantic destinations and while that’s not necessarily a bad thing, many people prefer to be on a wide-body for long-haul.

TAP service can run the range from mediocre to perfectly fine. I value an airline that can deliver consistency in this area, so that gives me pause before booking with them. That said, I do get the sense TAP has gotten better with this. I also think both their A330neo and A321neo business class is a very nice product. So when the price is right (and it often is) I am a buyer.

Destinations

Most of TAP’s North American destinations are along the eastern seaboard – with the usual hubs Boston, New York and Miami represented, plus Toronto in Canada. San Francisco is also on the route map, but that’s the extent of US service.

Where TAP really shines is in service between Europe and Brazil, where it flies not only to the big ones like Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro but also Salvador, Brasilia – the list goes on. The benefit there being that from most points in Europe getting deeper into Brazil requires a connection in Rio or Sao Paulo, not places known for stress-free transfers.

TAP also serves some interesting spots in Africa, mostly Portuguese-speaking countries from the old colonial sphere. That means you can catch TAP aircraft to the likes of Sao Tome, Guinea Bissau, Maputo and more. If you live in a TAP city in the US and need to get to one of these, TAP can potentially be a very efficient way to reach them.

The TAP fleet

The star of the TAP fleet is the A330NEO, TAP’s modern, quiet wide-body which is very comfortable overall. It’s used on a number of longer-distance routes including many flights to the US. TAP also has a fleet of long-distance configured A321NEOs which allow them to serve less-trafficked routes like Porto-New York. They have proper long-haul business class and an upgraded onboard product but if all else is equal I do prefer the bigger A330NEO.

Tip: aside from having a better business class seat, the A330NEO is actually faster and can fly higher, potentially above weather, than the A321NEO on longer routes. For me, that’s another good reason to choose it if possible.

On European flights, the workhorse is the A320 family – including both older varieties and the quieter, more fuel-efficient NEO. They offer a very standard European cabin product regardless of the type you get, but if a NEO is available, I do prefer them for how quiet they are.

On regional flights, TAP also flies Embraer 190-family jets, and these are recommendable because of their 2-2 cabin layout meaning no middle seats. Unfortunately, you won’t have this option to most major European destinations (they serve places like xx and xx).

Onboard experience

There are other airlines with better seats, service and amenities. That being said, TAP’s newer aircraft are pretty comfortable. Food and drink served in premium cabins is usually decent. So it’s good to manage expectations, but in my opinion, you don’t need to actively avoid them.

Long-haul economy class

In long-haul economy you can expect a decent offering, with industry standard legroom, free meals and drinks including wine/beer. Unlike some airlines, I haven’t found that TAP is especially proactive coming through the cabin on long-haul with water or offering snacks, and the food is just okay.

If given the choice I’d take the A330NEO as my first choice because of its 2-4-2 seating which is great for those traveling solo or in a pair, and there’s more room to move around with two aisles. Entertainment systems include seatback screens with an average selection. I always recommend bringing your own content to watch, just in case!

Long-haul business class

Business on longer flights is quite a comfortable offering with lie-flat seats throughout the fleet and direct aisle access in most cases. The single aisle A321NEO has a different seat type to the A330NEO because of the cabin width, but both offer good privacy and comfort. If traveling solo, the individual “solo” seats on the A321NEO are actually a nice option for privacy. I do find the footwell can be a little tight – but that’s a problem that’s difficult to avoid across many airlines.

Food and drink tend to be decent with proper dishware and a definitely elevated service over economy. Expect a nice wine list too, including some Portuguese options you may never have tried before. This is not my favorite airline in the world for inflight dining, but it’s not bad at all.

European economy class

Expect a bare-bones service in European economy class with no entertainment and buy-on-board for everything. It’s unfortunate, but that’s the way it is on most flights in Europe now. I recommend going for seats in the “comfort” rows which have a few extra inches of legroom – these are usually included in a “plus” fare.

European business class

TAP’s European business class matches the offer of most European airlines with a seat that’s the same as economy except that the middle seat is blocked. Everything else is upgraded, with full meals in most cases and a full bar, plus the usual priority baggage, fast-track security and more.

Tip: while some feel that the non-premium seat makes Euro business class a waste of money, I think having the middle seat open makes a big difference on a full flight. Everything else like the hot meals is just a bonus – and I’ll always consider the upgrade if prices aren’t too extreme.

Decoding TAP’s economy fare types

TAP has four different fare types in economy class and it’s worth looking closely at what you’re getting with each. That might mean pricing out lower end fares with the services you want added on a la carte, such as seat selection, to compare which works out more expensive. You may find you can save money this way.

The lowest, dubbed “discount”, is your basic fare with no checked bag or seat selection is included, just an 8kg carry-on plus 2kg personal item. Note that TAP does tend to enforce these weight limits, much like many low cost airlines do.

Continuing up the list: economy basic, somewhat confusingly, adds one checked bag to the perks. Economy classic gives you two checked bags and seat selection. Economy plus gives you priority check-in and a refundable/changeable ticket on top, plus free seating in the extra legroom “plus” section.

The Lisbon hub

Lisbon’s Humberto Delgado International Airport is unfortunately the low-point of most connecting TAP itineraries. It’s chaotic, cramped and crowded. But it is quite a bit better outside of the peak summer season. My recommendation is to do everything you can to avoid it then, while in other seasons it’s a necessary evil, but just about doable.

Silver lining: stopovers

TAP makes it easy to add stopovers in Lisbon or Porto when making a booking connecting through Portugal. That’s a nice added benefit, and makes a lot of sense for TAP as the fact that it’s based in Portugal is arguably one of its best assets. Definitely consider it if you have a couple of days to spare on a routing via one of these cities. It makes the Lisbon airport experience feel more worth it.

Loyalty program

TAP is a member of the Star Alliance which means most of you can credit to your home program with no need to join their own Miles & Smiles program. However, keep in mind that if you have Capital One points, those can be transferred to TAP’s program, and this may prove useful, especially for upgrades. So if you do have some, be sure to check about upgrade cost and availability – it can be a good use of points!