TAP Air Portugal Expands To Cape Town, Cancun, And More

You wouldn’t expect many airlines to be loading new flights into the schedule right now  — especially ones due to launch in just a couple of months — but TAP Air Portugal is countering that trend.

TAP is one of the fastest growing airlines out there, especially across the Atlantic. For example, over the past five years they’ve gone from offering 16 weekly flights to North America, to operating 82 weekly flights to North America.

TAP Air Portugal launching more routes

TAP Air Portugal has loaded a few new flights into the schedule, which will still be launching in 2020. What makes TAP special is that:

• They consistently have excellent fares, including in business class
• They allow stopovers in Portugal, even on one-way tickets, so it’s a great way to explore Portugal while enroute from somewhere else
• They now primarily use A330-900neos and A321LRs for long haul routes, which feature solid business class products

TAP is launching two new routes to North America and one new route to Africa, so let’s take a look at the details.

TAP launching Lisbon to Cape Town flight

This is perhaps the most exciting. As of November 11, 2020, TAP will be launching 3x weekly flights between Lisbon and Cape Town using an A330-900neo, with the following schedule:

TP275 Lisbon to Cape Town departing 10:30AM arriving 11:40PM [Sun, Wed, Fri]
TP276 Cape Town to Lisbon departing 2:05AM arriving 11:30AM [Mon, Thu, Sat]

As mentioned above, TAP consistently has excellent fares, which is why I’m so excited about this route, since it’s a great new option for scoring a good fare from South Africa to the US.

~$1,000 for a one-way business class fare from Cape Town to Miami in fully flat business class with direct aisle access? Yes please!

TAP is launching flights to Cape Town

TAP launching Lisbon to Cancun flight

This is probably more exciting for European tourists than for most of us in North America. As of October 27, 2020, TAP will be launching 3x weekly flights between Lisbon and Cancun using an A330-900neo, with the following schedule:

TP176 Lisbon to Cancun departing 9:35AM arriving 3:00PM [Tue, Thu, Sat]
TP177 Cancun to Lisbon departing 4:30PM arriving 6:30AM (+1 day) [Tue, Thu Sat]

This is TAP’s first route to Mexico, as the airline doesn’t even fly to Mexico City.

TAP is launching flights to Cancun

TAP launching Ponta Delgada to Toronto flight

As of this summer, TAP will be launching nonstop flights between Ponta Delgada (in the Azores) and Boston. It’s an interesting route, because previously the airline worked with Azores Airlines, and I can’t imagine this is very good for their partnership.

Now TAP is launching a second route between the Azores and North America.

As of June 25, 2020, TAP will be launching 2x weekly flights between Ponta Delgada and Toronto using an A321LR, with the following schedule:

TP261 Ponta Delgada to Toronto departing 3:40PM arriving 6:30PM [Sun, Thu]
TP258 Toronto to Ponta Delgada departing 9:25PM arriving 7:20AM (+1 day) [Sun, Thu]

TAP is launching a second route from the Azores to North America

Bottom line

These are some great addition to TAP’s network, even if it’s a bit odd to see further expansion in 2020.

I’m most excited about the new Cape Town flight, as this is now a great way to find a discounted business class fare from Cape Town to the US.

However, I’m also intrigued by TAP continuing to expand out of the Azores, with a second route to North America. That can’t be good for Azores Airlines, given that TAP has a far superior product.

What do you make of TAP’s new routes?