by Donald Wood
Last updated: 7:00 AM ET, Fri March 13, 2026
WHY IT RATES: Travel
advisors should be aware of the changes being made at TAP Air Portugal.—Donald
Wood, Managing Editor.
TAP Air Portugal announced today at BTL the launch of a new
direct route between Lisbon and Orlando, beginning on 29 October 2026. At the
same event, CEO Luís Rodrigues presented a wide range of strategic initiatives
for next year, reinforcing the airline's international expansion, its growing
strategic focus on Porto and Portuguese identity, and its ongoing commitment to
enhancing the customer experience. In 2026, TAP will also celebrate 60 years of
regular flights to Brazil, a historic milestone in its operation.
New route to Orlando
The new direct connection between Lisbon and Orlando will
begin on 29 October 2026, with three flights per week, on Mondays, Thursdays
and Saturdays. With this operation, TAP strengthens its position in the North
American market and expands its transatlantic bridge.
60 years of regular flights to Brazil and reinforced
leadership
In 2026, TAP will celebrate 60 years of regular flights to
Brazil, its largest international market and a historic connection that has
shaped the airline's identity.
To mark the date, TAP announces two new destinations in the
country:
- Lisbon – Curitiba, starting on 2 July 2026, with three
weekly flights operated on Airbus A330 200 aircraft.
- Lisbon – São Luís do Maranhão, starting on 26 October 2026,
with two weekly flights on board Airbus A321LR aircraft.
The airline will also increase its operations in southern
Brazil starting in the summer, with the introduction of a fourth weekly
frequency on the routes between Lisbon and Porto Alegre and between Lisbon and
Florianópolis.
In addition, TAP is strengthening its operations in the
Americas with:
- The Porto–Boston
route is becoming an annual operation.
- The resumption of
the Lisbon–Caracas connection.
TAP with North: strategic plan dedicated to Porto
As part of the “TAP with the North” strategy, the airline is
clearly reinforcing its presence in Porto with new routes between Porto and
Terceira (1 July), Porto and Praia (2 July) and Porto and Tel Aviv (25
October), as well as strengthening its intercontinental operations, with
Porto–Boston becoming an annual route.
TAP will also build a Maintenance Hub in Porto, a strategic
investment of €20 million that will create around 200 highly skilled jobs.
This set of initiatives reinforces TAP's contribution to the
economic and tourist development of the North, expanding the region's
connectivity with the main international markets.
New European routes and reinforcement of the national
network
In addition to transatlantic growth, TAP is expanding its
operations in Europe and Portugal:
- Lisbon – Athens,
starting on 1 July, with five weekly flights (Airbus A320neo in summer and
Embraer E190 in winter).
- Lisbon – Tel Aviv,
starting on 29 March.
The new routes from Porto — Terceira, Praia and Tel Aviv —
complement this strengthening of the offer.
The Funchal – Faro route will also operate in winter, with
two weekly flights, and will no longer be seasonal.
New cabin: more space, privacy and comfort
In the summer of 2026, TAP will launch a new cabin between
Business Class and Economy Class, available on Airbus A330 and A321LR aircraft.
This new class will have 12 exclusive seats, offering passengers:
- greater privacy
- priority check-in,
baggage, and boarding
- fast track
- premium meal with
pre-selection
- exclusive amenity
kit and premium headphones
- extra mileage
accumulation
- greater fare
flexibility
This initiative reinforces TAP's commitment to providing a
more comfortable and personalised travel experience.
Stronger Portuguese identity on board
TAP presents a new wine list featuring exclusively
Portuguese wines, with 55 selections chosen from almost 1,300 proposals and
representing nine national wine regions. This list will be presented throughout
2026 in eight different categories.
Passengers will also have access to an interactive wine
tourism map, available on the in-flight entertainment system and accessible via
QR Code at no additional cost.
The company also remains committed to promoting Portuguese
cuisine and products, continuing to renew the meals it serves on board its
aircraft with menus developed by some of the most prestigious and talented
Portuguese chefs.
Portuguese cuisine was represented at the BTL event by Chef
Ricardo Luz, from the Algarve, who will be responsible for the meals to be
served from April to July 2026, and by Chef António Galapito, from Lisbon,
whose menus will be served on board from December 2026 to March 2027. This
star-studded line-up will be completed throughout 2026 by Chef Rita Magro, from
Porto, who will be in the air between August and November.
Strategic partnerships
TAP reinforces its commitment to national sport through two
new partnerships:
- Official Airline
of Team Portugal, accompanying the Olympic cycle until Los Angeles 2028.
- Official Airline
of the National Football Team, supporting the 2026 and 2030 World Cup cycles.
Altitude Film Fest: third edition in 2026
In 2026, TAP will organize the third edition of Altitude
Film Fest, its short film festival that celebrates national talent and
reinforces the airline's mission to bring Portuguese culture to the world. The
initiative highlights films focused on Portuguese culture, stories, and
creativity.
2026 is a year of ambition and expansion
With this set of initiatives, TAP enters 2026 with a
strategy focused on sustainable expansion, promoting Portuguese offerings,
strengthening its historic connection to Brazil, and continuously improving the
customer experience — consolidating its role as Portugal's gateway to the
world.
SOURCE: TAP Air Portugal
press release.
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