Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) celebrated TAP Air Portugal’s inaugural flight Sunday between the National Capital Region and Lisbon’s Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS).

“We welcome TAP Air Portugal to the Washington, D.C., area, as we continue to add to our growing roster of 35 international carriers at Dulles International Airport,” said Jerome L. Davis, executive vice president and chief revenue officer of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. “Now with even greater access to one of Europe’s most desirable destinations, Washington, D.C., Maryland and Northern Virginia-area passengers can enjoy added convenience when visiting Lisbon’s many leisure, business and cultural attractions.”

A celebratory atmosphere greeted travelers at the boarding gate prior to Sunday evening’s inaugural flight to Lisbon, and refreshments and beverages were served to departing passengers. Portugal’s ambassador to the United States, Domingos Fezas Vital, welcomed customers and recognized the benefits of the new route’s year-round service connecting the nations’ capital cities. Meanwhile, TAP Air Portugal chief executive officer Antonoaldo Neves and chairman Miguel Frasquilho each touted the enhanced access business and leisure travelers from both countries will enjoy with TAP’s new service.

“With 10 gateways from Brazil to Portugal, the expansion to  Washington, D.C., reflects what an increasingly popular destination Portugal has become, especially with visitors from the United States," said David Neeleman, founder of JetBlue Airways and a major shareholder in TAP.

On Monday, the ambassador and other members of TAP Air Portugal’s executive leadership team hosted guests at the Portuguese embassy in Washington, D.C., for a luncheon celebrating the new opportunities shared between the United States and Portugal made available with the new nonstop link.

Dulles International becomes TAP Air Portugal’s eighth passenger service gateway in North America. Service details include:

The nonstop route will operate five times weekly, initially aboard Airbus A330-200 aircraft, before moving to A330-900neo service, for which TAP Air Portugal became the new variant’s launch carrier late last year. The aircraft features a two-class, 298-passenger configuration, including 34 fully lie-flat seats in its Executive Class and 264 seats in economy, divided between extra-legroom and standard-legroom sections.

Passengers in both classes enjoy a wide range of complimentary inflight entertainment, featuring many award-winning films, the latest TV shows, and games, magazines, and audio programming for passengers of all ages. Additionally, meals in both classes feature high-quality hot and cold options, including several Portuguese products and traditional desserts, as well as a variety of fine wine and other beverages.

TAP Air Portugal is member of Star Alliance, which enables flexible booking opportunities for passengers by combining the networks of 27 different airlines in a codeshare environment.

“TAP Air Portugal’s new nonstop service to Lisbon from Washington Dulles International is a valuable addition to the diverse and growing air carrier lineup in the Washington, D.C., region,” said Yil Surehan, vice president of Airline Business Development for Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. “We applaud their continued growth stateside and look forward to serving travelers with another convenient option for nonstop service to one of Europe’s most vibrant and popular destinations.”

Sunday’s launch was the latest new air service route from Dulles International in 2019, which saw passenger activity increase by more than 5 percent last year. Lisbon is among 36 global capital cities served from Washington Dulles, the leading international airport in the National Capital Region, which served more than 8 million passengers from other countries in 2018.

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