Are You Ready For Brazil? Brazil Travel Guide Blog: International

International flights from South & North America to Brazil have a luggage limit of 40kg/88lb per person with TAM, with similar limits for other international carriers that cover Brazilian air routes. Many European, African and Asian airlines limit luggage to 32kg/70lb.

Domestic flights in Brazil with TAM and GOL, the two major internal carriers, have luggage limits of 23kg/50lbs per person. This is made up of two bags maximum. If flying in with TAM, any connecting domestic flights have Hand luggage is limited to 5kg/11lbs per person, with a size of 10x10x20cm.

Most business visitors and tourists can manage to pack less than this, although cruise passengers touring Brazil after finishing in Santos/Sao Paulo or Rio de Janeiro quite often exceed those limits (due to needing more outfits of course!). Excess charges depend on the class of airline seat bought. The smaller airlines such as Avianca, WebJet, Trip, Azul and JetSul also have a general limit of 23kg on inter-city flights, but this may be lower on some of the more local flights with smaller planes. Check your tickets before every flight to make sure, they should state the limits, or Baggagem.

In practice, airlines do not always charge for baggage that exceeds 23kg. If the flight is not full, you may be lucky and find your luggage being passed through without a word, just a smile in return. If you arrive with excess luggage, then a friendly smile and perhaps even a little flirting may help, as long as it is directed at the correct person - it has been known to work in the past!

Oversize Baggage

Of course, many visitors to Brazil will be thinking of bringing oversize items with them - surf boards, kite-surf and scuba-diving equipment, instruments, golf clubs, triathlon bikes even. These will be charged extra, and it is necessary to check with the airline for details in advance.

There are many different entry points for international flights arriving in Brazil, and with a little information you can make your journeys to and from Brazil, and around the country too, cheaper and easier on yourself logistically.

The main entry point for international flights is Guarulhos Airport (code GRU) in Sao Paulo, which received some 26 million passengers in 2010, almost 40% of those on international flights. Guarulhos is the largest airport in South America, and sits 25km north-east of the city. New international routes are opening regularly there all the time.

Rio de Janeiro is another popular place to arrive of course, with many airlines covering the two major cities of Brazil, sometimes on the same flight. Both cities also connect with the other South American capitals and major cities.

There are also international flights leaving directly from Brasilia, Belo Horizonte, Salvador, Recife, Fortaleza, Natal and now Porto Alegre for Europe and the USA, with Florianopolis and Porto Alegre also having direct connections to Buenos Aires in Argentina and Montevideo in Uruguay to the south. Iguazu Falls also has a direct connection over The Andes to Lima in Peru.

Below is a list of the airlines that cover routes involving Brazil.

Brazilian Airlines that fly outside of South America: TAM

Brazilian Airlines that fly to South American capitals: TAM; GOL

Brazilian Airlines that fly around Brazil: TAM; GOL; OceanAir, Trip, Azul, Jetsul and WebJet

South America: Aerolineas Argentinas; Aero Sur; Avianca; LAN; Pluna; Surinam; TACA.

North & Central America: Aeromexico; Air Canada; Air Caraibe; American; Continental; Copa; Delta; Korean (via LAX); United; US Airways.

Europe: Air China (via Madrid); Air Europa; Air France; Alitalia; British Airways; BMI; Condor; Iberia; KLM; Lufthansa; Spanair; Swiss; TAP; Turkish; Transaereo (Rio only); TUIfly; US Airways (Rio only)

Africa: South African; TAAG;

Middle-East & Asia: El Al; Korean (via LAX); Emirates; Malaysian (via Cape Town); Nippon; Qatar; Singapore (via Barcelona); Turkish.

Below is a list of the airlines which have links with each major city in Brazil. Please note that this does not mean that the airlines themselves fly there, but they share flights with TAM usually, so they may be the best option for you, or at least help you find the place to begin your searches.

Sao Paulo

TAM; GOL; TRIP; Puma; AviancaBrazil; Azul;

Aerolineas Argentinas; Aeromexico; AeroSur; Air Canada; Air China; Air France; Alitalia; American; Avianca; British Airways; BMI; Condor; Continental; Copa; Delta; EL AL; Emirates; Iberia; KLM; Korean; LAN; Lufthansa; Nippon; PLUNA; Qatar; Singapore; South African; Spanair; Swiss; TAAG Angola; TACA; TAP; Turkish; United; US Airways.

Rio de Janeiro

TAM; GOL; TRIP; Puma; AviancaBrazil; Azul;

Aerolineas Argentinas; Air Canada; Air France; Alitalia; American; Avianca; British Airways; BMI; Condor; Continental; Copa; Delta; Iberia; KLM; Korean; LAN; Lufthansa; PLUNA; Qatar; Swiss; TAAG Angola; TACA; TAP; United; US Airways.

Brasilia