We always love to fly a new airline. And Portugal’s national carrier, TAP Air Portugal, occupies an interesting space in the European aviation market. It offers competitive fares on routes between the UK and Portugal, while its Lisbon hub makes it particularly useful for connecting onwards to destinations in Africa, Brazil and the wider Americas. I recently flew from London Gatwick to Lisbon with TAP, paying just £135 return, giving me the chance to see what the airline is like beyond the attractive headline fare.
FYI: these are the boutique and luxury hotels in Lisbon where we like to stay.
TAP Air Portugal review
Airline snapshot
Airline: TAP Air Portugal
Based: Lisbon, Portugal
Hub: Lisbon Airport (LIS)
Cabins: Economy and Business
Network: 80+ destinations across Europe, Africa and the Americas
UK airports: London Heathrow, London Gatwick and Manchester, with routes varying by destination and season
Best for: Affordable flights to Portugal and connecting onwards via Lisbon
Our route: London Gatwick–Lisbon return
Fare paid: £135 return
Aircraft: Embraer regional jet outbound; Airbus A321neo return
Booking and check-in
The website was simple to use for booking
Booking my TAP flights through the website was super straightforward, and the prices were significantly lower than other carriers flying the same route. I managed to find a return ticket from Gatwick to Lisbon for £135, which felt like excellent value for a European capital-city flight.
After booking, I downloaded the TAP app and was able to find my booking using the reference number. Online check-in opened a few days before departure and was similarly standard and relatively quick, requiring passport details and the usual declarations about what was stored in my luggage.
The one slightly frustrating part was the boarding pass. I couldn’t initially work out how to access a usable boarding pass through the app as it was only showing me barcodes. I eventually found an option to email it to myself, but the version I received was in a PDF and still didn’t contain a QR code. Cue around 30 minutes of searching online to find out whether I was supposed to print it at the airport or whether a QR code would be issued later. I found conflicting reports from other passengers, which left me wondering. However, I figured it would sort itself out.
Eventually, when I checked the app again later that night, I was able to add the boarding pass to Apple Wallet. Problem solved, but it shouldn’t have taken that much detective work. The app experience would benefit from making the boarding pass process much clearer.
I also received around four emails inviting me to bid for an upgrade for my flight. From what I could see, however, the offer appeared largely to involve moving towards the front of the aircraft rather than gaining a substantially different seat or additional space. The Business Class offer also includes Premium check-in and boarding, lounge access and a meal. For me, it wasn’t particularly tempting for a short-haul flight.
Boarding at Gatwick
The boarding gate at Gatwick
At the airport, the process was much smoother. I was interested to see if TAP was as specific about carry-on luggage size as other airlines, but I’m happy to say that they didn’t enforce any measuring. Boarding was quick and straightforward, with passengers called by zone. We were welcomed onto the aircraft by a friendly team, which really set the tone for the flight.
Our outbound flight was operated by an Embraer regional aircraft, with a 2-2 seating configuration. I was in 5C, an aisle seat. We were scheduled to depart at 10.30am and pushed back at 10.40am, just 10 minutes late.
On board
Seat configuration on the outbound journey
The cabin was simple and functional rather than luxurious. In the seat pocket there was a menu, sick bag and safety information, but no inflight magazine or entertainment screen, which didn’t bother me as I had my book. In fact, the lack of extras is presumably part of how TAP can keep its fares competitive. One very cute detail before take-off was the delivery of a little wrapped chocolate to every passenger. An early-morning sweet treat? Yes, please!
I was consistently impressed by the cabin crew. They were friendly and professional throughout the flight and did an excellent job of keeping passengers comfortable. They even managed to entertain a baby who was travelling on the flight, always a useful test of a crew’s people skills. In fact, my partner, who joined me the following day via a TAP flight, mentioned how lovely the team was on his flight, too. We love to see this, TAP!
After take-off, the purser made the usual safety announcements in both Portuguese and English. The front four rows were curtained off for Business Class, although on this type of short-haul flight the distinction between the cabins felt relatively modest.
Food and drinks
My lunch was a can of quinoa with Mediterranean vegetables
One of the pleasant surprises was the range of food available to buy on board. The menu included everything from pesto and mozzarella sandwiches and tosta mista (a grilled ham and cheese sandwich) to noodles and other snacks. I opted for a quinoa salad packed with vegetables, which cost €8.
It was a perfectly reasonable option for a short flight and considerably more appealing than some of the uninspiring sandwiches you encounter on European airlines.
TAP also offered free water to all passengers, which was a welcome touch.
Arrival
You’ve got to be happy when you arrive somewhere early
I completely forgot that Lisbon and London are in the same time zone, so it felt like no time at all, and we were landing. The flight was said to take two hours and thirty minutes, but we touched down thirty minutes ahead of schedule. Even better, disembarkation was impressively quick. We were off the aircraft just five minutes after landing and on board a bus to the terminal.
That efficient arrival certainly helped reinforce the feeling that TAP is a straightforward airline to use when you simply want to get from A to B without unnecessary fuss.
The return flight
The addition of a little chocolate before take-off is a sweet touch
The return journey was operated by an Airbus A321neo, giving a noticeably different experience from the smaller aircraft used on the way out. The cabin had the standard 3-3 configuration, and I was in 31C, an aisle seat.
This flight was scheduled to depart at 18.30 but left around 20 minutes late. I was due to arrive at 18.50, although the departure delay meant the return journey was less punctual than the outbound flight; we still arrived earlier than expected.
The A321neo itself felt perfectly comfortable for the route, although, as with the outbound flight, this is an airline where you’re buying transportation rather than a particularly elaborate in-flight experience. I was thrilled to have another warm experience with the crew, and it’s clear that TAP puts a huge emphasis on training their team on elite hospitality.
Where does TAP Air Portugal fly?
TAP currently lists more than 80 destinations across Europe, Africa and the Americas.
Europe
Portugal is naturally at the heart of the network, with destinations including Lisbon, Porto, Faro, Funchal, Ponta Delgada, Terceira and several of the Azores islands.
Elsewhere in Europe, TAP flies to cities including London, Manchester, Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, Rome, Milan, Amsterdam, Brussels, Copenhagen, Geneva, Zurich, Vienna, Prague, Stockholm and Athens, among others.
Africa
TAP’s network is particularly useful for travellers heading onwards into Africa, with destinations including Luanda, Maputo, Accra, Bissau, Dakar, Casablanca, Marrakech, São Tomé and several Cape Verde destinations.
The Americas
This is where TAP’s Lisbon hub becomes particularly useful. Its network includes numerous Brazilian cities, including São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Brasília, Recife, Salvador, Fortaleza, Belém, Manaus and Porto Alegre.
It also serves North American destinations including New York, Boston, Chicago, Miami, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington, Toronto and Montreal.
For UK travellers, TAP can therefore work as both a straightforward airline for getting to Portugal and a connecting carrier for longer trips to Brazil, North America and parts of Africa.
Frequently asked questions: TAP Air Portugal
Not exactly. TAP is Portugal’s national flag carrier and offers Economy and Business Class, although some of its short-haul fares can be highly competitive with low-cost airlines. The experience is relatively no-frills in Economy, particularly on short European flights, with food and snacks available to purchase.
Yes. TAP offers a range of food and drink for purchase on its flights. On my London–Lisbon flight, the menu included sandwiches, tosta mista, noodles and salads. I paid €8 for a quinoa salad.
It depends on the journey. On my short-haul flights, there were no seat-back entertainment screens. There was also no inflight magazine. Some of their long-haul flights offer entertainment screens, so be sure to check what is included before booking.
Yes. TAP currently flies London Gatwick–Lisbon and London Gatwick–Porto services, as well as long-haul options from Gatwick, including destinations in Brazil. Routes and frequencies vary by season.
Yes. The TAP app allows passengers to access their bookings and manage their journey.
The verdict
Despite that one issue with finding my digital boarding pass, my flights with TAP were very impressive. £135 return from London Gatwick to Lisbon represented very good value, and the actual flying experience was comfortable, efficient and friendly.
Boarding was efficient, the cabin crew were excellent, the food selection was better than expected, and the flights were comfortable for a short European journey. Plus, we arrived early both times.
TAP also becomes considerably more interesting if you’re looking beyond Portugal. Lisbon is its main hub, and the airline’s network stretches across Europe, Africa and the Americas, including an extensive selection of destinations in Brazil.
For travellers who prioritise price, a good route network and friendly service over entertainment screens and bells and whistles, TAP is a great choice.
Learn more about TAP Air Portugal
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