Rio de Janeiro's coastline and mountains seen from the air, the view on most domestic departures from the city
    Transport System Guide · Flying Inside Brazil · Updated 26 October 2026

    Brazil Domestic Flights for Visitors: Airports, Tickets & Baggage

    Written and reviewed by Lotte — Rio local, founder & editor of PlanRio · How we research · First published · Last reviewed

    Quick answer

    Brazil's domestic network is run mainly by LATAM, GOL and Azul, and Rio flights use Galeão (GIG) or Santos Dumont (SDU). Foreign visitors can board with a valid passport. Baggage entitlements depend on the airline, fare family and aircraft: check whether your ticket includes an overhead cabin bag, its dimensions and weight, and any checked-bag fee before paying.

    At a glance

    Main carriers

    LATAM, GOL and Azul operate most domestic routes; smaller regional airlines cover short hops and island services.

    Rio's two airports

    Galeão (GIG) is Rio's international gateway; domestic flights may use GIG or downtown Santos Dumont (SDU). Check the airport code on every segment.

    ID at the gate

    A foreign passport is accepted for domestic boarding. Carry the physical document, not only a photo of it.

    Cabin baggage

    ANAC's published rule sets a 10 kg minimum allowance, subject to safety or aircraft-capacity limits; fare inclusions, dimensions and handling vary by carrier.

    Checked bag

    Checked-bag inclusion and add-on prices depend on the carrier, route and fare. Read the exact fare conditions before checkout.

    CPF

    Some booking forms request a CPF. Use your own valid foreign-passport details and ask the airline what to enter if the form will not accept them.

    Real timing risk

    Rio traffic, not the flight, is what makes people late. Build a buffer for GIG at peak hours.

    When the bus wins

    For nearby destinations such as Búzios, Petrópolis and Paraty, compare the direct coach or road journey with a flight via an airport.

    Separate tickets

    Two one-way bookings on different airlines are two contracts. A missed connection becomes your problem, not theirs.

    Delay rights

    Domestic passenger rights come from ANAC's rules, not EU or UK compensation schemes. Ask the airline desk and keep every document.

    Brazil is bigger than it looks on the itinerary

    Brazil is large, so a flight can save a substantial amount of travel time on longer routes. For nearby places around Rio, a direct coach or road transfer may be simpler than travelling to an airport, checking in and continuing from a distant arrival airport. Compare the full door-to-door journey for your route.

    Read this page as the system guide — how tickets, airports, baggage and connections work when you hold a foreign passport. The route-specific pages do the rest: the Iguaçu Falls trip, Fernando de Noronha, the Northeast beach destinations and the bus-versus-flight comparisons each have their own numbers and their own traps. Here we cover the parts that are the same whichever direction you fly.

    The three airlines, and what each is actually good at

    LATAM, GOL and Azul are the main scheduled domestic carriers visitors are likely to compare. Their route networks overlap on some major city pairs and differ on smaller destinations. Azul uses Campinas (VCP) as a hub, so some itineraries from Rio to other cities connect there; check the airport code and transfer time in the itinerary.

    Compare the available carriers and actual routing for your destination. A capital may have a direct flight on some dates, while a smaller city or beach gateway may require a connection. Do not assume the shortest line on a map is the shortest journey: compare departure time, connection length and the final transfer from the destination airport.

    Which Rio airport: Galeão or Santos Dumont

    Rio has two commercial airports and they are not interchangeable. Galeão / Tom Jobim (GIG) is the international gateway and also serves domestic routes. Santos Dumont (SDU) is beside Centro and can be convenient for central meetings when a suitable flight is available. Route availability changes, so check the airport code and live schedule on each part of your ticket.

    Check the three-letter code on every ticket segment before you travel. Moving between GIG and SDU means crossing the city, and road time depends on the route and traffic. If your itinerary changes airports between separately booked flights, plan a generous transfer and confirm whether the tickets protect any missed connection; do not rely on an old route list from a travel article.

    Booking as a foreign visitor: the CPF question

    A CPF is Brazil's taxpayer number, and some domestic booking forms ask for it even when a visitor is using a foreign passport. The fields and requirements vary by carrier and booking channel, so do not assume that a form's CPF field means every foreign traveller must obtain a CPF before flying.

    If the form will not accept your passport details, do not invent or borrow a CPF. Check the airline's instructions for foreign passengers and contact its support team if the online form remains blocked. Keep the ticket name aligned with your passport and save the booking reference and confirmation for check-in.

    Fare families: what the cheap price does not include

    Brazilian fare families differ by carrier and can change. A low headline price may include only an under-seat item, or may include an overhead cabin bag with specific weight and size limits; checked baggage, seat selection and changes can also vary. Compare the fare conditions for the exact route and ticket before paying rather than relying on a general rule about what the cheapest fare includes.

    Compare baggage add-ons during checkout and again in the airline's booking details if your plans change. The fee and the available choices depend on the carrier and ticket, so there is no universal point at which a bag is cheapest. Read the change and refund terms as well: a credit, refund and date change are different things.

    Baggage: the numbers that actually get checked

    ANAC's published rule sets a minimum 10 kg hand-baggage allowance, except where safety or aircraft capacity imposes a restriction. That does not make every carrier's fare page identical: the overhead-bag entitlement, personal-item rules, dimensions and gate handling can differ by fare and aircraft. Check the current baggage page for your airline and the fare shown on your ticket; do not assume one size such as 55 × 35 × 25 cm applies to all three carriers.

    Checked-bag allowances also vary by fare and route. Before checkout, confirm what your booking includes and what each additional bag costs. If you have a small-aircraft connection, ask the carrier whether a cabin bag may need to be tagged or checked at the aircraft door. For liquids and medical supplies, use the security rules for your exact route and airport rather than a rule copied from another country's airport.

    Identity documents: what works at a Brazilian gate

    For a domestic flight inside Brazil, a foreign visitor boards on their passport. Brazilian residents use an RG identity card, a CNH driving licence or a Brazilian passport; foreign residents can also use their migration registration card. Airlines have been instructed to accept valid digital documents in some cases, but that provision is aimed at Brazilian documents — as a visitor, carry the physical passport.

    Enter the passenger name as it appears on the travel document, and contact the airline before travel if the booking form cannot represent it correctly. If travelling with a child or teenager, check current Brazilian minor-travel requirements and the airline's required documents for the child's age and who is accompanying them.

    Connections, hubs and the separate-ticket trap

    Some Brazil itineraries require a connection, and routings can change by date. Current Rio–Fernando de Noronha searches show connecting itineraries; check the airline's live results for your dates. Check whether each leg is sold under one booking or as a separate ticket, because the ticket terms determine what help is available if a connection is missed.

    Separate bookings can leave you responsible for the transfer, baggage collection and the cost of a missed second flight. If you book separate tickets, leave a generous connection window and check whether you must collect and re-check bags or leave the secure area at the hub. A single-ticket connection may offer more protection under its contract, but read the airline's terms for your itinerary.

    When flying beats the overnight bus — and when it does not

    For destinations near Rio such as Búzios, Petrópolis, Teresópolis and Paraty, compare direct coaches or road transfers with the full airport journey; these places are commonly reached overland. For longer journeys, flying may save a day, but the arrival airport and final ground transfer matter too.

    An overnight coach can replace a hotel night on some routes, but comfort and sleep quality are personal. Compare the full fare, departure and arrival points, likely recovery time and the accommodation cost you would otherwise pay. For longer journeys where a flight is available, compare the full door-to-door itinerary rather than just the time in the air.

    Compare dates and the whole itinerary

    Airfares vary by route, date, availability and fare conditions; there is no reliable cheapest weekday or booking window for every itinerary. Search nearby dates if your plans allow, and compare what each fare includes before choosing.

    For a multi-city trip, check the whole chain before committing to the first leg. Include airport transfers, checked baggage, overnight stays and the time you may lose to a long connection, then compare the total trip rather than the headline fare.

    Delays, cancellations and what you are actually owed

    As of 26 October 2026, ANAC Resolution 813 sets food assistance after waits over two hours, and accommodation when an overnight is needed plus transport after waits over four hours. For delays over four hours and relevant cancellations, passengers can choose among rebooking, a refund or another mode of transport. The revised rule removed the former one-hour communication assistance; separate information-duty changes take effect on 25 November 2026. Brazil does not use the EU261 fixed-payment scheme, though other claims depend on the facts and applicable law.

    Go to the airline's service desk or support channel, ask for the available options and keep boarding passes, receipts and messages. If you have a separate onward booking, tell the airline, but confirm what assistance its ticket contract covers. For current passenger rights, check ANAC's latest guidance and the text of Resolution 813 before travel.

    Airport practicalities at both Rio airports

    GIG is across Guanabara Bay from the South Zone. Check a live route for the time you expect to travel, allow for traffic and confirm the terminal and check-in instructions on your airline's current information screens.

    SDU is close to Centro and may suit a downtown itinerary. Check the transfer from your meeting address and allow time for airport procedures and possible queues. Weather or operational conditions can affect either airport; follow current airline updates if you have a tight onward connection.

    Payment, cards and the small frictions

    Payment methods and foreign-card acceptance vary by carrier and booking channel. Check whether your card is accepted before you rely on it, and keep a backup payment method. If the checkout offers to charge in your home currency, compare the conversion rate and fees before accepting.

    Some payment pages offer à vista (one payment) or parcelado (instalments). Choose the option that matches how you intend to pay and check the total and terms before confirming. If a transaction fails, check with the airline or your bank before making repeated attempts that could create duplicate authorisations.

    Book the practical essentials first

    Choose a flexible booking, confirm service details directly with the provider, and keep every confirmation accessible offline.

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    Common mistakes tourists make

    • Turning up at Galeão when the ticket says Santos Dumont — 20 km, a bay and Rio traffic apart.
    • Choosing a fare before adding the checked bag, seat and change conditions you need.
    • Buying two separate one-way tickets to save money, then owning the whole risk when the first flight is late.
    • Treating a CPF field on a booking form as a universal rule for foreign passengers instead of asking the airline what to enter.
    • Comparing a flight with only its airtime, while leaving out both airport transfers and the final road journey.
    • Expecting EU-style cash compensation for a Brazilian domestic delay instead of asking for re-routing and assistance.
    • Assuming one cabin-bag size or weight applies to every airline, fare and aircraft.

    Local expert tips

    • Say your airport code out loud the night before: GIG and SDU are not interchangeable.
    • Compare the baggage add-on with your fare during checkout, and recheck the price if you later change the booking.
    • If your dates are flexible, compare nearby departures; fares vary by route, date and availability.
    • Check live flight status and leave a generous buffer for an important connection; schedules and delays vary.
    • Check whether your itinerary routes through Campinas (VCP) rather than Guarulhos — it is a different airport entirely.
    • Keep valuables, essential medication and one change of clothes in the cabin within the allowance shown on your ticket.
    • Check the total and terms for instalments, and compare any offered currency conversion before accepting.
    • Carry the physical passport, and make sure the ticket name matches it exactly, surnames included.
    • For a Rio–São Paulo day trip, price SDU to Congonhas against GIG to Guarulhos door to door, not gate to gate.
    • If you book separate tickets, leave a generous connection window and check the baggage-transfer process.

    Frequently asked questions

    Do I need a CPF to book a domestic flight in Brazil?+

    Booking requirements vary by airline and booking channel. Some forms ask for a CPF even when a visitor has a foreign passport. Do not enter a number that is not yours; use the carrier's foreign-passenger instructions or contact its support team if the form will not accept your passport details.

    Which airlines fly domestic routes in Brazil?+

    LATAM, GOL and Azul carry most domestic traffic, with smaller regional operators on short and island routes. LATAM and GOL focus on the big city pairs, while Azul serves many secondary cities through its hub at Campinas (VCP) near São Paulo, so an Azul itinerary from Rio often connects there.

    Should I fly from Galeão or Santos Dumont?+

    Santos Dumont (SDU) is beside Centro and may suit a downtown itinerary when a suitable flight is available. Galeão (GIG) is Rio's international gateway and also serves domestic routes. Check the airport code on each segment and allow time for the road transfer if your itinerary changes airports.

    How much hand luggage can I take on a Brazilian domestic flight?+

    ANAC's published rule sets a minimum 10 kg hand-baggage allowance, subject to safety and aircraft-capacity limits. The carrier and fare determine the dimensions, whether an overhead bag is included, and how a small-aircraft connection is handled. Check the current baggage rules for your exact ticket.

    Is checked baggage included in Brazilian domestic fares?+

    It depends on the airline, route and fare family. Check the baggage line in the exact fare conditions before paying, and compare the current add-on price if you need a checked bag; there is no single rule that applies to every Brazilian domestic ticket.

    Can I use my passport as ID on a domestic flight in Brazil?+

    Yes. A valid foreign passport is accepted for domestic boarding in Brazil. Carry the physical document rather than a photo of it, and make sure the name on your ticket matches the passport exactly, including all surnames.

    Is it better to fly or take the bus in Brazil?+

    It depends on the destination and the full door-to-door route. Nearby places such as Búzios, Petrópolis and Paraty are commonly reached overland; for longer journeys, compare a flight with the coach, airport transfers, baggage and any overnight stay.

    What am I owed if a Brazilian domestic flight is delayed or cancelled?+

    As of 26 October 2026, ANAC Resolution 813 provides food assistance after waits over two hours, and accommodation when an overnight is needed plus transport after waits over four hours. For delays over four hours and relevant cancellations, passengers can choose among rebooking, refund or another mode of transport. Check current ANAC rules before travel; separate information-duty changes take effect on 25 November 2026.

    When are Brazilian domestic flights cheapest?+

    There is no dependable cheapest weekday or booking window for every route. Fares vary with the date, availability and fare conditions. If your schedule is flexible, compare nearby dates and the total cost after baggage and transfers.

    Are there non-stop flights from Rio to Fernando de Noronha?+

    Current airline searches show connecting itineraries from Rio to Fernando de Noronha, but routings can change by date. Check the carrier's live schedule and fare conditions; if possible, book the journey as one ticket and check the island's separate visitor fees before travel.

    Sources and image credit

    Details, eligibility and requirements can change. Use these official, operator and public-information sources to check current access and procedures before you plan or act.

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