São Luís, the capital of Maranhão, is set to introduce its first regular international passenger flight route at Marechal Cunha Machado Airport. Starting in October, the airport will operate a direct flight to Lisbon, as announced by the Maranhão government in collaboration with TAP Portugal.
The inaugural flight is scheduled for October 26, with tickets available for purchase beginning this Thursday, October 5. There will be two weekly flights connecting Maranhão directly to Europe: one direct flight and another with a layover in Fortaleza, Ceará.
The flight will depart from São Luís at 1:40 AM on Tuesdays and Fridays, arriving in Fortaleza at 3:00 AM. The onward journey from Fortaleza is set to depart at 4:30 AM, landing in the Portuguese capital at 2:50 PM local time. For the return trip, flights will leave Lisbon every Monday and Thursday at 7:05 PM local time, arriving in São Luís around 12:10 AM.
The aircraft designated for this route will accommodate 16 passengers in business class and 155 in economy class.
Moreover, there are plans to increase the number of weekly flights between Brazil and Portugal via this route. Carlos Antunes, TAP’s director for the Americas, highlighted that starting in March 2027, the service will expand to three flights per week, significantly reducing travel time between Europe and São Luís.
With this new offering, TAP is also enhancing its operations in Brazil, marking São Luís as the airline’s 15th destination in the country and ensuring its status as the European carrier with the largest presence in Brazil. This development promises to strengthen connectivity and promote cultural exchange between Maranhão and Portugal, fostering greater opportunities for tourism and commerce in the region.