Anticipating the continued recovery of international tourism and air travel demand, TAP Air Portugal announced earlier this week that it would be operating flights to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic this winter. The airline will use its flagship Airbus A330-900neos for this non-stop service to the Caribbean country.
TAP’s new long-haul route
Announced on Twitter, TAP Air Portugal will operate a new Lisbon (LIS) to Punta Cana (PUJ) route this winter. With the announcement comes a reminder that airline customers are permitted one free change up to three days before their flights- something that will give travelers some peace of mind at a time when international restrictions are constantly shifting.
The new service adds to TAP’s already robust transatlantic operations. The carrier flies to several cities in Brazil (including Sāo Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and more), Cancun (Mexico), six cities in the United States, and Toronto (Canada).
Indeed, the airline’s Cancun service, also operated by an Airbus A330-900, is also relatively new. The first-ever TAP Air Portugal flight to Mexico departed Lisbon on Saturday, March 27, 2021.
Start planning your next Winter trip to Punta Cana!
In December we will launch this new route where you can enjoy amazing beaches and hot weather! Book now, between December 2021 and March 2022, with 1 free change up to 3 days before the flight at https://t.co/GYrmYXZmEppic.twitter.com/ZLtyqtHo89
— TAP Air Portugal (@tapairportugal) June 14, 2021
Lisbon-Punta Cana flight details
Looking at TAP’s booking engine, it appears that flights will operate twice weekly, on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Here are the finer details of the service:
Lisbon to Punta Cana: TP0179. Departs Lisbon at 17:00 arrives in Punta Cana at 21:20. The total flight duration is nine hours and 20 minutes.
Punta Cana to Lisbon: TP0178. Departs Punta Cana at 22:50 arrives in Lisbon at 10:20 the next day. The total flight duration is six hours and 30 minutes.
These flights will be operated by TAP’s newest widebody, the Airbus A330-900. These jets are configured with two classes- 34 seats in business and 264 in economy.
Breaking this down further, business class will feature fully lie-flat seats while economy class is divided into 96 ‘economy plus’ seats (with an additional three inches of legroom) and 168 regular economy seats.
The aircraft are fitted with inflight WiFi as well as seatback entertainment and USB charging at every seat.
Other services to Punta Cana
TAP’s new route will go head to head with Iberojet’s own Lisbon-Punta Cana service– a service that also uses an A330. However, this alternates between the A330-300 and the newer A330-900.
Additionally, with TAP Air Portugal being a full-service, hub-and-spoke airline, travelers from various cities in Europe can fly with the carrier to Punta Cana via a single stop at the airline’s hub in Lisbon. This means travelers from Madrid will have one additional option when heading to this part of the Caribbean.
Currently, leisure-focused Iberojet operates flights to Punta Cana from Madrid using an Airbus A350-900. Additionally, startup airline World2Fly will also be heading to the Dominican resort destination from Madrid with its Airbus A330-300.
Of course, if vacation time is limited, then flying direct will be the clear choice.
Have you ever flown to Punta Cana before? Do you think the new service from TAP Air Portugal will be a success? Let us know what you think by leaving a comment.
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