US Growth
TAP has experienced significant growth in its United States operations in recent years, driven by the increasing popularity of Portugal itself within the US and, in general, an increasing demand for transatlantic travel.
Just a decade ago, TAP flew only from Newark and Miami to Lisbon. Since then, operations at New York’s JFK and Boston Logan were re-introduced and then, five years ago, the airline opened service from Chicago O’Hare, San Francisco International and Washington Dulles. While the COVID-19 pandemic put a temporary hold on growth, the airline has continued to grow significantly since.
Adding an 8th US Gateway and New Routes from Existing Cities
TAP operated some 90 weekly flights between Portugal and North America in 2024. This marks a 41% increase in capacity compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019.
The airline currently serves seven airports serving major U.S. cities, including New York (JFK), Newark (EWR), Boston (BOS), Washington, D.C. (IAD), Miami (MIA), Chicago (ORD), and San Francisco (SFO).
The airline links these cities with its hubs in Lisbon and Porto, connecting to 43 cities across Europe and 16 in Africa.
TAP has announced three new seasonal routes starting in May, 2025, including an eighth US gateways being added at Los Angeles International Airport.
Fares for these new routes will start from $529 from Boston and $679 from LAX to Lisbon in Economy. Business Class fares (with lie-flat seats) start at $2,999 from LAX to destinations including Madrid, Paris, London and Barcelona via Lisbon and $2,599 from Boston.
Passenger Growth and Market Share
In 2023, TAP transported more than one million passengers on its North American routes, a 23% increase compared to the previous year. This milestone reflects the airline’s strong recovery and growth following the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. TAP’s competitive pricing, modern fleet of Airbus A321neo and A330neo aircraft, and extensive onward connections in Europe and Africa have helped solidify its appeal among U.S. travelers.
Positioning Portugal as a Gateway
TAP has renewed its focus on leveraging Portugal as a key gateway between North America, Europe, and beyond.
As Portugal’s flagship carrier, promoting tourism and commerce between the U.S. and Portugal, TAP created the Portugal Stopover Program which allows passengers to enjoy up to a 10-day layover in Lisbon or Porto without additional airfare costs, encouraging exploration of Portuguese culture and boosting inbound tourism. The program has won many awards, including Best Stopover Program for six consecutive years.
The program offers discounts of up to 20 percent for hotels and attractions, free admissions to museums, and discount vouchers for shopping and special perks at restaurants.
Last year, more than 214,000 travelers added a stopover of in Lisbon or Porto to their outbound or return journey. Some 20 percent of those travelers originated from the United States of America.
The most popular final destinations for Stopover customers from the USA were Barcelona, Madrid and Rome. Funchal and Ponta Delgada were also among the top 10 destinations favored by Americans. TAP also makes it possible to make a second stopover in Portugal, offering a 25 percent discount on any domestic flight.
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Publish date : 2024-12-02 21:00:00
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