Looking for sightseeing ticket deals?
We compare a wide range of tourist sites to find you the best prices on the market.
Looking for airport transfers deals?
Best Airport transfer services options for you
We compare a wide range of tourist sites to find you the best prices on the market.
Best Airport transfer services options for you
Two airports (Rio de Janeiro–Galeao Airport and Santos Dumont Airport) serve the city of Rio de Janeiro, the capital city of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. Rio de Janeiro–Galeao Airport (GIG) is the primary airport serving Rio, while Santos Dumont Airport (SDU) is the secondary airport. Santos Dumont Airport operates only 19 flights an hour, but Galeao Airport handles both international and most of the domestic flights from Rio.
We summarize all the information you need to know about the airports to help you make a choice when planning your trip.
|
|
Rio de Janeiro–Galeao Airport (GIG) |
Santos Dumont Airport (SDU) |
|
|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
||
| Airport Maps | Rio de Janeiro–Galeao Airport (GIG) Map | Santos Dumont Airport (SDU) Map | |
Getting To The Airports From The City Centre |
|||
| Distance from City Centre | 12 miles (20 kilometres) | 1.24 miles(2 kilometres) | |
| Public Transport Operating Hours |
BRT operates 24/7, |
Buses: 5:00 am - 10:30 pm. | |
| Train |
The Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) interconnects the RioGaleao with Vicente de Carvalho subway station directly. Fare |
None |
|
| Metro | There is no direct metro bus to the airport, but you can get Metro connections once you take the BRT (Bus Rapid Transport) from the Rio Galeao Airport |
None |
|
| Bus Services |
The TransCarioca line links RIOgaleao airport with the Alvorada Bus Terminus in Barra da Tijuca. This BRT bus line has stops along the way at Fundao Terminal, Vicente de Carvalho and Madureira subway stations. Real Premium Onibus lines 2018 and 2145 operate from the lower arrivals level of Terminal 1 and 2. Fare Real Bus Route 2018: R$13.50 ($3.57) per person Real Bus Route 2145: R$12.00 ($3.17) per person Route 2145 travels along the Rio Novo bus terminal which may cause a delay in your journey due to Rio's downtown traffic, so it would be better to catch 2018. |
Real Auto Ônibus lines (2018, 2145, and 2101) operate at the Santo Santos Dumont Airport, buses depart every 30 minutes from 5:30 am - 10:00 pm. Tickets can be gotten onboard the bus but travellers are advised to have the exact amount to avoid challenges. The buses are fully air-conditioned with enough room for travellers to keep their luggage's. These bus lines connect Santos Dumont Airport-Galeao Airport and Galeao airport-Alvorada bus terminus. Fare |
|
| Shuttle Services |
Shuttle Rio also operates at the Galeao airport, their minibus takes travellers to hotels and hostels around Leme and Copacabana. Fare |
Shuttle Rio Minibuses offer transfer services from Santos Dumont Airport to most hotels in Copacabana and Leme in Rio. You can locate their help desk at the boarding area of Santos Dumont Airport. Fare |
|
| Taxi |
Taxi services such as Rio Airport Service, Táxi Credenciado, Aerocoop, Aerotaxi, Cooperado, Coopertramo, and Transcootur, transcoopass are all available 24 hours daily at the first floors of the airports Terminal 1 & 2. Fares start from $21.14 - $40 for a single trip to the city from the airport, depending on the location in Rio. http://www.transcoopass.com.br/?c=p http://www.transcootour.com.br/ http://coopataxi.com.br/ services/preco-tabelado/ http://ourotaxidigital.com.br/ http://taxipontual.com |
Santo Dumont Airport has a number of taxi companies that offer 24/7 services to travellers. Transcoopass offers services from 6:00 am - 11:00 pm. Fares are calculated based on the area in Rio you are travelling to, it starts from $13.21 - $40 per trip.
https://www.taxi2airport.com/en/prices/ 7ae531e7147fb35a40e2d6b74e3f590c?q=from-sdu http://www.transcoopass.com.br/?c=p http://www.transcootour.com.br/ http://coopataxi.com.br/services/ preco-tabelado/ |
|
| Uber |
Uber X is available on demand; with the following estimated fare to Rio de Janeiro City Centre. UberX: R$37-48 ($9.78-12.69), Select: R$40-52 ($10.57-13.75), Black: R$53-68 ($14.01-17.97). |
Available on demand. UberX: R$9-11 ($2.38-2.91), Select: R$10-13 ($2.64-3.44), Black: R$13-16 ($3.44-4.23). |
|
Which Airport Is Most Suitable For Me? |
|||
| How Close to Rio de Janeiro City Centre |
GIG Airport is located 20 kilometresfrom Rio’s city centre, Centro. This airport happens to be the farthest from the city centre, making it far from top attractions like |
Santos Dumont Airport is the closest to the city centre, Centro. It is just 2 kilometres from Rio's city centre, it takes approximately 10 minutes to get to Centro in the heart of the city depending on traffic conditions. SDU airport is connected by road, buses, and taxi services, there is no direct railway line to the airport but travellers can link a train to travel to the outer parts of the city since it is not too far from the city. Public transport operates round the clock. It is the closest airport to the city centre and its top attractions like the Copacabana, Ipanema Beach, Jesus the Redeemer, just to name a few. |
|
| Cost Factor |
Over 16.245 million passengers travel through RioGaleao Airport every year. The airport handles both international and domestic flights, serving Rio and its environs. It is also farther from the city centre. |
Santos Dumont Airport serves over 9.247 million travellers annually. It is the second airport serving Rio de Janeiro and handles only domestic flights. It is also closest to Centro, Rio's city centre. Car hire is slightly higher compared to GIG but the hotel, transportation and flight fares are lower. Overall, this is a better choice for travellers because it is close to the city centre and top attractions like the famous beaches in Brazil (Copacabana & Ipanema) and ‘Jesus the Redeemer’ statue overlooking the city. |
|
| Airport Delays |
GIG is the busiest airport in Rio de Janeiro so travellers tend to experience regular flight and security delays. Avg Security & Immigration Delays: High Avg Flight Arrival Delays: 30 minutes |
Avg Security & Immigration Delays: Average Avg Flight Arrival Delays: 20 minutes. |
|
Flight Fare From November 2018 (Searched On 10-10-2018). |
|||
| Flight Fares | From $365 to London,$467 to Panama, $537 to Zurich, $669 to Dubai, $257 to Madrid, $267 to Paris, $436 to New York, $518 to Amsterdam, $488 to Frankfurt, and $566 to Lisbon. | From $102 to Belo Horizonte, $123 to Brasília, $149 to Sao Paulo–Congonhas, $107 to Ribeirao Preto, $126 to Sao José dos Campos, and $ to Sao Paulo–Guarulhos. | |
Hotel Prices Per Day From (01-11-2018 to 02-11-2018) Searched on 10-10-2018 |
|||
| Hotel |
Linx Galeao(3-star)at $71 per night Rio Aeroporto Hotel(3-star) at $89 per night Aerotel Airport Transit Hotel (2.5 star) at $40 per night. |
ibis Rio de Janeiro Santos Dumont (3-star)at $45 per night Prodigy Santos Dumont (3.5-star)at $75 per night Novotel RJ Santos Dumont (4-star) at $66 per night |
|
Car Hire Prices From01-11-2018 to 07-11-2018 (searched on 10-10-2018). |
|||
| Car Hire |
There are many car hire companies with good deals and discounts at the RioGaleao International Airport. Budget Cars (Ford Ka, Chevrolet Sonic, and VW Saveiro Pickup): $128.83 - $315.52. Intermediate Cars (Toyota Avensis, and Nissan Sentra): $379.93. |
Car hire companies at Santos Dumont Airport have a variety of Budget, Intermediate, and Luxury Cars ranging from $117.94 - $418.86 depending on car type. They can be found on the ground floor of the arrivals hall. |
|
| Car Hire Companies |
Avis, Hertz, Alamo, Movida, Foco, Unidas, Localiza, and Thrifty. |
Avis, Alamo, Hertz, Localiza, National, Movida, Unidas. |
|
| Online car hire |  |
|
|
Airport Facilities |
|||
| Shopping and Dining | Brasil Carioca Sport Souvenirs, Brasil Rio, Brasil Rio Souvenirs, Britt Shop, Chilli Beans, Chocolate Q, Dandy Mix, Dartel Toys, Do Brasil, Doarel, Dufry, ED Biojóias, Editora Globo, Editora Três, Empório do Aço, Fantasia Store, FOM, Francesca Romana Diana Jóias, H.Stern, Havaianas, Hudson News, It Beach Acessórios, Last Call, Loft, Loja Maracana, Loja Rio 2016, MAC, Maria Oiticica Biojoias, O Boticário, Sobral, Sunglass Hut, Tommy Hilfiger, Via Boho, Victoria’s Secret, Wine Flight, Zeppelin Artes, 365 Deli, Air Point, Astoria Kilo, Café Aviador, Café Palheta, Café Suplicy, Casa do Pao de Queijo, Delta Express, Demoiselle, Dirigivel Restaurante, Domino’s Pizza, Espaço Sushi, Galeao Coffe Shop, Hallah, Havanna, Kafe, Koni Store, Kopenhagen, McDonald’s, McSorvete, Palheta Air Café, Palheta Lanchonete Popular, Pastatore, Piola, Quizno’s Sanduiches, Salch&Pao, Santos Dumont, Spoleto, Starbucks, Subway, Super Paleta, Viena, and Viena Snacks. | Agatha Mix, Air Farma – Drugstore, Aqualung, Aruna, Boticário, Dufry, Hering, H.Stern, Laselva Mix, Livraria Laselva, Richards, Sobral, Tabacaria Santos Dumont, Bombonier Torcan, Café Bar SDU, Café Pimpinela, Kopenhagen, and 14 bis – Restaurant. | |
| Lounges | American Airlines Admirals Club, Plaza Premium Lounge (Domestic), Plaza Premium Lounge (Arrivals), Plaza Premium Lounge (International), Sala VIP BB Turismo, Star Alliance Lounge Rio De Janeiro, American Airlines Admirals Club, GOL Premium Lounge (International), and GOL Premium Lounge (Domestic). | Advantage VIP Lounge, and Bradesco Cartões Lounge. | |
| Wi-Fi Services | Free Wi-Fi available for 60 minutes. | Free Wi-Fi Available. | |
How To Transfer Between Airport Terminals? |
|||
| Transfer in and Around The Airport |
Two separate terminal buildings: T1 and T2 for Arrivals and Departures. Located on the waterfront, T1 and T2 buildings are connected together which makes movement easy for travellers on foot. |
2 Terminals: T1 and T2. The Terminals are connected by a bridge between them at floor 0. It is easy to move around on foot at the airport. |
|
| Currency Exchange & ATM cash Points |
Global Exchange. |
Bradesco, Caixa Econômica Federal and Itaú. ATMs at the airport are located in the arrivals hall and operated by HSBC, Banco do Brasil, Bradesco, Santander, and Itaú. |
|
| Important phone numbers | Rio de Janeiro Galeao International Airport: 080 727 1234 and +55 21 3004-6050, Lost and Found: +55 21 3398-2013. | Santos Dumont Airport: +55 21 3814-7070. | |
| Major Operating Airlines | Aerolineas Argentinas, Air Canada, Air France, Alitalia, American Airlines, Avianca, Azul Linhas Aéreas, Amaszonas Paraguay, British Airways, Condor, Copa Airlines, Delta Airlines, Edelweiss, Emirates Airlines, Flyways, GOL, Iberia, KLM, LATAM, Lufthansa, Passaredo, Royal Air Maroc, TAAG, TAPTAP Portugal, and United Airlines. | Avianca, Azul, GOL, LATAM, TRIP, and Passaredo Linhas Aéreas.. | |
| Major Connecting Destinations | Buenos Aires–Aeroparque, Buenos Aires–Ezeiza, Córdoba, Paris–Charles de Gaulle, Rome–Fiumicino, Asunción, Miami, New York–JFK, Bogotá,Brasília, Florianópolis, Fortaleza, Foz do Iguaçu, Joao Pessoa, Porto Alegre, Recife, Salvador da Bahia, Sao Paulo–Congonhas, Sao Paulo–Guarulhos, Lima, Belo Horizonte–Confins, Campinas,London–Heathrow, Panama City–Tocumen, Atlanta, Zürich, Dubai–International, Aracaju, Belém, Campina Grande, Córdoba, Curitiba, Macapá, Maceió, Manaus, Maringá, Montevideo, Natal, Rosario, Sao Luís, Vitória, Madrid, Amsterdam, Asunción, Orlando, Santarém, Santiago de Chile, Frankfurt, Casablanca, Luanda, Lisbon, Porto, and Houston–Intercontinental. | Brasília, Sao Paulo–Congonhas, Belo Horizonte–Confins, Campinas, Campos dos Goytacazes, Cuiabá, Curitiba, Florianópolis, Goiânia, Maringá, Navegantes, Palmas, Porto Alegre, Porto Seguro, Ribeirao Preto, Sao José dos Campos, Sao Paulo–Guarulhos, Uberlândia, Vitória, and Boa Vista. | |
Tourist Information Centre |
|||
| Tourist Info Centres | Terminal 1 – 1st floor, and Terminal 2 – 1st floor. | None | |
| Official website | http://www.riogaleao.com/en | http://www.infraero.com.br/index.php/br/ aeroportos/rio-de-janeiro/ aeroporto-Santos-dumont.html | |
There are 2 airports that serve Rio; Rio de Janeiro–Galeao Airport(GIG) and Santos Dumont Airport(SDU). The airport closest to the city centre is Santos Dumont Airport just 1.24 miles from the airport. It is served by budget airlines, the airport is connected by a direct train service the fastest journey time to the city centre is 5 minutes.Rio de Janeiro–Galeao Airport is the largest airport in Brazil and second busiest in the country. This is the main airport serving Rio de Janeiro and also the furthest to central Rio at a distance of 12 miles, it is served by major airlines. The airport is linked to the city centre by direct buses to the nearest Vicente de Carvalho subway station, but the fastest transfer time to the city centre is 20 minutes using shuttle buses. Both airports are not really very far to central Rio, but if you want a faster transfer time SDU is quicker.
Distance to Central Rio de Janeiro:
Rio de Janeiro–Galeao Airport:12 miles / 20 km
Santos Dumont Airport:1.24 miles / 2 km
Rio de Janeiro–Galeao Airport to Central Rio Journey Times:
By Train (BRT Rio Shuttle + Train): 63 minutes
By Bus: 74 minutes
By Shuttle: 20 minutes
By Taxi: 15 minutes
Santos Dumont Airport to Central Rio Journey Times:
By Train: 6 minutes
By Bus: 5 minutes
By Taxi: 3 minutes
Santos Dumont airport is the best airport to fly into for business travellers or people travelling for fun or vacation either alone or with family members.This is so, because of its closeness to the city center where passengers can be seeing the famous Christ The Redeemer statue in Rio and the airports highly efficient public transport transfers passengers directly to the city centre comfortable without any inconveniences, most especially for people travelling with children and a lot of baggage. Santos Dumont airport just like GIG has two terminals but is easy to move around than the other airport and since it mainly handles domesticflights, you will experience less crowds and immigration/security queues at the airport.Budget airlines such as Avianca, Azul, GOL, LATAM, TRIP, and Passaredo Linhas Aéreas operate from the airport with flights within Brazil.
GIG (Rio de Janeiro–Galeao airport) is the primary airport in Rio de Janeiro and major airlines operate from this airport with domestic and international flights across the world. Airlines that serve this airport include Aerolineas Argentinas, Air Canada, Air France, American Airlines, Avianca, Azul Linhas Aéreas, Amaszonas Paraguay, British Airways, Copa Airlines, Delta Airlines, Emirates Airlines, and many more. It is not as close to central Rio as Santos Dumont airport making the travel time longer from GIG. Although, it has good public transport services you can use like the bus/train, or shuttle services to the city center, Copacabana Beach, Christ the Redeemer, Ipanema Beach or other places in and around the city. Generally, you should expect larger crowds and queues at immigration/security at the airport.
Is Santo Dumont airport better than GIG? Yes, Santos Dumont airportis considerably better than Rio de Janeiro–Galeao for every traveller because of its close proximity to the city centre making transfer times shorter. Santo Dumont is on the other hand smaller than GIG with 2 terminals connected by a bridge compared to Rio de Janeiro–Galeao which is the biggest airport by area. It serves less airlines and flights to fewer destinations, this makes it less crowded with queues at immigration. Also, flight delays are lesser from this airport than atGIG. People generally choose Santos Dumont airport against Rio-Galeao airport because of the ease of movement from the airport to central Rio.
If you get into Rio de Janeiro or have a layover, you are wondering whetheryou can visit the famous Statue of Christ the Redeemer (Cristo Redentor)... Santos Dumont airport is the best choice and closest airport to Christ the Redeemer, just 1.24 miles (2km) by road to the statue of Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer).
Taxis are the fastest means to get into the city centre from Santos Dumont Airport to the statue of Christ the Redeemer, the journey time is about 5 minutes during off peak hours or about 10 minutes during peak hours. Taxis are available on demand 24/7 at the airport and costs $4-$5 depending on your destination in the city.From Rio de Janeiro–Galeao Airport by:
Train:Vicente de Carvalho subway station (+ BRT shuttle ) $1.08 http://www.riogaleao.com/en/transport-parking/subway/ Trains run regularly every 10 minutes until midnight.
Bus (Line 2145): $3-$5 single –http://www.fetranspor.com.br/Buses run every 10 minutes daily.
Taxi: $21-$40 – http://coopataxi.com.br/services/preco-tabelado/Available 24/7.
Uber: $6-$9- https://www.uber.com/global/en/price-estimate//Available on demand.
But Private taxes are cheaper than Airport taxis, here to Book at
From Santos Dumont Airport by:
Bus (Line 323): $2 return –http://www.fetranspor.com.br/ Buses run every 5 minutes daily from 5:30 - 20:00.
Taxi: $14-$40 – http://www.transcoopass.com.br/?c=p Available 24/7.
Uber:$3-$4 - https://www.uber.com/global/en/price-estimate//Available on demand.Hotel prices can vary greatly depending on how far in advance you book, the demand for rooms, and which hotel you book but the prices below will give you a rough idea and you can do further research and hotel booking at
https://www.tripindicator.com/hotel.html
Rio de Janeiro–Galeao Airport Hotels: From $40 per night
Santos Dumont Airport Hotels: From $45 per night
Hotel prices can vary greatly depending on how far in advance you book, the demand for rooms, and which hotel you book but the prices below will give you a rough idea and you can do further research and hotel booking at https://www.tripindicator.com/hotel.html
Rio de Janeiro Airport Hotels: From €69per night
Charleroi Airport Hotels: From €67per night
If you have a lot of luggage and don't want the expense of a taxi, you might prefer to rent a car to get to central Rio de Janeiro or elsewhere in Brazil, particularly if you're flying into the far away Rio–Galeao airport. All of the airports mentioned offer competitive prices and a range of cars to suit your needs. Prices are based on the type of car, driver age, length of hire, and demand but you can get a rough idea for each airport below.
Rio de Janeiro–Galeao Airport Car Rental:
Budget Cars (Ford KA, Fiat Panda etc) Prices starting at $128.83 per week
Compact Cars (Ford Focus, VW Golf, etc) Prices starting at $379.93 per week
Compare prices here -
https://www.tripindicator.com/car-rental.html
Santos Dumont Airport Car Rental:
Budget Cars (Ford KA, Fiat Panda etc) Prices starting at $117.94-$418.86 per week
Compare Prices here -
https://www.tripindicator.com/car-rental.html
Rio de Janeiro Galeao International Airport is the main airport in Rio. It handles both domestic and international flights while Santos Dumont Airport is the secondary airport serving Rio de Janeiro, low budget airlines operate from this airport.
Santos Dumont Airport is closer to the city centre and major top attractions in Rio such as Statue of Christ the Redeemer (Cristo Redentor), Sugarloaf Mountain (Pao de Acucar), Copacabana Beach (Praia de Copacabana), Tijuca National Park, Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden (Jardim Botanico), Ipanema Beach (Praia de Ipanema), Chacara do Ceu Museum and many more. It is connected by buses, shuttle, and taxi services for easy transportation around the city.
At GIG: Linx Galeao (3-star), Rio Aeroporto Hotel (3-star), and Aerotel Airport Transit Hotel (2.5-star).
At SDU: ibis Rio de Janeiro Santos Dumont (3-star), Prodigy Santos Dumont (3.5-star), and Novotel RJ Santos Dumont (4-star).
Many airlines fly in and out of Rio de Janeiro through the RioGaleao International Airport. They include British Airways, GOL Linhas Aéreas, TAP Air Portugal, Air France, Alitalia, SWISS, LATAM Airlines Group, Iberia, Singapore Airlines, KLM, Aerolineas Argentinas, Royal Air Maroc and more.
Taxis charge €45 from Rio de Janeiro airport to the city centre, €25 from Charleroi airport to Charleroi and €100 to Rio de Janeiro.
For Rio de Janeiro–Galeao Airport (GIG) Terminal Maps visit https://www.tripindicator.com/gig-riogaleao--tom-jobiml-airport-terminal-map.html
For Santos Dumont Airport (SDU) Terminal Maps visit https://www.tripindicator.com/sdu-rio-de-janeiro-airport-rj-santos-dumont-terminal-map.html