TAP compensation claim form: what to include
Updated: 21 July 2026. A TAP Air Portugal compensation claim is only as strong as the details you put in it. Under EU Regulation 261/2004 (EU261), a flight that arrives 3 hours or more late, is cancelled at short notice, or where you were denied boarding can trigger a fixed payment of EUR 250, EUR 400 or EUR 600 per passenger. But TAP will not process a request that lacks the basics: it needs to identify the exact booking, confirm the disruption, and know where to send the money. For the wider picture, start with our TAP compensation guide.
Free eligibility check
Check your case in the form
Enter your route, date and type of disruption. We will check whether your case qualifies for a claim under EU 261/2004 or UK261.
What happened to your flight?
Claim up to €600 for a delayed or cancelled flight.
Choose the situation that applies to your flight:
Short answer: a complete TAP claim contains your booking reference (PNR), the ticket number, the exact route with all segments, the actual arrival time at your final destination, and your bank details for a transfer. If a codeshare partner or TAP Express operated the flight, address the claim to the operating carrier, not necessarily to the airline printed on the ticket.
What TAP needs from you
Think of the form as three questions: which trip, what went wrong, and how to pay you. Each field exists to answer one of those. Missing data is the most common reason a claim stalls before anyone even looks at the merits.
| Field | What to enter | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Booking reference (PNR) | The 6-character code from your confirmation email | Lets TAP pull up the whole reservation |
| Ticket number | 13-digit number, on 047 stock for TAP tickets | Identifies you on a multi-passenger booking |
| Full route | Every segment, in order, with flight numbers | Distance to the final destination sets the amount |
| Scheduled vs actual arrival | Date and time the aircraft door opened at the last airport | Proves you crossed the 3-hour line |
| Disruption type | Delay, cancellation or denied boarding | Different rights attach to each |
| Bank details | IBAN, account-holder name, SWIFT/BIC | Where a successful payment lands |
Booking reference and ticket number
The PNR is the short alphanumeric code on your confirmation. The ticket number is longer — TAP tickets sit on 047 stock — and it ties the claim to you rather than to a travel companion on the same reservation. Include both; one without the other slows things down.
The exact route decides the amount
EU261 pays by distance, not by ticket price. For a journey with a connection on a single booking, the distance to your final destination governs, and the delay that counts is your arrival delay there — not at the stopover. The Court of Justice confirmed this in Folkerts (C-11/11). So a Frankfurt–Lisbon–São Paulo itinerary is measured to São Paulo, which is why long-haul TAP routes to Brazil, the US, Canada and Africa reach the top band.
| Distance to final destination | Compensation |
|---|---|
| Up to 1,500 km | EUR 250 |
| 1,500–3,500 km (and intra-EU over 1,500 km) | EUR 400 |
| Over 3,500 km, non-EU | EUR 600 |
If TAP reroutes you and limits the delay, it may apply the 50% reduction under Art. 7(2) — for example EUR 300 instead of EUR 600 on a long-haul flight. The flight compensation calculator gives you a figure for your route in seconds.
Actual arrival time
This single data point wins or loses many claims. The threshold is measured when the aircraft door opens at your final airport, so record it precisely — a departure that was hours late can still fall under 3 hours on arrival, and a short first-leg delay can become a large claim if it makes you miss a connection. Keep screenshots, boarding passes and TAP's own emails; app timings get overwritten later.
Bank details
Provide an IBAN, the exact account-holder name and, for non-euro accounts, the SWIFT/BIC. EU261 compensation is a cash entitlement — you do not have to accept a voucher instead, and mismatched account names are a frequent cause of delayed payments.
The right addressee: TAP, TAP Express or a codeshare
EU261 makes the operating carrier liable — the airline that actually flew the aircraft — as the Court held in Wirth (C-532/17). This matters at TAP because a TP flight number can be operated by TAP Express (regional) or by a Star Alliance codeshare partner, and equally a partner's ticket can be flown by TAP. Check the "operated by" line on your ticket and boarding pass, and send the claim there. Get this wrong and the airline can reject it purely on standing.
One recurring TAP scenario is strikes. When TAP's own pilots (SPAC) or cabin crew (SNPVAC) walk out, that is generally not an extraordinary circumstance, following Airhelp v SAS (C-28/20) — so a strike cancellation often remains payable. Say so in the claim if TAP blames "industrial action."
Departing the UK
For a flight leaving a UK airport, UK261 applies instead of EU261, with amounts in sterling — GBP 220, GBP 350 or GBP 520. A Lisbon–London flight is EU261; London–Lisbon is UK261. Our UK261 vs EU261 explainer covers which regime governs your route.
Baggage is a separate claim
Lost, damaged or delayed bags fall under the Montreal Convention, not EU261, and use a different process. File a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) at the airport before you leave, then submit within 7 days for damage and 21 days for delay. Liability runs to roughly 1,519 SDR (the limit since 28 December 2024), with a strict two-year time bar to bring suit.
How ClaimWinger handles the paperwork
Getting the addressee, distance band and arrival evidence right is exactly where claims go sideways. ClaimWinger checks the operating carrier, verifies the route and the delay, and files the claim for you. It is no win, no fee: no upfront cost, and we charge a commission only if your claim succeeds. If you would rather not chase TAP yourself, start with our delayed flight service, or read how to claim from TAP first.
FAQ — Frequently asked questions
What is the single most important field?
The actual arrival time at your final destination. It decides whether you cross the 3-hour threshold, and vague timings are the easiest thing for TAP to dispute.
Do I need the ticket number if I already have the PNR?
Include both. The PNR identifies the reservation; the ticket number identifies you on it, which matters when several people booked together.
What if TAP already rejected my claim?
A rejection is not the end — it often turns on the wrong addressee or a thin reason like "operational reasons." See our guide to a rejected TAP claim.
How long do I have to file?
Time limits vary by jurisdiction (for TAP, Portuguese law or wherever suit is brought), so do not rely on a single universal deadline — see time limits. A proposed EU261 reform would add a 9-month claim window and a 30-day airline response duty, but that is a proposal, not yet in force.
Can I demand cash instead of a voucher?
Yes. EU261 compensation is payable in money; a voucher is optional and only valid with your written agreement.
Sources
This guide reflects the legal position in 2026: the EU261 3-hour threshold and EUR 250/400/600 amounts. The proposed EU261 reform (higher delay thresholds, a 9-month claim window and a 30-day airline response rule) is not yet in force and does not yet apply.