Connecting at GRU
 

I know that there seem to be quite a few threads about this already, but I'd be grateful for a few opinions on this...

We're arriving on the BA flight in GRU that will land at 5:20am if it arrives on time. We're hoping to go onwards to IGU (Foz do Iguaçu) straightaway. There is a flight at 9:00am which we were hoping to book. Is it feasible that we could clear immigration, get our luggage, clear customs, get from T3 to T2 (where I gather domestic TAM flights leave) and check-in for the 9:00am flight on time?

Your input is appreciated!

In the monthly trips between the US and Brazil that I have been making for over 7 years, I normally plan on 3 hours between connections and you have more than that. If your BA flight is on time, I would expect no problems. TAM has a recheck desk after you exit Cutoms and it is maybe a 10 minute walk to Terminal 2.

Awesome! Thank you! :D

What is your incoming flight is late? We've used the transit desk when continuing on TAM or Gol from an international flight, but only with the whole trip purchased together. Seems logical that you could use it even with separately-purchased trips but I am not positive. You could be sent upstairs to the regular check-in counters and have to pay domestic flight baggage fees which you would not have to pay if both flights were purchased together (note the weight allowances for domestic fights are very low). Remember that you still have to go through security before going to the gate for your domestic flight.

Domestic checked in allowances are 1 bag @ 50 lbs/23 kilos.

Do those allowances apply to OneWorld Emeralds too? My experience with other OneWorld airlines is that they do try to be helpful...

Anyway, if the flight is up to an hour late (it can't leave more than 1.5 hours late because of the take-off curfew at LHR... So I'm guessing we have bigger problems if we're *that* late.

Just went thru GRU doing Domestic (GOL) to international (UA). I timed it from touchdown. GOL arrived at Gate 9 Terminal 1. Just had carryon. Total time from touchdown, taxi, getting the jetbridge up to the plane and door open, exiting baggage claim, and thru the the trminals to the UA check-in counter at Terminal 3 was 33 minutes.

In my recent experiences, going thru domestic security at GRU has not been a problem. Few, if any, wating in line. Don't know if that is due to the time I am flying or whether they just have it sufficiently staffed to keep lines at a minimum.

And the international security was not bad either. Line was a bit longer at passport control when exiting, but moving.

OP is connecting international to domestic, opposite of you.

Understand that, SoCal. The amount of time it takes to walk from one terminal to the other is still the same. I was providing additional info on my experience for others that may view the thread who are doing domestic to International.

Additionally, today on my return, UA to GOL, was told I could not check-in at the recheck desk until 3 hours prior to my GOL flight. Never had that problem before. Asked if it was a new rule, and was told no, it has always been that way. Also, continue to be put in the Comforto seats without asking and not being charged. And domestic security in Terminal 1 at around 12:30-1 PM was practically a ghost town.

In fact, the domestic allowance is 23kgs., no number of volumes was defined by legislation (GOL has a 10 pieces limit). But the habitual is to check only one piece.

If it is a connect flight, the international allowances still apply.

If it is a domestic flight only, and you have status, TAM gives you some extra weight -please see here under BAGAGEM DESPACHADA. Sorry, I didn't find in English.

OneWorld Emerald will be an extra 20kgs on top the original 23kgs, plus some extra weight based on the ticket fare.

True. Walking time the same. Total time for the whole connection process can be quite different.

Somewhat unrelated but still related - how do domestic connections work in Brazil? Seems like it shouldn't be too hard, as all the airlines sell them. Reason I ask if we may buy a roundtrip GRU-MAO-GRU then immediately connect GRU-GIG - seems like it would be a hell of a lot cheaper this way. TAM's fares have gone sort of bonkers. Would TAM check our bags through within b=Brazil even if on separate tickets? Apologies for the n00b question - we've never been to Brazil - so not sure how easy it is to make connections there or if its like India.

So you would go from the far north of the country to an airport 350 km further south than you want to be and buy yet another ticket to immediately get on another plane to go back north again that same 350 km?

I was looking just now at flights on GOL about 10 weeks out, as an example.
São Paulo to Manaus is as cheap as $253 one way.
Manaus to Rio is as cheap as $275 one way.
(Yes, cheapest fares usually are for less convenient times, but it's an example.)
So tell me again why you're going to fly to S.P. and take a second flight to go back where you want to be?

FWIW, I chose to fly IGU-CWB-GIG instead of the direct flight, because I need the extra Tier Points on BA, and don't mind adding 2 hours onto my journey (connection time in CWB is about 58mins)...

Maybe because we snagged one of AA's fire-sale deals to GRU, and that fare was available to GRU only, not to GIG or MAO. That's why.

I have a similar itinerary this week: arriving on AA and connecting to a domestic flight on Gol. I believe that means I'll be arriving in Terminal 3 and departing from Terminal 1-A.

Anyone know if Gol has a recheck desk after Customs in T3? Also, anything unusual I should be aware of when connecting at GRU? Thanks.

Yes, GOL and also Azul have recheck after exiting Customs in T-3. The only new wrinkle in my last trip a few weeks ago was being told I could not check in until withing 3 hours of the GOL flight scheduled departure. That had never been enforced before if it was an existing rule. (I asked and was told it wasn''t a new rule).

Isn't that the international flight though?

Then you are flying domestic from GRU to Manaus, correct?
So my question was regarding the flight from Manaus to GRU rather than GIG if Rio is where you want to end up spending time. Are you thinking there is enough price advantage to a RT (GRU-MAO-GRU) fare to cover the S.P. to Rio leg?Certain flights may have larger differences in fares for GRU vs. GIG, but the one I referred to from MAO is minimal., btw. ( maybe I'm missing something....?)

Thank you very much. I think that by the time we're through Customs it will be within 3 hours of departure.

I'm glad you did because this is what I was looking for. I have a Delta ticket GIG-GRU-ATL in a couple weeks. I have done this exact routing but it's been years. The GIG-GRU is of course on Gol. How exactly does that work? Do I go through passport control then in GRU? Should I be concerned about a 1:45 connection length? Arriving 7:15pm. Departing 9pm on a Monday. Since it's essentially all ticketed on Delta, I assume I'll pick up all boarding passes at the Delta counter in GIG?

You will clear passport control and Customs at GRU. 1:45 can be tight, but doable if inbound flight is on time. Dalta may give you a bosrding pass, but you will need to get your checked bags if you have any and clear customs. Then after exiting Customs, they is a recheck area for TAM, GOL, and Azul. Likely once you recheck, you will need to make your way from Terminal 3 to Terminal 1.

No checked bags thankfully.

That improves your odds substantially.

I am arriving on a united flight about 9am in GRU on SAT and need to take a GOL flight to GIG at 10:55.

I have already checked in at GOL and have my boarding pass.

HOw much time do I need and can I check my luggage after going thru customs with recheck as long as I have boarding passes?

Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks

9AM, that would likely be UA 861. Two hours is doable, but everything has to work out well. By that I mean the UA flight isn't delayed, no delays of getting the checked bags, and the length of the line for passport control isn't bad. When exiting customs, keep straight instead of turning right into the duty free store. After exiting customs, there is a recheck area, just keep walking straight past all the people waiting for others arriving. You will likely see the TAM signs for recheck first, the Gol recheck is on the other side of TAM recheck. Normally this line isn't too bad, worst I have experienced is about 4 or 5 people waiting. If the boarding pass for GOL was issued by UA, GOL will give you a different one when you recheck the bags. After recheck, you will need to go up one floor, and pass thru Terminal 2 to Terminal 1, which will most likely be where you will depart from. This is about a 15 minute walk. Terminal 1 has gates 1-13. Security is usually not bad, even with a long line it moves pretty quickly. Some have said that if they don't check in for a Gol flight at least 1 hour in advance, they have problems. But if you already have a separate Gol BP or one issued by UA, I don't think this would be a problem if you were running late. Good luck.

Just reporting back on my experience two weeks ago...

We arrived on BA247 (which lands at about 5:20am). There was a very short line at immigration, although we did walk fast to beat the majority of the passengers to the queue. Our bags arrived rather quickly and we weren't stopped at customs. I would echo qfrodo's suggestion to miss out on the duty-free shops. The signage implies that the exit is for "Crew" if you walk straight, and for passengers if you turn right, but don't be tempted to walk through the duty-free shop because it takes a long time to weave through all the passengers.
In the end, we had about 2.5 out of our 3.5 hours to spare, and we walked between T3 and T2 instead of waiting for the shuttle.

I know this is just one experience and isn't necessarily indicative.

Well, hope it all adds up, that the "fire sale" was truly that. And thanks for explaining your logic, even this far down the posting road.
Enjoy.

I have a SDU-GRU(GOL) GRU-JFK (AA) connection, on 2 separate tickets. Is it possible to do the domestic to international connection in 2 hours safely? I am in Business Class, Oneworld Platinum and no checked bags.

On my last trip, I chickened out and did a 5 hour connection.

If your GOL flight is on time and with no checked bags, you should be fine. I normally like 3 hours, but have done 2 on occasion.

Do you know if Gol is usually on time? I am thinking that I will check-in online for the AA flight and will have no bags. Also there are 2 later AA-codeshares with TAM to JFK. Maybe AA will accommodate me on them if I miss the AA flight? Maybe not since it is not on the same ticket? This is my first time as a Platinum on AA, so I do not know what to expect.

Thoughts?

When TAM left *A, I started using GOL more and I normally would receive their Conforto + seating if the ticket was purchased thru UA. The flights I have been on have been pretty much on time, even a few that left a bit earlier once they confirmed everyone was onboard.

Is 95 min UA Intl to Azul domestic doable at GRU?
 

Hi, I could use some advice on an upcoming trip. United has changed one of our flights and we now have a tight connection at GRU. We arrive at GRU on United from Chicago at 9:50am and have a connecting flight on Azul to Rio that departs at 11:25am. We will have carry on luggage only.

I know this is a tight connection (95 min), but is it quite doable?

Our other option potentially is a 12:05pm flight on Avianca that would give more time, but I wanted to see if the Azul flight was doable first. Appreciate any thoughts.

Well, far as I know Azul still operates out of a completely separate terminal at GRU, so you will need to take a shuttle. A lot will depend on if your UA flight is on time. Not having any checked bags certainly helps. Azul does have a recheck counter along with TAM and GOL after you exit customs, I mention this even if you don't have checked bags as you may be able to check in before taking the shuttle. Others have commented on here that the airlines normally like one to checkin an hour before their Brazilian domestic flight. I usually do, so can't comment on what happens if you don't. Have watched other people arrive at the gate when the fate agent is paging them, but don't know when they may have checked in.

Welcome to Flyertalk!

Hello!
I purchased a GRUMIA with AA departing at 0130. And on a separate reservation, I redeemed miles for a BUEGRU operated by AR arriving at GRU at 2315. So I have a 2:15 connection time.

So the procedure should be: go through passport control > collect luggage > customs > exit > go from T2 to T3 > check-in with AA > check luggage > go through passport control again ???

Is there a way to improve my odds?

Thank you very much!!!

Do AR and AA interline luggage? Try checking your luggage all the way at check-in in BUE by showing both PNRs to the agent. If successful, check-in with AA online and take the printed boarding pass with you.
With that all settled, head directly to international connections at GRU, which means not leaving the secure area. There would be no need for passport control, but don't mention the separate tickets to anyone. Pretend you have a single itinerary.

Hi - I have an INTL to INTL connection at GRU on separate tickets, will I have any issues if for some reason I'm not able to check-in online prior to my first flight?

I'm flying LAX-GRU and have an 8-hour layover before GRU-MVD. The first flight is on AA and the second is on LATAM. I've also booked a room at the T3 transit hotel.

Thanks!

Considering that your luggage will be checked all the way to MVD, nobody will be able to tell that you are ticketed on two PNRs, so will be able to connect without entering Brazil.
That will also only work if you either don't need a visa to Brazil or do have one, since the airline at your departure airport would not normally allow the travel in the first place.
Once the visa-free period of the Olympics is gone, Americans, Canadians, Australians and Japanese will face that issue again.

The 8-hour layover to MVD changed to an even longer layover so I cancelled and booked a flight to EZE the following morning. This makes it an almost 18-hour layover but better than arriving MVD at 1am.

I presume it's not an issue to stay overnight in the transit hotel?

What about this connection---JNB-GRU arrives 4:45 am connecting to BOG at 2:50 pm the same day? Are both flights via terminal 3 since one is LATAM Brasil & the other LATAM Chile?