Lufthansa Group Makes an Offer To Acquire a Minority Stake in TAP Air Portugal

Updated: July 29, 2026, 3:08pm CDT

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Lufthansa Group Makes a Play for TAP Air Portugal
Final Thoughts

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Germany’s Lufthansa Group has submitted a bid to take a minority stake in TAP Air Portugal, the European nation’s flag carrier.

Currently, the airline is owned by Parpública, the Portuguese government’s investment company, but it has been actively trying to sell off a portion of the carrier to a private company.

Here’s what you need to know and a peek at what the future could hold for TAP Air Portugal.

Lufthansa Group Makes a Play for TAP Air Portugal

It’s no secret that Portugal’s flag carrier, TAP Air Portugal (or at least a part of it), is up for sale. The Portuguese government has been soliciting bids for a 44.9% stake in the carrier, while leaving the option open for a larger stake to be taken in the future.

Lufthansa Group, parent of multiple European carriers, including Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, SWISS, ITA Airways, and more, has officially submitted an offer to Parpública for a minority stake in TAP, with the objective of “secur[ing] TAP’s successful future as Portugal’s national airline on a sustainable basis,” according to a Lufthansa Group press release.

The Lufthansa Group bid isn’t particularly surprising. TAP is an existing Star Alliance partner, along with many of the Lufthansa Group carriers. Plus, the Group has a long history of operations in Portugal.

TAP Air Portugal Airbus A330900neo — TAP Air Portugal operates long-haul flights from its primary hub in Lisbon (LIS) and from Porto (OPO). Image Credit: Daniel Ross

Not only does it offer more than 350 weekly flights to and from the country, but it’s also built a new Lufthansa Technik outpost near Porto. That facility repairs engine parts and other aircraft components and currently employs around 500 workers, with that number expected to rise to more than 1,000 by the start of the next decade.

Lufthansa Group isn’t the only airline entity that’s been interested in TAP Air Portugal. Recently, Air France-KLM expressed interest in the carrier, and its CEO, Ben Smith, visited Portugal with French President Emmanuel Macron to discuss the particulars of a deal.

According to Reuters, the Paris-based group has also submitted an offer for a minority stake in the Portuguese carrier.

Hot Tip:

Wondering what it’s like to fly with TAP? Check out our in-depth review of a business class flight from Newark (EWR) to Lisbon (LIS).

Final Thoughts

The Lufthansa Group has submitted an offer for a minority stake in TAP Air Portugal. Now, it waits for the details of that offer to be evaluated against those of the offer submitted by Air France-KLM.

If Lufthansa Group wins, it will all but guarantee that TAP will maintain its membership in the Star Alliance and that Lisbon (LIS) will remain a powerful hub for flyers loyal to that alliance. However, if Air France-KLM, a member of the rival SkyTeam Alliance, wins, it could potentially reshape European aviation for decades to come.

The future of the Miles&Go program will also be determined by what happens with the airline’s investors.