TAP Air Portugal on Thursday announced new nonstop service between Washington, D.C., and Lisbon beginning in June 2019. The 73-year-old national carrier will launch five round-trip flights per week between Washington Dulles International Airport and Lisbon beginning on June 16, 2019. Service details include:

The new route will be operated with the new Airbus A330-900neo aircraft. TAP is the launch carrier for the aircraft, with 21 planned for delivery in the next two years, joining a new fleet of 71 aircraft in total being delivered.

“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.”

TAP officials noted that the A330neo will feature the new Airspace by Airbus cabin comprised of three categories: Economy, EconomyXtra and TAP’s executive business class.

“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 U.S. 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.”

Fares on the new route in the Economy cabin start at $265 one-way, with TAP’s executive business class fares start at $1,456 one-way, for travel to Lisbon. 

“This new connection 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 Domingos Fezas Vital, the Ambassador of Portugal to the United States. “In that sense, it is a major contribution to the further strengthening of the already close links between two peoples and two countries that are neighbors across the ocean.”

TAP introduced the Portugal Stopover program in 2016 to further attract the ‘beyond Lisbon’ guest. Travelers to all of TAP’s European and African destinations can spend up to five nights in Lisbon or Porto along the way, for no extra airfare. 

TAP Air Portugal is the fourth air carrier to announce new service to Dulles International this year, following Alitalia, Cathay Pacific and Volaris. Currently 33 foreign flag carriers operate out of Washington, D.C.’s, international airport, representing more than 80 percent of all international air traffic in the region. Over the last 12 months, passenger traffic at Dulles International has grown by more than four-percent to 23.7 million passengers. 

About the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority 

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority operates the U.S. Capital Region’s gateways to the nation and the world, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport, as well as the Dulles Airport Access Highway, the Dulles Toll Road and construction of the Silver Line project, a 23-mile extension of the Metrorail public transit system through northern Virginia. A record 46.6 million passengers passed through the two airports in 2017.

About TAP Air Portugal

TAP is Portugal’s leading airline and a member of the global airline Star Alliance since 2005. Flying since 1945, TAP celebrated its 70th anniversary on March 14, 2015, before completing its privatization process later that year, now with the Atlantic Gateway Group as private shareholders. TAP’s network comprises 84 destinations in 34 countries worldwide. The airline currently operates around 2,500 weekly flights, with a modern fleet of 63 Airbus aircraft. TAP Express, the airline’s regional arm, operates an additional 17 aircraft.

With TAP’s privatization process, it has restructured its network, launched new fare products and is renewing its medium and long-haul fleet. TAP has 53 Airbus neo aircraft on order and, by 2020, it’s long-haul fleet will either have been replaced with new aircraft or newly reconfigured aircraft. TAP Express now operates a new fleet of 8 ATR 72 and 9 Embraer 190.

TAP is one of Europe’s most awarded airlines. Global Traveler (USA) named TAP as Best Airline in Europe from 2011 to 2016, and the World Travel Awards named TAP as both Europe’s Leading Airline to Africa and Europe’s Leading Airline to South America from 2014 – 2017. Previously TAP was awarded World’s Leading Airline to Africa, in 2011 and 2012, and World’s Leading Airline to South America from 2009 through 2012. TAP’s Inflight Magazine, UP, received the World Travel Award as Europe’s Leading In-flight Magazine for 2015, 2016 and 2017.