Most international flights from Europe and the US land at the international airports of São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Recife or Salvador, where there are connecting flights to most other major Brazilian cities. Rio and São Paulo both have major international airports, as well as airports closer to the city centre which are used for the 55 minute air-shuttle between the two cities and a number of other regional services. Rio’s airports are Galeão (GIG) for international and Santos Dumont (SDU) for the shuttle; while São Paulo’s are Guarulhos (GRU) for international and Congonhas (CGH) for the shuttle.

The international departure tax is currently $36 (approx. £25).

From Europe: Flight time from Europe to São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro is just over eleven hours depending on your starting point and less than nine hours to Fortaleza, Recife and Salvador. Most flights leave from Europe in the evening and arrive early morning in Rio de Janeiro or São Paulo. On the return leg they leave late afternoon or early evening to get to Europe the following day around lunchtime or earlier.

Air France, Alitalia, British Airways, Iberia, KLM, Lufthansa, Swiss, Tam, Tap and Varig all run regular services between Europe and Rio de Janeiro or São Paulo. This means that travellers have a choice of several different airlines linking the two continents daily.

From the US: Flights by American Airlines, Continental, Delta, United and the Brazilian flag carriers Varig and Tam link the US with Brazil.

Flight time is eight and a half hours from Miami to São Paulo or Rio de Janeiro, just over nine from New York, eleven from Atlanta, thirteen from Los Angeles and sixteen from San Francisco.

The vast majority of flights between North America and Brazil are overnight flights that arrive in Brazil in the early morning with a bonus for east coast travellers that the time difference between the east coast and Rio de Janeiro is minimal.

From Latin America: São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro receive flights daily from most of the other major Latin American cities and is served by Aerolineas Argentinas, Aero Peru, Avianca, Cubana de Aviacion, Ladeco, Lan Chile, LAB, Pluna, Viasa, and the Brazilian flag carriers Varig, Tam and Vasp.