TAP Air Portugal expands again, adding new routes from Boston and Montreal
TAP Air Portugal is expanding its North American footprint, announcing new routes from Boston and Montreal.
From Boston (BOS), TAP will launch nonstop service to Ponta Delgada (PDL) in the Azores. TAP's new Montreal (YUL) service will operate to TAP's main hub in Lisbon (LIS).
TAP did not offer a specific start date for either of the routes, saying only they'd launch "by summer 2020." TAP will fly both routes with its new Airbus A321LR aircraft, offering five flights a week on the Boston-Ponta Delgada route and six between Montreal and Lisbon.
The Azores will become TAP's second destination from Boston, joining the carrier's existing route to Lisbon. Once the Azores service launches, TAP would go head-to-head with Azores Airlines on the route to Ponta Delgada, according to current schedules. Azores Airlines also flies from Boston to a second destination in the Azores: Terceira (TER).
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The Boston metro area has a sizable population with ties to both Portugal and the Portuguese-controlled territory of the Azores.
The new service continues a rapid build-up in North America this decade.
"With the inauguration of these new routes, TAP goes from just three routes in 2015 to 11 North American routes, the same number is has to Brazil," TAP Air Portugal CEO Antonoaldo Neves said in a statement. "It's another important step in the airline's expansion and diversification."
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TAP flies from seven U.S. airports, flying to Portugal from Boston, Chicago O'Hare (ORD), Miami (MIA), New York (JFK), Newark (EWR), San Francisco (SFO) and Washington Dulles (IAD).
Several of those cities – including Chicago, San Francisco and Washington – have joined TAP's route map just since 2018.
In Canada, Montreal will become TAP's second gateway alongside Toronto Pearson (YYZ).
Related: Can Delta and JetBlue make Boston the next dual-hub city?