Portugal
Full service airline, Lisbon hub TAP Air Portugal baggage allowance
TAP Air Portugal is Portugal's flag carrier and a Star Alliance member, linking Europe with the Americas and Africa through its Lisbon hub.
| Allowance | Economy | Business |
|---|---|---|
| Carry-on bagPlus one personal item under the seat | 10 kg55 x 40 x 25 cm | 2 x 10 kgTwo bags except to and from North America |
| Checked bagMaximum weight per bag | 23 kgUp to 158 cm | 32 kgUp to 158 cm |
Cabin baggage
What you keep with you on board. The carry-on bag goes in the overhead bin, the personal item goes under the seat in front of you.
Carry-on bag
- Size
- 55 x 40 x 25 cm
- Weight
- 10 kg
- Pieces
- One bag
Business Class passengers may carry two cabin bags up to 8 kg each, plus one personal item.
Personal item
- Size
- 40 x 30 x 15 cm
- Weight
- 2 kg
- Examples
- One smaller item such as a handbag or laptop bag that fits under the seat.
Liquids: containers of 100 ml or less, all inside one transparent resealable 1 litre bag. Baby food, medication and sealed duty free purchases are exempt.
Power banks and batteries
Lithium batteries travel in the cabin, never in the hold. Since 2025 most carriers also ban using or charging a power bank during the flight.
| Item | Cabin | Checked | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Power bank up to 100 WhAbout 27,000 mAh at 3.7 V | Allowed | Not allowed | One per passenger, under the seat, not in the overhead bin. Do not use or charge it on board. |
| Power bank 100 to 160 Wh | Approval needed | Not allowed | Maximum two, with airline approval before the flight. |
| Power bank over 160 Wh | Not allowed | Not allowed | Cannot travel on TAP Air Portugal in any form. |
| Spare laptop and camera batteries | Allowed | Not allowed | Terminals taped or in original packaging, up to 100 Wh each. |
| Devices with built-in batteriesLaptops, phones, cameras, tablets | Allowed | Switched off | Better in the cabin. If checked, fully switched off and protected from accidental activation. |
| E-cigarettes and vapes | Allowed | Not allowed | Cabin only, never used on board. |
Checked baggage
TAP decides your allowance from the fare and the route at the same time, so the same ticket name means different things on different flights. On intercontinental routes Discount carries nothing while Basic, Classic and Plus each carry one bag of 23 kg. Business travels with two bags of 32 kg on every route.
| Cabin | First bag | Second bag | Max weight per bag | Max size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | Included | Route-dependent and usually charged in Economy. | 23 kg | 158 cm |
| Business Class | Included | Included | 32 kg | 158 cm |
Economy: TAP checked baggage varies by fare family and route. Always confirm your exact allowance on your booking.
Business Class: Business fares generally include two 32 kg checked bags, subject to route-specific exceptions. Allowances change by route, fare family and booking date, so confirm on the official TAP Air Portugal baggage page before you pack.
Checked bags by fare, intercontinental
TAP sets the allowance by fare and by route together. On intercontinental flights, paying up from Basic through Classic to Plus buys flexibility but not a second bag.
| Discount | No checked bag | |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | 1 bag, 23 kg | |
| Classic | 1 bag, 23 kg | |
| Plus | 1 bag, 23 kg | |
| Prime and Top Prime | 2 bags, 23 kg each | |
| Executive and Top Executive | 2 bags, 32 kg each | |
Shorter routes differ. To Europe and Morocco, Plus and Classic carry one bag and Basic and Discount none. Between mainland Portugal and the islands, Plus carries two and Classic one. Flights to or from medium and long haul Africa give Plus and Classic two bags of 23 kg, and flights to or from Luanda or Maputo give Basic two and Discount one.
Excess baggage fees
What TAP charges beyond the pieces your fare includes. Prices are per bag, per leg, and rise in high season.
| Situation | What you pay | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Extra bag bought online in advance | From 30 EUR | 37 USD or 49 CAD. Economy adds 23 kg, Business 32 kg |
| Bag over 23 kg, up to 32 kg | 70 to 190 EUR | Low season. 80 to 210 EUR in high season, by route |
| Bag over 158 cm total | 70 to 190 EUR | Priced the same as overweight, and charged on top of it |
| Both over 23 kg and over 158 cm | 140 to 380 EUR | Exactly double, up to 420 EUR in high season |
| Bag over 32 kg | Not accepted | It can only travel as cargo |
On a codeshare it is the code on the first flight of the trip that decides, not who flies the aircraft. If your ticket starts with a TP number, TAP's allowance applies for the whole journey even on a partner's aeroplane, and if it starts with another airline's code, theirs does even when TAP operates the flight. Extra baggage can be added in advance through Manage Booking.
Before you pack
Six habits that keep you out of the excess baggage queue.
- Weigh bags at homeA luggage scale costs less than a single overweight bag fee, and it settles the argument at home rather than at the counter.
- Prepay extra weight onlineBuying through flytap.com is 10 to 20 percent cheaper than paying at the counter.
- Wear the heavy itemsBoots, coats and jackets on your body do not count toward any limit.
- Use compression bagsVacuum bags cut clothing volume by up to 75 percent, which helps with the 158 cm size rule.
- Check your credit card perksSome premium cards include extra baggage or refund fees on selected airlines.
- Check your loyalty statusFrequent flyer tiers often add extra weight or an extra bag on top of the fare allowance.
TAP Miles&Go status extras
Frequent flyer status adds to the fare allowance. The extra applies to the member only, on TAP Air Portugal operated flights.
Miles&Go status can add baggage benefits on eligible bookings.
Sports equipment, instruments and infants
Special items travel with conditions. Every one of them needs advance reservation, and acceptance at the airport is not guaranteed without it.
Sports equipment and musical instruments may count toward your allowance or require a special fee.
Book special items online before travel. Airport prices are higher than the same allowance bought online, and hold space is first come, first served.
Check-in and bag drop deadlines
Counted back from scheduled departure. Miss the bag drop cut-off and the bag does not fly, even if you do.
TAP Air Portugal sets its check-in and bag drop deadlines by airport rather than publishing one timeline. Check the times on your booking, and allow longer if you have bags to drop.
If your bag does not arrive
Delayed and damaged bags follow a strict clock. Most claims fail because the report was made after leaving the airport.
Report before you leave the hall
Go to the TAP Air Portugal baggage services desk in the arrivals baggage hall. You get a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) with a 10 character reference. Without it there is no claim.
Track with the PIR reference
Use the reference and your surname on the TAP Air Portugal baggage tracing page. Most delayed bags arrive within 48 hours and are delivered to your address free of charge.
Track a bagKeep receipts, mind the deadlines
Essentials bought while the bag is missing can be claimed. Damage must be reported within 7 days, delayed bag expenses within 21 days of delivery, under the Montreal Convention.
How TAP Air Portugal compares
Benchmark these limits against the rest of the industry before you decide which bag to bring.
Turkey
Singapore
Japan
Taiwan