TAP Air Portugal is expected to operate its largest fleet to date by the end of 2026, with projections indicating between 104 and 106 aircraft in service, according to data reported by Público.
The increase is tied to scheduled Airbus deliveries throughout the year, including six Airbus A320neo, two Airbus A321neo and two Airbus A330neo jets. If completed on schedule, the additions would expand the airline’s operational fleet by about seven aircraft compared with the end of 2025.
The expansion comes despite restrictions linked to the airline’s restructuring plan agreed with the European Union in 2020, which capped the fleet at 99 aircraft as a condition for €3.2 billion in state aid. That limit is expected to remain in place until at least mid-2026, delaying TAP’s return to operating more than 100 aircraft for the first time since 2019.
The fleet growth is part of a longer-term renewal strategy dating back to a 2015 agreement with Airbus, which originally covered 53 aircraft. The airline has since renegotiated delivery schedules multiple times, extending the plan through 2028. Current projections indicate a further 22 aircraft yet to be delivered, including additional A320neo, A321neo and A330neo units.
Internal planning documents cited in previous reports already pointed to a gradual increase in fleet size from 2026 onward, once the restructuring constraints ease. TAP’s business plan links this growth to modest annual revenue expansion and the ability to add capacity within the limits of Lisbon’s congested airport infrastructure.
The fleet expansion coincides with the airline’s ongoing privatization process. The Portuguese government has launched the sale of up to 49.9% of the company, with interest from major European airline groups including Air France-KLM and Lufthansa. The end of the restructuring plan is expected to give a future private shareholder greater flexibility in managing fleet size and network growth.
