Aeroporto Internacional do Rio de Janeiro/Galeão Antonio Carlos Jobim International Airport (GIG)
Tel: (21) 3398 4526/7.
Website: www.infraero.gov.br

Rio International Airport is located on Ilha do Governador, in Guanabara Bay, some 20km (13 miles) north of the city centre. It is the main air portal for Brazil and an important hub for flights from Europe and North America, as well as for major domestic flights, serving over 6 million passengers per year.

Airport facilities: Facilities in the main, older terminal include a 24-hour bank, several bureaux de change, ATMs, shops, duty-free, a pharmacy, post office, 24-hour hospital, tourist information and car hire from Avis, Hertz and Localiza. Dining options are limited to a basic food hall with a few fast-food outlets. The newer, less-used terminal has a few shops and snack bars.

Business facilities: Guests at the airport's Luxor Aeroporto Hotel (tel: (21) 2468 8998; website: www.luxor-hotels.com) may use the hotel's 24-hour business centre, which has Internet access, fax and phone lines. Diners Club cardholders have access to the Diners Club VIP Lounge (tel: (21) 2462 3380; website: www.dinersclub.com.br), which provides refreshments and business facilities. The lounge is open daily from 0600 to 2300 and is located on the second floor at the international voyages registration desk.

Transport to the city: Real/Reitur Turismo (tel: (21) 2564 2158; website: www.realautoonibus.com.br) operates air-conditioned buses from the first floor of the airport to Barra da Tijuca, via the city centre, the Rodoviária Novo Rio bus terminal, Santos Dumont Airport (see below), Flamengo and along the seafront between Copacabana, Ipanema and Leblon, where many hotels are situated. The bus runs approximately every 30 minutes daily (journey time - 45 minutes to 1 hour). Fixed-rate municipal taxis can be booked at the kiosk near the airport arrivals gate.


Aeroporto Santos Dumont (SDU)
Tel: (21) 3814 7070.
Website: www.infraero.gov.br

Built on landfill at the edge of Guanabara Bay, the domestic airport of Santos Dumont is minutes from the city centre. Around three shuttles per hour leave for São Paulo (less on weekends) but cancellations are frequent. Aside from the shuttle, there are a few other domestic flights together with air taxis and private planes.

Airport facilities: Tourist information, left luggage, restaurants, bookshop, souvenir shop, Internet access, 24-hour banking and exchange facilities are available along with car hire from Avis and Hertz.

Business facilities: Diners Club cardholders have access to the Diners Club VIP Lounge (tel: (21) 2532 4271; website: www.dinersclub.com.br), which provides refreshments as well as business facilities, including a fax machine, photocopying, computers and Internet connection. The lounge is open daily from 0600 to 2200 and is located on the main floor in arrivals.

Transport to the city: The airport is served by the Real/Reitur Turismo (tel: (21) 2564 2158; website: www.realautoonibus.com.br) bus service into the city centre (see above), with a journey time of 20 minutes. Taxis are plentiful and reasonable, but make sure the meter is used or agree a price beforehand. It is only a 15-minute walk to the Centro (central business district) from Santos Dumont airport.

Approximate flight times to Rio de Janeiro: From London is 11 hours; from New York is 10 hours; from Los Angeles is 14 hours; from Toronto is 12 hours and from Sydney is 20 hours.