Mrs. Premium Travel Insider and I set out for a trip to the Algarve, Lisbon, and Barcelona. We were flying TAP Portugal thanks to my hoard of United points. Going direct from Dulles to Lisbon only has United (flying a 757) or TAP Portugal as direct options. United never released saver availability for our outbound flight, but TAP did, so we booked two tickets at 70,000 United miles each. While I had read that TAP Portugal would not blow us away, I am always up for trying new carriers. The reviews were spot on, and we had a pleasant, but unremarkable flight. Read on for my TAP Portugal Business Class Review of the Dulles to Lisbon route.
As a reminder, for internal “house” reviews, we score on the same 1-3 scale we use elsewhere. A 3 indicates that a given category exceeded reviewer expectations, a 2 indicates it met expectations, and a 1 failed to meet expectations. We evaluate the categories we believe are most relevant to the flight, hotel, or lounge experience.
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Details
Flight Number: TP232
Flight Date: 9/6/19
To/From: IAD to LIS
Carrier: TAP Portugal
Class of Service: Business
Duration: 7:10
Aircraft: A330-200
Price: 70,000 United Miles per ticket + fees
Seat: 6D, 6F
Seat – 2/3
We had the newly refreshed cabin, which was exciting. It was light and airy – I really liked the vibe, and the lack of central overhead bag bins made for a very spacious cabin, though storage space for bags was at a premium. The seats were in the 2-2-1 format, with “throne” seats. However, because I love my wife so much (annnd there were no other seats available), I voluntarily took 6D, which was an exposed aisle seat so I could sit next to her. Seat Guru had flagged these seats “yellow” due to galley noise, and this was a fair assessment.
I found the seat to be comfortable both sitting and sleeping. Being exposed is always a little weird, but the seat across the aisle from me was empty, so that helped. There was a decent amount of storage, including a “crap holder” under the IFE that was really helpful for small items like glasses and cell phones. I really enjoy when there’s a convenient place to store all the little items I seem to accumulate. Bottom line, the seat got the job done.
Drink – 2/3
The drinks on the plane were pretty straightforward. Standard liquors, with Licor Beirão, a Portuguese digestif, also available – I like when there’s a bit of local flavor. There was an assortment of Portuguese wines, and I had a drinkable red. I gave the Licor Beirão a try and found it enjoyable, but a bit minty for my taste. Overall nothing special, but an enjoyable selection.
Food – 2/3
I had the chicken, and Mrs. PTI had the fish. We both agreed the food was edible but nothing special, squarely in the “Good enough for plane food” category. I liked that it was served express dining style given how fast the flight was – blocked at 7:10 but the flight time was a zippy 6:30. One thing to note was how weak the dessert was – a few pieces of fruit. The menu said chocolates as well, but we were told they didn’t load any. This lack of dessert was a travesty for Mrs. PTI. Breakfast was a cold cut plate that was actually pretty decent. This is a time where I wish I did half points for categories, as I’d say it was a 1.5/3 – but I’ll round up to 2.
Service – 2/3
Service was acceptable – everyone was pleasant but nothing was particularly out of the ordinary. My status as Star Alliance Gold was recognized, which surprised me, and we got first choice of entrees. Otherwise everything else was straightforward.
IFE – 3/3
The IFE screen was not huge, but was high definition. The content was quite extensive, with numerous new releases and plenty of other TV/movies/music/etc.
Other Characteristics
The lavatories were pretty mediocre – they were small and in OK – but not great – cleanliness throughout the flight. If I did half points, I’d give it a 1.5/3, but it’s business class on an A330 so it’s not a great platform, so I’ll round up to 2/3. I did not purchase WiFi for the flight (not reviewed). Bedding was just a blanket and a pillow – both were decently comfortable, but given what other carriers provide, it wasn’t up to snuff (1/3 – Bedding). The amenity kit was basic and underwhelming – no tissues for example, which to me is a must-have on a flight (1/3- Amenity Kit).
TAP Portugal Business Class Review Bottom Line – 2/3
Despite several misses, this was a solid trip for a transatlantic overnight flight. I was able to get a decent amount of sleep in a comfortable seat and eat decent food while traveling directly to my destination. There are many superior products out there, including United (which didn’t have award availability for my dates) – but if the price is right, I would have no problem booking TAP Portugal again.
Looking for more TAP reviews? Click here for our full TAP Business class aggregation and see what other, likely more sober, bloggers thought of their trip.
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