TAP Adds Santa Maria to Its Azores Map

TAP Air Portugal has launched a new Lisbon–Santa Maria route, adding another Azores island to its network. The service began today and will run twice weekly, on Thursdays and Sundays. The route gives mainland passengers a direct TAP link to Santa Maria, one of the quieter islands in the archipelago, while widening the airline’s Azores programme.

The service will operate seasonally with a larger aircraft before switching to a smaller jet later in the year. TAP will use an Airbus A320neo, with 174 seats, between 15 June and 15 September. For the rest of the year, flights will be operated with an Embraer 190, which has capacity for 106 passengers. This gives the route more seats during the main summer travel period, then adjusts capacity for quieter months.

Lisbon–Santa Maria Schedule

The new route runs twice weekly, with timings set for midday departures and afternoon returns:

• Lisbon departure: 12:30
• Santa Maria arrival: 14:05
• Santa Maria departure: 15:15
• Lisbon arrival: 18:35
• Operating days: Thursdays and Sundays

TAP has also announced a new Porto–Terceira route, due to launch on 1 July.

The new Santa Maria route gives visitors another way to explore the Azores beyond the better-known islands. Santa Maria is known for warmer, drier weather, pale beaches, coastal walks and quiet villages, making it useful for travellers looking for a slower island stay. The wider TAP schedule also makes multi-island trips easier to plan through Lisbon or Porto.

This launch matters because the Azores are often easier to dream about than organise. More direct mainland links reduce the planning friction, especially for short breaks or island-hopping holidays. Santa Maria may not have the same name recognition as São Miguel, but the new TAP service gives travellers a stronger reason to look past the obvious first choice.