Cabo Verde Airlines
Cabo Verde Airlines is the national flag carrier of Cabo Verde, operating scheduled passenger and cargo flights from a Sal island hub to domestic destinations and international routes in Europe (Lisbon, Paris, Madrid, Milan), the Americas (Providence, Recife), and West Africa via TAAG partnership, serving diaspora, leisure tourists, and business travelers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1958
- HeadquartersPraia
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Cabo Verde Airlines does
Cabo Verde Airlines (legal name: Transportes Aéreos de Cabo Verde, SA; formerly TACV) is the national flag carrier of the Republic of Cabo Verde, headquartered in Praia and 90% owned by the Estado de Cabo Verde (Government of Cabo Verde). The carrier operates scheduled passenger and cargo services from its primary hub at Amílcar Cabral International Airport on Sal island, with domestic connections to Praia and São Vicente and international services to Lisbon, Paris, Madrid, Milan, Providence (USA), Recife (Brazil), and a partnership-served West Africa route via TAAG Angola Airlines. Its fleet is structured around a single Boeing 737 MAX 8 type configured in economy class, supporting both intercontinental long-haul and short-haul operations.
The airline's commercial stack centers on a four-tier fare architecture (Light, Plus, Flex, Morabeza), with ancillaries covering seat selection, extra baggage, unaccompanied minor service, and pet transport. Distribution combines direct booking via the third-party Crane IBE platform (crane.aero, supporting CVE, EUR, USD, BRL), call centers in seven countries, physical sales offices in Paris, Milan, Madrid, Quincy (USA), and Brazil, and a global network of travel agencies. Differentiated features include a Stopover Program allowing up to 7 days in Cabo Verde at no additional airfare and a frequent-flyer loyalty program. IOSA certification (since February 2009) and EU GDPR compliance underpin eligibility for EU/US routes.
Revenue is generated through passenger airfare (primary), ancillary services, and cargo. Customer segments are diversified across the Cabo Verdean diaspora in Europe, the Americas, and Africa, European leisure tourists (especially beach, windsurf, and kitesurf segments), Brazilian regional travelers, business travelers connecting West Africa/Europe/Americas, and group bookings (10+ passengers). The carrier is post-COVID-19 turnaround: operations ceased for roughly two years during 2020-2021, resumed in December 2021, and have been progressively rebuilt through route additions and the 2025 TAAG partnership.
Cabo Verde Airlines firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cabo Verde Airlines
- Legal name
- Transportes Aéreos de Cabo Verde, SA
- Website
- https://caboverdeairlines.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1958
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Cabo Verde Airlines is the national flag carrier of Cabo Verde, operating scheduled passenger and cargo flights from a Sal island hub to domestic destinations and international routes in Europe (Lisbon, Paris, Madrid, Milan), the Americas (Providence, Recife), and West Africa via TAAG partnership, serving diaspora, leisure tourists, and business travelers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cabo Verde Airlines industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Scheduled Air Transport
- NAICS
- Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation (481111), Nonscheduled Chartered Freight Air Transportation (481212), Nonscheduled Chartered Passenger Air Transportation (481211)
- SIC
- Air Transportation, Scheduled (4512), Air Transportation, Nonscheduled (4522)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Island & Remote Region Regional Airlines (THABACAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Hybrid Passenger + Belly Cargo Regional Operators (THABACAO), ACMI / Wet-Lease Passenger Operators (THABADAA)
Keywords
Where Cabo Verde Airlines is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Praia
Offices6 records
Markets served
Cabo Verde Airlines business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others
Revenue model
- Passenger Airfare: Core revenue from selling airline tickets for domestic (Praia, Sal, São Vicente) and international routes (Lisbon, Paris, Providence, Recife, Milan, Madrid, Nigeria)
- Ancillary Services: Additional revenue from extra baggage, seat selection (including premium seats), unaccompanied minor service, and pet transport
- Cargo Services: Freight transportation services operating from multiple international hubs
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Praia to Paris: Economy class starting from 4,077 CVE one-way |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Lisbon to Sal: Starting from 15,903 CVE one-way |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Praia to Lisboa: Starting from 5,731 CVE one-way |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Lisbon to São Vicente: Starting from 7,633 CVE one-way |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
Cabo Verde Airlines product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cabo Verde Airlines is the national carrier of the Republic of Cabo Verde, operating scheduled domestic passenger flights (Praia, Sal, São Vicente) and intercontinental passenger and cargo services to Lisbon, Paris, Milan, Madrid, Providence (USA), Recife (Brazil), and West Africa. It is a state-owned public limited company (90% Government of Cabo Verde) headquartered in Praia, with its main operational hub at Amílcar Cabral International Airport on Sal island and a single Boeing 737 MAX 8 fleet.
Product overview
Cabo Verde Airlines (formerly TACV) is the national airline of Cape Verde operating as a single integrated service with hub at Amílcar Cabral International Airport on Sal island. The core offering is scheduled passenger air transport across domestic routes (Praia, São Vicente, Sal) and international routes to Providence, Recife, Lisbon, Paris, and Bergamo. The airline provides ancillary services including a Stopover Program (up to 7 days free stay in Cape Verde), Group Booking (minimum 10 passengers), Online Check-in with seat selection across four fare tiers (Light, Plus, Flex, Morabeza), extra baggage, and pet transport. Additional services include special assistance for passengers with reduced mobility and unaccompanied minor travel. The company operates code-share partnerships and serves as a strategic Atlantic hub connecting Africa, Europe, and the Americas.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Cabo Verde Airlines Scheduled Passenger Service Scheduled passenger air transport operated by the national carrier of Cabo Verde from hubs at Amílcar Cabral International Airport (Sal island) and Praia, serving domestic routes (Praia, Sal, São Vicente) and international routes to Lisbon, Paris, Milan, Madrid, Providence (USA), Recife (Brazil), and West Africa.
- Cabo Verde Airlines Cargo Services Freight transportation services operating from multiple international hubs, with dedicated cargo contacts in Lisbon and via [email protected].
- Group Booking Service Special booking service for groups of 10 or more passengers (family reunions, wedding parties, corporate trips, tour operator blocks) with dedicated group rates and reservation support via a dedicated group booking inquiry form.
- Stopover Program Allows passengers with connecting itineraries to stay up to 7 days in Cabo Verde exploring the islands at no additional airfare cost, supporting tourism and island-hopping itineraries.
- Route Network
Quantifiable outcome
- Stopover program allows passengers to stay up to 7 days in Cabo Verde exploring islands at no additional airfare cost
Companies that use Cabo Verde Airlines
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
Cabo Verde Airlines technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Cabo Verde Airlines partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- TAAG Angola AirlinescorePartnership between TAAG Angola Airlines and Cabo Verde Airlines for the Luanda-Praia direct route resumption after nine-year hiatus since 2016. Aims to boost regional connectivity, trade, and tourism between Angola and Cabo Verde, aligned with African Union integration objectives. TAAG operates flights while Cabo Verde Airlines provides commercial partnership and connectivity support.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights7 records
Cabo Verde Airlines competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Air Botswana: State-owned national carrier of Botswana operating a small fleet of regional and intercontinental routes from southern Africa. Comparable in size, ownership, and reliance on government support.
- TAAG Angola Airlines: Angola's state-owned national carrier, also an African flag carrier with intercontinental routes to Europe, Brazil, and the US. TAAG is a direct comparable in scale, ownership structure, and route philosophy, and is also an active commercial partner of Cabo Verde Airlines.
- Mauritanian Airlines: National carrier of Mauritania operating scheduled regional and intercontinental routes from West Africa to Europe. Directly comparable in scale, fleet simplicity, and state-owned flag-carrier positioning.
- Azores Airlines (SATA Air Açores): Portuguese regional carrier serving an island archipelago with a transatlantic network to North America and Europe. Closely comparable in island-nation hub model, narrow-body fleet, and diaspora/leisure demand mix.
Broad incumbents
- Royal Air Maroc: Morocco's national carrier operating an extensive Africa-Europe-North America network from Casablanca. Comparable as a state-linked African hub airline, though materially larger and more established.
- Ethiopian Airlines: Africa's largest carrier and dominant African hub airline with an extensive intercontinental network. Relevant as a pan-African competitor and as the indirect parent/partner of several regional African carriers through equity stakes.
- TAP Air Portugal: Portugal's flag carrier with the dominant Lisbon hub and direct overlap on Cabo Verde's most profitable Europe-bound routes. A major competitor and likely the principal pricing pressure on Lisbon flows.
Emerging players
- Transavia France: Low-cost leisure-focused carrier serving European holiday destinations including island markets. Comparable on the leisure and tourism demand segment, particularly on European origin traffic to island destinations.
- Air Senegal: State-owned Senegalese national carrier rebuilding its long-haul network with similar post-pandemic restart profile and West African intercontinental ambition. Comparable in scale, ownership, and route focus.
Regional players
- ASKY Airlines: Pan-African regional carrier supported by Ethiopian Airlines, operating intra-West and Central Africa routes. Comparable as a regionally focused African carrier building hub-style connectivity, though primarily intra-African.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Cabo Verde Airlines social profiles
Digital presenceCabo Verde Airlines compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Cabo Verde Airlines financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cabo Verde Airlines leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Cabo Verde Airlines funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cabo Verde Airlines M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Cabo Verde Airlines
What does Cabo Verde Airlines do?
Cabo Verde Airlines is the national carrier of the Republic of Cabo Verde, operating scheduled domestic passenger flights (Praia, Sal, São Vicente) and intercontinental passenger and cargo services to Lisbon, Paris, Milan, Madrid, Providence (USA), Recife (Brazil), and West Africa. It is a state-owned public limited company (90% Government of Cabo Verde) headquartered in Praia, with its main operational hub at Amílcar Cabral International Airport on Sal island and a single Boeing 737 MAX 8 fleet.
Is Cabo Verde Airlines a public or private company?
Cabo Verde Airlines is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Cabo Verde Airlines founded?
Cabo Verde Airlines was founded in 1958. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Cabo Verde Airlines based?
Cabo Verde Airlines is headquartered in Praia.
How does Cabo Verde Airlines make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Passenger Airfare is the primary driver. The others are ancillary Services and cargo Services.
Who are Cabo Verde Airlines's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Air Botswana, TAAG Angola Airlines, Mauritanian Airlines and Azores Airlines (SATA Air Açores). Broad incumbents are Royal Air Maroc, Ethiopian Airlines and TAP Air Portugal. Emerging players are Transavia France and Air Senegal. ASKY Airlines is listed as a regional player.
Does Cabo Verde Airlines have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cabo Verde Airlines.
What industry is Cabo Verde Airlines in?
Cabo Verde Airlines's product category is Scheduled Air Transport. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THABACAL, Island & Remote Region Regional Airlines, with a secondary code of THABACAO, Hybrid Passenger + Belly Cargo Regional Operators. Its NAICS code is 481111 and its SIC code is 4512.