TAP Air Portugal is expanding again adding nonstop service to Lisbon from Washington, D.C. in June. The 73-year-old national carrier has been breaking records in the last few years, boarding more than 14 million customers in 2017 and being named one of 2018’s 10 fastest growing carriers.
TAP will commence five round-trip flights per week between Washington-Dulles and Lisbon on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays, starting June 16, departing at 10:40pm, arriving in Lisbon at 10:50am the next day. Returning flights leave Lisbon at 4:30pm, arriving at Dulles at 7:40pm.
The new routes will be operated with brand new Airbus A330-900neo aircraft. TAP is the launch carrier for the new aircraft with 21 planned for delivery in the next two years. In all, TAP has a new fleet of 71 aircraft being delivered, also including 19 A320neos, 17 A321neos, and 14 A321 Long Range jets.
“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 shareholder in TAP. “We have 10 gateways from Brazil to Portugal and believe we can support the same number from the US. Today’s announcement reflects what an increasingly popular destination Portugal has become, especially with visitors from the U.S. Our network beyond Lisbon is also growing. We now serve 55 destinations in Europe and 17 in Africa and fully 50 percent of our American passengers are flying us to places beyond Portugal, many making use of our popular Portugal Stopover program.”
The A330neo will feature the new Airspace by Airbus cabin. The economy cabin now comprises two categories: Economy and EconomyXtra. The configuration and design provide a fresh atmosphere, with more legroom, deeper seat recline, and new seat covers in shades of green and gray, and green and red in EconomyXtra. The seat pitch in regular economy is 31 inches, while Xtra offers an additional three inches’ legroom with a pitch of 34 inches.
“These new connections will enable an even greater number of Americans to discover what Portugal has to offer as a privileged destination to visit, to live in, to invest and to study,” said His Excellency Domingos Fezas Vital, the Ambassador of Portugal to the United States of America. “In that sense, they are a major contribution to the further strengthening of the already close links between two peoples and two countries, that are neighbors across the ocean.
“Washington Dulles International Airport welcomes TAP Air Portugal’s new year-round service to Lisbon, which offers passengers visiting or living in the U.S. Capital region more choice and flexibility in their travels,” said Jerome L. Davis, executive vice president and chief revenue officer for the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. “We look forward to supporting TAP Air Portugal’s market entrance and growth as we continue to strengthen Dulles International Airport’s strong position as the Washington region’s premier gateway to the world.”
