TAP Express (TAP standing for ''Transportes Aéreos Portugueses'') is a
Portuguese virtual carrier and
regional airline brand name for
TAP Air Portugal
TAP Air Portugal is the flag carrier of Portugal, headquartered at Lisbon Airport which also serves as its airline hub, hub. TAP – Transportes Aéreos Portugueses – has been a member of the Star Alliance since 2005 and operates on average 2, ...
which operates short and medium-haul routes. Its head office is on the grounds of
Lisbon Portela Airport in
Lisbon
Lisbon ( ; ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 567,131, as of 2023, within its administrative limits and 3,028,000 within the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, metropolis, as of 2025. Lisbon is mainlan ...
. Currently,
Portugália Airlines operates under the ''TAP Express'' brand.
[aviation.direct - "Portugália Airlines to be merged with TAP"](_blank)
(German) 15 April 2022
History
On 14 January 2016, TAP Portugal announced that
Portugália Airlines, its regional subsidiary, would be rebranded ''TAP Express'' as of 27 March 2016,
as part of the restructuring measures within the group, even though the company still operates as a wholly owned company of TAP Air Portugal.
Mainline carriers often use regional airlines to operate services in order to increase frequency, serve routes that would not sustain larger aircraft, or for other competitive reasons.
Also on 14 January 2016, TAP Air Portugal also announced that the entire Portugália fleet consisting of
Fokker 100 and
Embraer ERJ-145 would be replaced by July 2016 with new
Embraer 190 and
ATR 72-600 aircraft (the latter operated by
White Airways), which received a livery similar to that of TAP Portugal.
[atwonline.com - TAP Portugal creates TAP Express to replace Portugalia](_blank)
15 January 2016 White Airways, an airline owned by
Omni Aviation, operated for TAP Express until 2022.
Fleet
As of January 2025, the TAP Express fleet consists of the following aircraft:
References
External links
TAP Air Portugal website
{{DEFAULTSORT:TAP Express
Airlines established in 1988
Airlines of Portugal
Companies based in Lisbon
European Regions Airline Association
Star Alliance affiliate members
TAP Air Portugal
Portuguese companies established in 1988