Curitiba inaugurates first direct intercontinental flight to Lisbon

On 2 July, an Airbus A330‑200 operated by TAP Air Portugal completed the inaugural landing of the first regular intercontinental flight linking Curitiba’s Afonso Pena International Airport with Lisbon, establishing Paraná’s first direct air connection to Europe. The ceremony featured a Portuguese delegation, TAP executives and the CEO, as well as local officials including Rodrigo Swinka, president of Curitiba Turismo, who highlighted the route’s potential to raise the city’s international profile.

The service runs three times a week (Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday) on a triangular Lisbon‑Curitiba‑Rio de Janeiro loop, offering 269 seats per flight and a theoretical capacity of 807 passengers weekly. The Paraná government signed a cooperation protocol with TAP, airport operator Motiva Aeroportos, Viaje Paraná and Invest Paraná to promote tourism, investment and cultural exchange, though the financial terms of the agreement have not been disclosed.

The new route is expected to simplify travel for Brazilian passengers to Europe, eliminate the need for connections in São Paulo, and boost the regional tourism sector, hospitality businesses and cargo opportunities.