Best Airline from GRU to RIO??
 

is it better to fly to GIG? or what about SDU?

I am flying in to GRU and arriving around 10:40am....i will be in Brazil for three nights and wondered if I should fly from GRU to SDU on AZUL? or is GOL a decent airlines?

wondering about the reliability and safety and also if i am staying in copacabana or ipanema??? what is the best way to travel there?

please advice

SDU is nearest from Copacabana and Ipanema than GIG.

My option is Azul first, GOL is a decent airline also TAM is.

I like Ipanema.

Care of the safety must be the same, staying in Ipanema or Copacabana. The best way is the taxi provided by SDU.

thanks...thats what it looked like...i appreciate it

have you stayed in any hotel there that you would recommend?

No never been in Hotel in Ipanema or Copa, I'm from Rio and now living in another city but all my family lives in Rio, so I don't need an hotel.

I think a search on your budget range in TripAdvisor or Hoteis.com is a good choice, in these times with a great deals (strong dollar against our weak BRL).

Av. Vieira Souto or Rua Visconde de Pirajá is the best addresses choice :)

Tell me if you need more info.

More choices, and possibly lower prices, to GIG, but, as noted, SDU is a bit closer to where you want to stay. Azul quite good, according to my wife, who has used it in the Northeast. Gol mediocre IMHO, but the flight from GRU to Rio is so short, I don't think it matters much. TAM also flies this route. If you're connecting the same day from your international to the domestic flight, be sure to allow plenty of time, and be aware of the checked baggage allowances on domestic flights (23 kg?).

I plan to book a flight from GRU-SDU round trip to connect with my UA flight EWR-GRU, how many hours should I leave for the connection?

Similar question. I'm looking at SDU - CGH (Cononghas) in Sao Paulo. GOL and TAM look like they operate pretty much the same schedule, so any recos on airline?'

Also, anything an American should know about navigating either of these airports? Kiosk check-in/boarding pass? Any special security?

Thanks in advance!

You should leave about 3 hours between flights, should be OK, except probably in case of cancellation.
GOL charges for food, TAM does not, but this is not a big concern for GRU - SDU.

I took 5 flights during last year's WC, 4 with GOL (including CGH-SDU) & one with Azul. All flights were perfectly fine, just like any flight here in the US. Azul's plane was newer with all the bells & whistles (usb, widescreen, etc). GOL is similar to SouthWest here & they're most likely the cheapest you're going to find. BTW, there's a tourist bus right outside the SDU airport. It's clean, safe, and cheaper than a taxi. Also, the driver will stop almost anywhere you want along Copacabana or Ipanema.

Between TAM and Gol I usually just pick the cheapest, which recently has been TAM. You can also collect miles on Oneworld (TAM) or some airlines in SkyTeam (Gol).

Both airlines allow you to get on an earlier flight if you turn up early at the airport (up to 6h ahead Gol allows you to do it remotely via their app). However, miss your flight and you're looking at thousands U$300+ for a new flight...

No special tips regarding SDU or CGH. They're compact, easy to navigate, and never have ling security lines.

This whole thread has taken longer to read than one needs to make the decision. It's a one hour flight. Take the cheapest, most convenient alternative.

Flights to/from the in-town airports are usually more expensive though, but balance that against time and taxi fare spent getting to/from the international ones on the periphery.