TAP Air Portugal airlines were established on March 14, 1945, and commenced operations on September 19, 1946. It currently functions as the state-owned flag carrier airline of Portugal and has its headquarters in Lisbon, serving as its primary hub. Porto Airport serves as the airline's secondary hub. TAP Air Portugal has been a member of the Star Alliance since 2005 and operates an average of 2,500 flights per week to 90 destinations. The airline maintains a fleet of 100 aircraft, all manufactured by Airbus, alongside 22 aircraft manufactured by ATR and Embraer, which operate on behalf of the regional airline TAP express.

This airline underwent its first privatization in history in 1953. It acquired its initial Boeing-built jetliner in 1965, becoming the first European airline to operate jets exclusively in 1967. The airline underwent a comprehensive modernization program, leading to its rebranding as TAP Air Portugal. By the end of the decade, the airline operated a modern fleet of 32 airliners, serving over 40 destinations across four continents. During the 1980s, the Boeing 707s and 747s were replaced with Lockheed L-1011 Tristars for long-haul routes, while Boeing 737-200s were introduced for short-haul routes in the late 1980s. The airline phased out its Boeing 727s and 737s in the late 1990s, replacing them with Airbus A319, A320, and A321 aircraft.

The Portuguese government also unveiled plans to reprivatize the airline, and the U.S. Department of Transportation announced historic enforcement actions against six airlines.

Historical Milestones

The airline initially operated under the jurisdiction of the Portuguese Civil Aviation office in 1945. Later that year, it took delivery of its first aircraft, a pair of Douglas DC-3s. In September 1946, one of these DC-3s conducted its inaugural flight from Lisbon to Madrid, carrying a total of 11 passengers. TAP Air Portugal then embarked on a twelve-stop colonial service, covering destinations such as Angola, Lourenco, Luanda, Mozambique, and Marques, spanning a total distance of 24,450km within 15 days. This marked the longest air service ever operated with twin-engine airliners. To suit the tropical conditions at most of these destinations, a unique uniform was adopted, featuring khaki shirts with shorts or skirts.

The airline also introduced its first domestic services in 1947, initiating routes between Lisbon and Porto. In addition, an international route between Sao Tome and London was launched in 1947, followed by new services to Paris and Seville in 1948.

Privatization and Expansion

In 1953, the airline underwent its first privatization, transitioning from a public service to a public limited company. It also introduced new services to Tangier and Casablanca the same year. The acquisition of several Lockheed Super Constellations in late 1955 facilitated their introduction on TAP's African scheduled services to Luanda. In 1955, the airline company undertook a significant long-distance experimental Transatlantic trip to Rio de Janeiro.

By the end of the decade, TAP had achieved several milestones, including carrying 64,000 passengers, accumulating 10,000 flight hours, and establishing a route network spanning 14,000 km.

Entering the Jet Era

TAP entered the jet era with the procurement of the initial batch of three French-built Sud Aviation Caravelle aircraft in July 1962. On June 19, 1964, the airline celebrated carrying its one millionth passenger, achieved approximately 18 years after commencing operations.

The airline marked a significant milestone by becoming the first European airline to exclusively operate jet aircraft in 1967. In 1969, TAP introduced service to New York City via Santa Maria Island, with Boston added to the New York service two years later.

TAP introduced a new computerized system for handling reservations in 1974.