I'm flying from DFW with AA and transiting to another AA flight to GIG with a 2h55min transit. I was thinking going through immigration at GRU, going land side and coming back through security to the lounge (just to get outside and have a cigarette..) so my question is that how are the immigration/security queues usually at GRU..in any case I would assume 3hrs is more than enough but I might drop it if it takes too much time and just spend the transit in the lounge...I have entered Brazil at GRU only once and that was w/o immigration as BA 747 en route to EZE went technical during its stop at GRU and we were taken to an airport hotel without showing our passports to anyone..I know that at GIG the immigration/security are usually very smooth..

Thanks for any comments!

If you are on a through flight to GIG stopping at GRU you are not supposed to use GRU immigration. If you do use it, you will have to go back through immigration again in GRU only to go through immigration at GIG when AA takes you there. The GIG flight is not considered domestic. Therefore, you will be required to go through immigration again in GIG.

One can never predict how the lines are in Brazil. Normally you would have plenty of time with your 2 hours and 55 minutes. But, considering that you would go through immigration in GRU only to go back through immigration again in GRU, I think you might create a problem for yourself and you might miss your flight.

Once you get in that customs hall there is no turning back regardless of how you see the lines. Miss that tag along flight from JFK to GIG you may be stuck in GRU for 24 hours at your expense. Not worth the risk.

There is the issue of the airport tax. You must have a sticker for paid tax on the boarding pass in order to enter departure hall. If you are not normally suppose to leave the secure area, your boarding pass will probably not have this sticker and you'll be forced to go to ckeckin/ticketing to get one and probably pay the tax (taxa de embarque) of $36 for international departure. Which, even if you don't mind paying or don't need to pay, will be an additional delay.

I assume you're talking about AA 950/951. If you do want to leave in GRU you'll have time, but you cannot return without the required sticker that is scanned as you pass through security. You must go to the AA checkin line, explain that your a connecting passenger and they'll give you the sticker. this may not be the smartest thing to do, but it works. I have done it for short meetings at the airport.

I am so glad that AA and CO now have direct service to GIG. I used to hate the stupid stop over at GRU, getting off the plane and having to wait in the stupid security line with only 1 x-ray machine for 3 777s arrriving at the same time.I never understood the point of that security screening. They even did it on the return (so if you were just screened in gig, you had to be rescreened in GRU even though you never left the secure area) Come on: a 767 or a 777 for a a 30 minute flight from GRU to GIG??? Talk about inefficiency. Plus, the whole system was stupid. GRU-GIG is a domestic flight, so you have cleared immigration at GRU, and gone on to GIG as a domestic passenger. Plus, the airport at GRU does not have the smoking sections like GIG goes.... Although you can usually smoke in the men's room, and nobody will care

Coming on UA I don't mind the stop in GRU. I go up to the RCC and have something to eat and drink, especially if I have skipped breakfast on the plane. And if I happen to be in an eligible ticket class, I can use the arrivals lounge there. And as I have posted elsewhere, one no longer goes through security if continuing to GIG, at least for UA. An agent in the hallway directs GIG pax back into the secure waiting area. This change took place this past January. And since I continue on from GIG, connections are such that if I arrived in GIG earlier, I'd just be waiting there longer. YMMV. In fact, I sometimes encounter the oil field types that have come in on the direct CO flight and they are usually on their second six-pack by then.

I'm flying into GRU via COPA from panama city arriving at 4am, and am going to book a flight out to Iguassu on the same day. Can someone tell me if 3h20m is enough to get through immigration, check in at TAM and get through security again for a domestic flight within Brazil?

I'm looking at the 7:20am direct flight so I can get into Iguassu at a decent time (my next option is to leave at 9am and only arrive at 2:40pm). Considering it's so early in the morning it would be okay, but I just read quite a few horror stories about the long lines so I don't want to risk it...

Please let me know!

I'm flying into GRU via Copa from panama city arriving at 4am, and am going to book a flight out to Iguassu on the same day. Can someone tell me if 3h20m is enough to get through immigration, check in at TAM and get through security again for a domestic flight within Brazil?

I'm looking at the 7:20am direct flight so I can get into Iguassu at a decent time (my next option is to leave at 9am and only arrive at 2:40pm). Considering it's so early in the morning it would be okay...? but I just read quite a few horror stories about the long lines so I don't want to risk it...

Please let me know!

3 hours should be enough, but there is a risk, if your flight is delayed. You can ask to go through the special line if your flight is near.
Early morning at GRU does not mean an empty airport, most of the flights from Europe arrive early morning (to be fair, most of them not so early, usually after 5-6 o'clock)

I think you'll be OK too, but why risk it? You can smoke in the restroom; nobody cares.

As was observed you'll arrive before the rush from Europe and North America so you'll have plenty of time if your flight is on time. Even if not they're pretty good at GRU about accommodating passengers with short connections as long as you show your connecting flight details to everyone as you pass them in the queues.