The TAP Air Portugal Fleet In 2021

TAP Air Portugal is the flag carrier and biggest airline in the country, serving 100 routes across the globe. Operating such a diverse route map requires a fleet to match, and TAP Air has a young and agile fleet. From the A321LR to A330neo, the airline has been early to some of Airbus’ newest jets. Here’s a look at TAP’s fleet in 2021.

TAP has refreshed its entire long-haul fleet and relies on the A321LR for many routes. Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

The article is a part of series looking at the fleets of major airlines around the world. Data in this article is courtesy of ch-aviation.com.

All Airbus

Similar to many European flag carriers, 76-year-old TAP Air Portugal is an all-Airbus operator. While there was a time when the Queen of the Skies (Boeing 747) and 737 served the airline, those days are long gone. Nowadays, TAP has made a name for itself by being closely aligned with the European aerospace giant.

When it comes to TAP’s fleet, especially long-haul, efficiency is clearly the name of the game. TAP’s fleet consists of 78 aircraft, here’s a glance:

• 19 Airbus A330-900s
• 15 A320-200s
• 11 A321LRs
• 11 A320neos
• Eight A319-100s
• Seven A321neos
• Four A330-200s
• Three A321-200s

TAP Air’s average fleet age is only eight years and will fall drastically once the A319s (21.3 years) are retired. Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

Considering TAP’s markets in South and North America, long-haul aircraft are key to the operation. Here, the airline has invested early in the long-haul narrowbody operations, allowing it to efficiently make the Atlantic crossing. With a range of 10 hours, these aircraft have been a boon during the pandemic, allowing the carrier to maintain service without inefficient widebody operations.

Wide network

TAP serves the robust European short-haul market and the long-haul market to the Americas. The short hops are handled by the extensive A320 family, especially the A319s, A320neos, A321neos, and more. Considering the airline has been particularly bullish this year, all but six aircraft in the 78-strong fleet are sitting on the ground.

TAP’s biggest market is Brazil, where it serves a massive 11 destinations, equalling 92 weekly frequencies in 2019. From Belèm to São Paulo, the carrier flies the A330neo and the A321LR on many of the routes. While several of these routes originally flew the older A340s, they have been replaced by the latest A330neos.

The A330neo is now the backbone of the entire fleet and flying to major destinations in the Americas. Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

The carrier is no slouch in North America either, flying to 11 destinations, especially in the US and Canada. The A321LR has enabled expansion into cities like Montreal, Boston, and many more. Meanwhile, major hubs like New York see the A330neo flying in.

Keep going

The pandemic has been hard on all airlines, and TAP is no exception. With such a robust market in the Americas, the downturn has been difficult for the airline. This has led the Star Alliance member to ax thousands of staff and receive a €1.2 billion ($1.42bn) bailout from the Portuguese government. However, all of this has ensured that the airline has been able to maintain its network in 2021 and continue flying.

What do you think about TAP Air’s fleet? Which aircraft have you flown on? Let us know in the comments!

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