Other North & South America Frequent Flyer Programs - Better to connect in GIG or GRU

Next month I'll likely be flying from India to Argentina connecting through Brazil. I'd be arriving into either GRU or GIG on KLM and connecting to a TAM flight to EZE with 1h40m in GRU or 1h32m at GIG. The price is the same. I have an AMEX Platinum card so I'd also be able to access the TAM (or other AMEX partner lounges) in either airport. Any advice on which airport would make for the best connection?

Also, what are the transit procedures like in Brazil? Would I have to reclaim and re-check baggage?

Thanks

For international to international connection you don't have to reclaim luggage.
However, unless I'm mistaken, at GIG KLM uses Terminal 1 and TAM uses Terminal 2, and there is no airside connection. So you'd better go via GRU. Otherwise I prefer GIG to GRU.

yup. what he said! :)

Yup to what he said.... BUT... In my limited experience GRU was a complete and utter mess for transfers whereas GIG is smaller and more effective. So, if you have a Brazil visa anyway then definitely GIG. So IMHO ... check that the transfer would definitely be landside then find out how easy it would be to get visas... then decide which airport to use.

I would go to some length to avoid GRU!

Thank you all for the tips. Unfortunately, the price on the GIG connection shot up before I book so the choice was made for me. I think there might actually be one more TAM flight that evening after the one I'm booked on, so if for some reason, I misconnect I won't necessarily be stuck for the night.

Thank you all for the tips. Unfortunately, the price on the GIG connection shot up before I book so the choice was made for me. I think there might actually be one more TAM flight that evening after the one I'm booked on, so if for some reason, I misconnect I won't necessarily be stuck for the night.

For the reason you adduce it's generally better to connect from GRU Also in my experience, security lines are shorter at GRU. Gig is a marginally better airport infrastructure wise though both are dumps by international standards