(São Paulo) Governador André Franco Montoro (Cumbica)/ Guarulhos International Airpot

Sao Paulo is Brazil's largest city, thus has more air traffic. It was clear that Congonhas airport could not support all traffic and the airport was too small to receive large aircraft. The alternatives for large jets were land in Campinas or Rio de Janeiro. On January 20, 1985 one Varig's Boeing 747-200 coming from New York, inaugurated Guarulhos International Airport. Thereafter Guarulhos airport was gradually receiving international flights from Viracopos and Galeão. In the 90's came Swissair, Lufthansa, KLM, Alitalia, Korean Air and JAL.When Pan Am ceased, American Airlines took its place. The same happened with Canadian, who was replaced by Air Canada.
In 1992 Terminal 2 was inaugurated, increasing the capacity to 15 million passengers per year. In February, 2012 the Terminal 4 was inaugurated, initially receiving flights from WebJet. Also in February, Brazilian government granted the airport to privet exploration with the promise of expanding and refurbishing the airport. The consortium that took over the airport is formed by Grupo Invepar and ACSA. The plan is to build a new terminal and expand capacity to 42 million passengers per year. In addition, the airport would have 22 new fingers, 36 aircraft parking spaces and 10,000 car parking spaces. The runway were adapted to receive aircraft such as A380 and B747-8. By 2022 the airport should also have a shopping center and hotel.
The Terminal 3 was inaugurated on May 11, 2014 with flights from Lufthansa, Swiss and Tap. Air Canada, Air China began operating in the terminal on May 18, and Emirates Airlines, Turkish and United on May 25. Air France, Alitalia, KLM, Ethiad, Qatar, Singapore and Korean Air moved to the new Terminal in July and British and Iberia in August.

Founded: January, 1985
ICAO Code:  SBGR
IATA Code: GRU
Runways Length: 3 km and 3,7 km
Passengers Capacity per year: 42 million
Passengers Statistics: 41 million
Distance from Downtown: 23 km

For further information about Guarulhos Airport, please click here!

 

 

(Campins) Viracopos International Airport

The airport was built as an alternative to Galeão airport, which was the only one able to receive large jets like Boeing 707, DC-8, Comet, V-10, Convair 880 and Convair 990. Despite be in a location that is hard to occur bad weather, the airport is very far from São Paulo. But many airlines used to land at Viracopos after Galeão like Pan Am, Braniff, Lufthansa, Air France, Tap, Alitalia, KLM, Swissair, SAS and Iberia. With the inauguration of Guraulhos airport, Viracopos become a "ghost airport" and remained so until the arrival of Azul. Viracopos become Azul's main hub and other airlines like Gol and Tam launched new flight there too.
In 2010 Viracopos returned to receive regular international flights through Tap.

Founded: October, 1960
ICAO Code:  SBKP
IATA Code: VCP
Runways Length: 3,2 km
Passengers Capacity per year: 14 million
Passengers Statistics: 8 million
Distance from Downtown: 14 km (Campinas) / 78 km (São Paulo)

For further information about Viracopos Airport, please click here!

 

 

(São Paulo) Congonhas Airport

Congonhas was created to replace Campos de Marte airport. Congonhas received both domestic and international flights. Airlines like Lufthansa, Air France, Iberia, Pan Am and Braniff landed at Congonhas with Constellations, DC-6 and DC-7. But the airport its too small to receive large jets like Boeing 707 and DC-8. Thus most of international flight went to Galeão or Viracopos airport. When Guarulhos airport was created, Congonhas become empty, operating only regional flights and between São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. In the 90's the airport returned to receive jets like Fokker 100 and Boeing 737. Although receive only domestic flights, Cogonhas is totally saturated nowadays.

Founded: April, 1936
ICAO Code:  SBSP
IATA Code: CGH
Runways Length: 1,9 km and 1,4 km
Passengers Capacity per year: 19 million
Passengers Statistics: 20 million
Distance from Downtown: 10 km
Airlines: Azul, Gol, Latam
Historical Airlines: Avianca Brasil, Real-Aerovias, Transbrasil, Panair do Brasil, NYRBA, Vasp, Varig, Cruzeiro, Pan Am, Lufthansa, Air France, Iberia, Pan Am, Alitalia, Aerolineas Argentinas, Lan Chile, LAB, Braniff, APSA, Viasa, Avianca

 

 

(Rio de Janeiro) Antônio Carlos Jobim/Galeão International Airport

Galeão is the main airport of Rio de Janeiro and has the longest runway in Brazil and one of the largest in the world. It is located on Ilha do Governado (Governor's Island), where moored boats like galleons. Galeão was inaugurated in 1952 and became Brazil's main internationaç airport. It was one of the few airports in the world that received Concorde, by Air France from 1976 to 1982.
On January 20, 1977 inaugurated the new terminal, the largest in Brazil at that time. The old terminal is now used for cargo. Without an airport to receive large aircraft in São Paulo, Galeão received almost all international flights from Brazil.
With the opening of Guarulhos airport almost all international airlines abandoned Galeão.
In 2004 with the restriction in Santos Dumont Airport, Galeão received lots of domestic flight and with more traffic the airport also attracted new international flights.
In 2009 the restriction to Santos Dumont airport was undone, but Galeão continues to increase traffic and received new international airlines like Emirates and others airlines that had left the airport like KLM, Lufthansa and Alitalia.
In 2011 many airlines such KLM, Lufthansa, Alitalia and Avianca announced their return to Galeão, due to the increase in air traffic in Rio, the World Cup and the Olympic Games in Brazil.
In November 2013, the privatization of the airport was announced. Odebrecht and Changi Airport Group have earned the right to run the airport for 25 years, after paying R$ 19 billion to the Brazilian government. On May 19, 2016 the airport inaugurated the expansion of Terminal 2, known as "Píer Sul," a space with 100 thousand square meters and 26 new fingers, increasing the airport capacity by 65%. All international flights gradually moved into the new space.

Founded: February, 1952
ICAO Code:  SBGL
IATA Code: GIG
Runways Length: 4,2 km and 3,1 km
Passengers Capacity per year: 30 million
Passengers Statistics: 17 million
Distance from Downtown: 12 km

For further information about Galeão Airport, please click here!

 

 

 

(Rio de Janeiro) Santos Dumont Airport

For many its the most beautiful airport in the world. Santos Dumont airport construction began in 1934 and it was inaugurated in 1936 with a Vasp's flight between Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo with two Junkers 52.
After the inauguration of Galeão airport, most of flights left Santos Dumont and it stayed only with turbo-propellers aircrafts. The most famous one was the Electra II, which operated Rio - São Paulo flight until 1992. In the 90's turbo-propellers were replaced by Boeing 737, Fokker 100 and Airbus A319.
In 2004 the airport was restricted only to regional flights and flights to Congonhas. But the restriction was scrapped in 2009.

Founded: 1936
ICAO Code: SBRJ
IATA Code: SDU
Runways Length: 1,3 km and 1,2 km
Passengers Capacity per year: 9,9 million
Passengers Statistics: 9 million
Distance from Downtown: 5 km
Airlines: Latam, Gol, Azul, Passaredo
Historical Airlines:  Avianca, Real-Aerovias, Transbrasil, Panair do Brasil, NYRBA, Vasp, Varig, Cruzeiro, Pan American, Trip, Team, WebJet

 

 

Salgado Filho International Airport (Porto Alegre)

Founded: 1940
ICAO Code:  SBPA
IATA Code: POA
Runways Length: 2,2 km and 1,5 km
Passengers Capacity per year: 15 million
Passengers Statistics: 8 million
Distance from Downtown: 7 km
Airlines: Aerolineas Argentinas, Azul, Copa, Gol, Passaredo, Latam, Tap

 

Hercílio Luz International Airport (Florianópolis)

Founded: 1945
ICAO Code:  SBFL
IATA Code: FLN
Runways Length: 2,3 km and 1,5 km
Passengers Capacity per year: 4 million
Passengers Statistics: 3 million
Distance from Downtown: 11 km
Airlines: Azul, Gol, Latam, Aerolineas Argentinas

 

Afonso Pena International Airport (Curitiba)

Founded: 1945
ICAO Code:  SBCT
IATA Code: CWB
Runways Length: 2,2 km and 1,8 km
Passengers Capacity per year: 7 million
Passengers Statistics: 6 million
Distance from Downtown: 15 km
Airlines: Azul, Gol, Latam, Passaredo, Copa

 

Tancredo Neves/Confins International Airport (Belo Horizonte)

Founded: 1984
ICAO Code:  SBCF
IATA Code: CNF
Runways Length: 3 km
Passengers Capacity per year: 22 million
Passengers Statistics: 10 million
Distance from Downtown: 20 km
Airlines: Azul, Gol, Latam, American Airlines, Copa, Tap

For further information about Confins Airport, please click here!

 

Juscelino Kubitschek International Airport (Brasília)

Founded: 1957
ICAO Code: SBBR
IATA Code: BSB
Runways Length: 3,3 km and 3,2 km
Passengers Capacity per year: 21 million
Passengers Statistics: 17 million
Distance from Downtown: 10 km

For further information about Brasília's Airport, please click here!

 

 

Dep. Luís Eduardo Magalhães International Airport (Salvador)

Founded: 1925
ICAO Code:  SBSV
IATA Code: SSA
Runways Length: 3 km and 1,5 km
Passengers Capacity per year: 10 million
Passengers Statistics: 8 million
Distance from Downtown: 21 km
Airlines: Azul, Gol, Passaredo, Latam, Aerolineas Argentinas, Air Europa, American Airlines, Condor, Tap

 

Guarapes Gilberto Freyre International Airport (Recife)

Founded: 1958
ICAO Code:  SBRF
IATA Code: REC
Runways Length: 3,3 km
Passengers Capacity per year: 16 million
Passengers Statistics: 8 million
Distance from Downtown: 10 km
Airlines: Azul, Gol, Latam, American Airlines, Copa, Tap

 

São Gonçalo do Amarante International Airport (Natal)

Founded: 2014
ICAO Code: SBSG
IATA Code: NAT
Runways Length: 3 km
Passengers Capacity per year: 6 million
Passengers Statistics:
Distance from Downtown: 40 km
Airlines: Azul, Gol, Latam, Tap

 

Pinto Martins International Airport (Fortaleza)

Founded: 1966
ICAO Code: SBFZ
IATA Code: FOR
Runways Length: 2,5 km
Passengers Capacity per year: 6 million
Passengers Statistics: 6 million
Distance from Downtown: 7 km
Airlines: Azul, Gol, Latam, Delta, Tap

 

Eduardo Gomes International Airport (Manaus)

Founded: 1976
ICAO Code:  SBEG
IATA Code: MAO
Runways Length: 2,7 km
Passengers Capacity per year: 6 million
Passengers Statistics: 3 million
Distance from Downtown: 9 km
Airlines: Azul, Gol, Latam, Copa, Delta

 

Val de Cans International Airport (Belém)

Founded: 1959
ICAO Code:  SBBE
IATA Code: BEL
Runways Length: 2,7 km and 1,8 km
Passengers Capacity per year: 7 million
Passengers Statistics: 3 million
Distance from Downtown: 9 km
Airlines: Azul, Gol, Latam, Sete, Air Caribes, Surinam

 

 

 

Updated: 2019