747jetter

No test needed as your final destination is MEX in this case and Mexico does not require anything.

more4less

Thanks 747jetter, but I am actually flying to São Paulo 3/4 days after landing in Mex, so the final destination of my ticket is Brasil

danfl44

You have an actual stopover in MEX on the ticket, so your first 'destination' is MEX. The check-in agent will see MEX as destination and will check you on the MEX entry requirements. That is different from the stopovers under 24 hours, which count as transit. In this situation, the agent will check you on the GRU entry requirements.

So no test needed in your case.

danfl44

No real recommendations for this. I decided on staying in the city - it is a cheap and quick Uber away. Stayed in a hostel in the historical centre that I always really enjoy, and had more than enough time for a nice evening walk and some good dinner, and in the morning a beautiful sunrise and breakfast. My favorite neighborhood is probably Roma, a little bit further away but great restaurants and nightlife.

Personally, I think staying in the terminal is not worth it, there is more than enough time for some fun in CDMX with the timings of the Air France flight

more4less

Absolutely agree. Also the Hilton inside the airport, unless it has been renovated recently, which I doubt, it is quite bad

Airborne Brat

Good to know it's an avoidable hotel. I'll go explore Mexico City instead now I just need to decide on the IC or Hilton in SP.

MarkCron

I know some of you have already done this as well as SAT-MEX-MAD/BCN, so ....

I am looking for advice on when/what/where tests I should be getting for the following trip.
1/23 Test in Michigan (what type needed for entry to Spain) I could do test in MEX on 1/24. I should probably do both
If I do test in MEX on 1/24, would it be valid to get me into Spain and also into Brazil (flight takes off 1/26, but MEX-GRU is on 1/27)?
Can do test in GRU 1/28 to get into CDG/BCN 1/30
Test in MEX on 1/29 or 2/1 to get back into US on 2/1

DTW-SAT 1/23 9PM-11:30PM

SAT-MEX 1/24 1:15PM-3:25PM
MEX-MAD 1/24 7:10PM-1:00PM (1/25)
MAD-BCN 1/25 3:10PM-4:30PM

BCN-CDG 1/26 6PM-8PM
CDG-MEX 1/26 11PM-4:25AM (1/27)
MEX-GRU 1/27 10:15AM -11PM


GRU-MEX 1/29 9:55AM-4:15PM
MEX-CDG 1/29 10:45PM-4:25PM (1/30)
CDG-BCN 1/30 9:05PM-10:55PM

BCN-MAD 1/31 8:30PM-10PM
MAD-MEX 1/31 11:20PM-4:45AM (2/1)
MEX-SAT 2/1 9:50AM-12:00PM

SAT-DTW 2/1 3:30PM-7:30PM

Airborne Brat

You won't need a test to enter Mexico or Spain. So my understanding of French airside transfers per the Paris airport website is that you will need to get your first covid test at BCN due to Brazil requiring it. You'll then need an additional test taken at MAD to reenter the US. This is assuming you are vaccinated, of course.The Brazilian test needs to be a 72 hour or sooner PCR and the US test can be PCR or antigen and 24 hours prior to departure.

Fes426

@MarkCron Nice MR

MarkCron

That is really good to know I will not need test to enter Spain. Thank you for the reply!

ecaarch

I highly recommend the IC in GRU. I had the best, most personalized service there of any IC I've stayed at. Every time I came thru the lobby, I was greeted by name. Added bonus - the IC is in a great area within walking distance to lots of restaurants.

IAN-UK

Forget the Hilton, unless there's a particular reason you need the Morumbi location, a good 10 km from downtown.

The IC is far nicer hotel, certainly a grade up from the Hilton, and just a block down from Paulista. A bonus is it's on the route of the airport bus, and a Metro station is only a block or so away. You might need Ambassador membership to be sure of an upgrade. Of course the Hilton would give you lounge and breakfast as a Diamond, but the lounge is rough compared to the one at the IC. i don't know the IC policy of giving lounge access below Royal Ambassador level, but it's a delightful space, certainly worth asking about and maybe considering an upsell for a least one night.

Airborne Brat

Thank you for all the extra detail. I'm only a Spire and I'll be losing that when they stop extending me since I've focused on Hilton more recently but I'll have to see what they are willing to do because I now really want to experience this lounge. I already have a very affordable reservation at the IC that I got back in November through a company rate though the upgrade potential in comparison to the Hilton was what was making me lean towards canceling and booking a suite at the Hilton to try to get a presidential suite upgrade.

I'll have to look into the airport bus because I was just considering asking the hotel to book me a car so I wouldn't have to figure out the transportation system but if it's super easy then why not save there too

IAN-UK

Easy it might be, but i think the frequency as been cut quite drastically https://www.airportbusservice.com.br...or%C3%A1rios-1

Hotel cars will be expensive. The airport taxi service isn't cheap, but it should easily beat the hotels rate. The taxi system is simple, tell them at the desk where you want to go, buy a ticket, and you have your taxi. There's really no need to tip (though they won't refuse )

I'd forget about Hilton presidential suites! The only Morumbi thing I can think of that might carry the vaguest interest for a tourist is Ayrton Senna's grave.

danfl44

It is definitely important to stay in the right area to properly enjoy São Paulo (which is, in my opinion, a great city).

I would suggest either around Paulista avenue or within Vila Madalena/some good part of Pinheiros. This whole area is easy to cover by Uber. I especially enjoyed staying within Vila Madalena, a very safe, lively and relaxed area full of great restaurants, bars, nightlife and nice street art. Can't comment on points hotels.

I would suggest Uber for getting around. A Uber from GRU is very easy and cheap (the airport wifi works perfectly fine if you don't have data), and within the city it often is only marginally more expensive then public transport for shorter distances.