Travelling from Sao Paulo to Rio De Janeiro: what you need to know
Begin your journey at one of Sao Paulo's main airports, Sao Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport (GRU) or Sao Paulo/Congonhas Airport (CGH). Explore your options for booking a flight from Sao Paulo to Rio De Janeiro departing from either of these.
Galeao Antonio Carlos Jobim International Airport (GIG) and Santos Dumont Airport (SDU) are the major entry points to Rio De Janeiro.
Around 1 hour 10 minutes is how long you'll be travelling on a direct Sao Paulo to Rio De Janeiro flight.
Sao Paulo and Rio De Janeiro are in the UTC-3 timezone. This means there's no time difference to consider.
With 96 flights a week between the two airports, Sao Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport (GRU) to Galeao Antonio Carlos Jobim International Airport (GIG) is the busiest route. Board the first flight from Sao Paulo to Rio De Janeiro with Gol at 00:05. If you prefer to make the most of your day before jetting off, the latest flight from GRU to GIG is with LATAM Airlines at 23:50.
For hassle-free travel, turn up at the airport two hours ahead of international flights and one hour before domestic departures. This ensures you have enough time to board your Sao Paulo to Rio De Janeiro flight.
You'll likely experience bigger queues in popular months such as July. Arriving up to four hours in advance for an international flight and two hours for a domestic departure is a wise move.
How to find the cheapest flights from Sao Paulo to Rio De Janeiro
R 478 is the lowest price for a one-way ticket from Sao Paulo to Rio De Janeiro. A return flight starts from R 802. These fares can change based on availability.
Book two months before flying. Research into pricing trends suggests this is the ideal window for finding cheap Sao Paulo to Rio De Janeiro flights.
Schedule your trip for May. That's the best month for landing the biggest deals on plane tickets from Sao Paulo to Rio De Janeiro. If you're flexible with your travel dates, use the 'Whole month' tool to find the lowest price across every month.
There's no need to check back in every day to find out if fares have dropped when you set up a Price Alert. We'll let you know when there's a better deal on cheap flights from Sao Paulo to Rio De Janeiro.
Save money on your Sao Paulo to Rio De Janeiro flight with the help of our filters. Select your preferred departure time, duration and airlines, then sort the results by 'Cheapest' to see the best deals.
Flying from Sao Paulo
Sao Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport (GRU)
Begin your journey at Sao Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport (GRU), which offers a range of direct flights from Sao Paulo to Rio De Janeiro. From GRU, you can fly nonstop to Galeao Antonio Carlos Jobim International Airport (GIG) or Santos Dumont Airport (SDU).
You'll find a variety of airlines offering direct Sao Paulo to Rio De Janeiro plane tickets with departures from GRU, including:
GRU is about 21 kilometres from central Sao Paulo. If you're ride-sharing, catching a cab or driving from the centre, it'll take 30 minutes or so to get there, depending on traffic. If you're planning to take public transport, expect the trip time to be around 1 hour 20 minutes.
After a hassle-free start to your break? Stay near Sao Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport. Whether you're catching an early flight from Sao Paulo to Rio De Janeiro or just don't like being rushed, these hotels are perfect:
Of the departures from Sao Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport, 75.54% land on time at their destination.
Viracopos Airport (VCP)
Viracopos Airport (VCP) has direct flights from Sao Paulo to Rio De Janeiro. Here's where you can touch down:
Galeao Antonio Carlos Jobim International Airport (GIG)
Santos Dumont Airport (SDU)
Jacarepagua-Roberto Marinho Airport (RRJ)
Gol offers direct Sao Paulo to Rio De Janeiro plane tickets from VCP. Book your favourite seat and reach your destination in a single journey.
You can reach VCP from the centre of Sao Paulo in about 1 hour 15 minutes by car, depending on traffic. The ride by public transport will take roughly 3 hours 25 minutes to travel the 80 kilometres or so.
Kick off your holiday early with an extra night away from home. Before your flight from Sao Paulo to Rio De Janeiro, kick back in one of these hotels near Viracopos Airport:
As far as flight punctuality goes, Viracopos Airport has an on-time arrival rate of 75%.
Arriving in Rio De Janeiro
Galeao Antonio Carlos Jobim International Airport (GIG)
Galeao Antonio Carlos Jobim International Airport (GIG) is approximately 13 kilometres from central Rio De Janeiro. If you're catching a cab or a ride-share, the drive takes around 20 minutes.
Getting there on public transport takes roughly 1 hour 5 minutes.
The last thing you need is a lengthy journey to your hotel if you're landing late on a flight from Sao Paulo to Rio De Janeiro. Check in to one of these accommodation options near GIG instead:
Grab a Galeao Antonio Carlos Jobim International Airport rental car and discover Rio De Janeiro and beyond with your own wheels. Foco, Localiza and Movida are popular providers you can book with here.
Booking your ride from Galeao Antonio Carlos Jobim International Airport around four weeks ahead can help you get the best possible rate.
Santos Dumont Airport (SDU)
Santos Dumont Airport (SDU) is roughly 2 kilometres from the centre of Rio De Janeiro. After your flight from Sao Paulo to Rio De Janeiro, it takes approximately 5 minutes to get to the heart of the city in a ride-share or cab.
The journey will take roughly 15 minutes on public transport.
The fastest way to get to where you're going is with a Santos Dumont Airport rental car. Pick up your wheels from Foco, Localiza or Movida and hit the road in a heartbeat.
Avoid last-minute price surges. Securing your ride three weeks before your arrival at SDU can help you lock in a better rate.
Jacarepagua-Roberto Marinho Airport (RRJ)
Make your way to the city centre after your flight from Sao Paulo to Rio De Janeiro has landed. Central Rio De Janeiro is about 23 kilometres from Jacarepagua-Roberto Marinho Airport (RRJ) and takes roughly 40 minutes to get to by car.
If you're travelling on public transport, the journey time is about 1 hour 25 minutes.
Pick up a Jacarepagua-Roberto Marinho Airport rental car and enjoy travelling in your own private, comfortable space. Whether you're looking for an economy or an intermediate SUV, Localiza will help you find your perfect set of wheels.
If you prefer a certain make or model, booking early gives you a better shot at getting what you want. Book your ride from RRJ at least a couple of weeks ahead of your flight from Sao Paulo to Rio De Janeiro.
Best time to go to Rio De Janeiro
May is the quietest month for flights from Sao Paulo to Rio De Janeiro, while July is the busiest. Pick the best time to go to Rio De Janeiro based on whether you like a laid-back vibe or a lively atmosphere.
Lock in a Sao Paulo to Rio De Janeiro ticket departing in February if you want to experience the city during its warmest month. You can expect temperatures in Rio De Janeiro to range from 22ºC (72ºF) to 33ºC (91ºF).
If you want cooler conditions, look for a cheap flight from Sao Paulo to Rio De Janeiro in July when temperatures average between 17ºC (63ºF) and 27ºC (81ºF).
More about Rio De Janeiro
Start your Rio De Janeiro trip right by choosing the perfect place to stay. As soon as you've booked your flight from Sao Paulo to Rio De Janeiro, browse our selection of hotels including:
All great adventures should include a little sightseeing. Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf Mountain and Copacabana Beach are must-do's during your Rio De Janeiro adventure.
Explore more of Brazil
Rio De Janeiro is easy to fall in love with, but there are so many other parts of Brazil just waiting to be explored. About 354 kilometres west of Rio De Janeiro, a visit to Sao Paulo will keep you on the move. Start with leading sights like Sao Paulo Museum of Art, Ibirapuera Park and Paulista Avenue.
Around 338 kilometres north of Rio De Janeiro, Belo Horizonte is another favourite stop in Brazil. No visit is complete without checking out Abilio Barreto Historical Museum, Matiz Arte Objeto and Deck Vertedouro.
