According to aviation data company OAG, adding TAP to the Lufthansa Group would bring its share of available airline seats on these routes to 36%.

That’s a significant increase, and it helps explain why the Portuguese airline attracted so much interest during its privatisation.

TAP already accounts for around 24% of seat capacity between Europe and Brazil, making its extensive South American network one of its biggest attractions.

The Portuguese airline has spent decades building connections with Brazil, using Lisbon as a gateway for passengers travelling between the two continents.

For Lufthansa, bringing TAP into the group would strengthen its position in a market where it already operates through airlines including Lufthansa and SWISS.

What does this mean for Portugal?

The Portuguese government selected Lufthansa’s €1.2 billion offer for a stake of up to 49.9% in TAP, beating a competing bid from Air France-KLM.

The agreement would initially leave the Portuguese state with majority ownership, while giving Lufthansa responsibility for the airline’s day-to-day management.

Lufthansa has also outlined plans to expand TAP’s fleet and strengthen Lisbon’s role as an international aviation hub.

The group has suggested that some passengers currently travelling to Brazil through Frankfurt, Munich and Zurich could instead connect through Lisbon.

The deal still needs regulatory approval, with completion expected in 2028.

For Portugal, the proposed partnership could reinforce Lisbon’s importance as a gateway to Brazil and other Portuguese-speaking destinations.

But for now, the 36% figure reflects the airlines’ combined scheduled seat capacity, rather than a market share already achieved through a completed takeover.

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