TAP Air Portugal inaugurated the air route between Lisbon and São Luís, in Maranhão, increasing to 15 the number of Brazilian cities connected by the company to Portugal. The new operation marks the first regular air connection between Maranhão and Europe and will have two weekly frequencies, carried out by Airbus A321LR aircraft, with capacity for 171 passengers. The inaugural flight arrived in the capital of Maranhão with 159 passengers, opening up new possibilities for travel between the Brazilian Northeast and the European market.
The Lisbon–São Luís–Fortaleza–Lisbon route was created to expand the state's international connectivity and facilitate both leisure and business travel. Flights depart from Lisbon on Mondays and Thursdays, arriving in São Luís at 0:10 am the next day. In the opposite direction, departures take place on Tuesdays and Fridays, at 1:40 am, with a stopover in Fortaleza before heading to the Portuguese capital. According to representatives of the Maranhão government and Embratur, the connection can increase the visibility of the destination in Europe, attract tourists and investments and strengthen the local economy, highlighting attractions such as the historic center of São Luís and the Lençóis Maranhenses.
With the inclusion of São Luís, TAP now connects 15 Brazilian cities to more than 50 European destinations, through 17 routes from Lisbon and Porto. In addition to the capital of Maranhão, the company operates flights from Lisbon to São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Belém, Belo Horizonte, Brasília, Curitiba, Fortaleza, Natal, Maceió, Porto Alegre, Recife, Salvador, Florianópolis and Manaus. The expansion reinforces the company's presence in the Brazilian market and expands opportunities for tourist, cultural and commercial exchange between Brazil and Portugal.
