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TAP Air Portugal is introducing a new Premium Economy cabin in summer 2026. The new product will be available on the airline’s Airbus A330neo and A321LR aircraft that are used for long-haul flights. This is a big addition to the Star Alliance carrier’s onboard offerings and places the carrier among the growing number of airlines adopting a dedicated intermediate cabin between Business and Economy Class.
The new premium economy cabin will be configured with 12 seats arranged in three rows of four. Each seat will be designed as a “neighbor-free” option to offer travelers greater privacy, space, and comfort. While TAP has not yet released full technical details of the seat itself, the layout signals a focus on creating a more exclusive environment than standard Economy and EconomyXtra.
Passengers booking Premium Economy will receive a range of perks including premium check-in, priority baggage handling, fast-track security access, and priority boarding. Once onboard, customers will enjoy a premium main meal featuring two hot-dish options (along with the ability to pre-select their meal up to 24 hours in advance). The cabin experience will also include an amenity kit, premium pillow, and upgraded headphones. Together, these enhancements position the new cabin as a meaningful step up from TAP’s existing EconomyXtra product, which currently offers extra legroom but not a differentiated service experience (similar to United’s Economy Plus).
The airline also plans to include flexible rebooking and refund options with Premium Economy tickets to provide more control for travelers whose plans may change. TAP frequent flyers will earn bonus miles when booking this new cabin, though TAP has not yet confirmed the specific earning rates.
Until now, TAP’s long-haul fleet has offered only two main cabins: Business and Economy (supported by EconomyXtra, which features slightly increased seat pitch). The introduction of Premium Economy represents a strategic evolution designed to meet rising demand for a mid-tier option that balances comfort, value, and service.
The product will allow TAP to better compete with international carriers already offering Premium Economy, while appealing to leisure and business travelers seeking an upgraded experience without the cost of Business Class.
TAP has not provided a specific schedule for when the new Premium Economy seats will be installed across its Airbus A330neo and A321LR fleets. More details, including seat design and exact rollout phases, are expected as the launch date approaches.
Anthony’s Take: With Premium Economy set to debut in summer 2026, TAP Air Portugal is looking to provide a new experience for passengers who want a more premium experience. It also aligns the carrier with its potential suitors as TAP is currently being considered for acquisition from Air France-KLM, IAG Group (British Airways’ parent company), and Lufthansa Group. All of those airlines have Premium Economy cabins.
(Image Credits: TAP Air Portugal.)
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Advertiser & Editorial Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat earns an affiliate commission for anyone approved through the links above This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. We work to provide the best publicly available offers to our readers. We frequently update them, but this site does not include all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.
