TAP Air Portugal operates eleven weekly flights from Dublin to its Lisbon hub, facilitating connections to destinations across its network, with Brazil identified as a particularly important market. The airline positions itself as a leading European carrier for travel to Brazil, serving three destinations there and capitalising on strong demand from both Irish and Brazilian diaspora travellers. The Lisbon hub is promoted for its operational simplicity due to the airport’s single terminal, which is designed to streamline transit for connecting passengers.
Ricardo Dinis from TAP Air Portugal told the 2025 Worldchoice conference at Johnstown Estate in County Meath that the airline offers a dedicated stopover programme in Lisbon, allowing travellers to extend their stay for up to ten days with discounted rates for local hotels and attractions. He highlighted the airline’s specialised groups department and corporate travel solutions, which include access to dedicated account managers and support teams to assist travel trade partners with bookings and operational issues.
Dinis emphasised the airline’s commitment to the travel trade, promising direct and personalised support for agents. He outlined tools and resources available to partners, including marketing materials and a trade-focused website designed to facilitate bookings and provide immediate assistance. The message centred on building a partnership where agents feel supported and can rely on TAP’s teams for help with client needs.
The presentation underscored the strategic importance of the Dublin-Lisbon route for accessing not only Portugal but also TAP’s extensive long-haul network, especially to South America. The ease of connection at Lisbon Airport was presented as a key competitive advantage for both leisure travellers and groups, reducing complexity and transit times.
In summary, TAP Air Portugal’s strategy focuses on leveraging its Lisbon hub for efficient connections, promoting Lisbon as a stopover destination, and providing robust support structures for the Irish travel trade to grow mutual business, particularly in the lucrative market for travel to Brazil.
Ricardo Diniz of TAP Portugal told the conference: “We fly eleven flights a week, connecting in our hub… Brazil is one of the most important markets for us out of Dublin apart from Portugal. You can enjoy a stopover in Lisbon… you can use up to 10 days, and we also offer discounts for hotels and attractions. The message is… anything you need, come to us. We will treat you like friends and try our best… when you’re stepping on that plane, you feel like you are home.”
