Sao Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport

Sao Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport is located around 25 kilometers from downtown Sao Paulo, Brazil. The airport is about 14 square kilometers in size, and the infrastructure of the airport has its own system of highways. The airport is connected to both Rodovia Presidente Dutra and Rodovia Ayrton Senna highways. Sao Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport is the busiest airport in all of Brazil in terms of international traffic, and overall it is the second busiest airport in Brazil behind Congonhas/Sao Paulo International Airport. In terms of cargo traffic, the airport is the busiest in Latin America and the 37th busiest airport worldwide. The airport features two terminals, each having 12 runways. There are plans for the construction of two more terminals and additional runways to deal with the increase in passenger and cargo traffic. In 2006 the airport served almost 9 million passengers. The name of the airport was changed in 2001 to honor the ex-governor of the state of Sao Paulo, André Franco Montoro, but locals still call the airport either Guarulhos Airport or Cumbica.

Need Transportation? Call 800-984-4303

The mailing address of the airport is Sao Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport, Infraero, PO Box 3061, Guarulhos, Sao Paulo 07141-970, Brazil. The website of the airport is www.infraero.gov.br. If you need to contact the airport directly, you can call (011) 6445 2945. The country phone code for Brazil is 55. The airport is located in the GMT-3 time zone and in the GMT-2 time zone from the 3rd Sunday in October to the 3rd Sunday in February. If you are in Brazil and want to call the United States, you would call 00-21-1 and then the number, and if you want to call Sao Paulo from the United States, you call 011-55-11 and then the number.

Need Transportation? Call 800-984-4303

Sao Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport has 260 check-in counters and is open 24 hours a day. There are 39 airlines that service the airport both domestically and internationally. The airlines fly to 28 countries and to over 100 cities in Brazil. One of the newer airlines that serves the airport is Air China, which now has frequent flights to Beijing, stopping over in Madrid, Spain. Emirates Airline, from the United Arab Emirates, began service to Sao Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport in 2007, and another Middle Eastern airline, Qatar Airways from the country of Qatar, is slated to begin service to the airport in 2008. The airport can service up to 15 million passengers a year. There is a third terminal that is being considered for the airport, which will raise the passenger capacity to 29 million per year.
Sao Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport serves Absa Airlines, Aerolineas Argentinas, Aeromexpress Airlines, Air France Airlines, Alitalia Airlines, American Airlines, Danzas, British Airlines, Canadian Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta Airlines, Fedex Airlines, Iberia Airlines, KLM Airlines, Korea Air, Lufthansa Airlines, Nippon Express, Panalpina, Polar Air Cargo, Proair, South African Airways, Swissair, Tap Air Portugal Airlines, Trans. Air, Tristar Airlines, and United Airlines. Congonhas/Sao Paulo International Airport, the other main airport in the state of Sao Paulo, offers more domestic flights within Brazil.

Need Transportation? Call 800-984-4303

There are several transportation options available at Sao Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport. The most inexpensive way to travel to and from the airport is by bus. There is a public bus that runs every 30 minutes and travels to the city center of Sao Paulo. The bus terminal, located in the downtown part in the city, is at Hotel Maksoud Plaza. This bus line is called the Hotel Circuit. The bus travels to and from the airport. Counters at the airport for this bus service can be found at the Arrivals area of both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2.

From the airport, there is also a shuttle bus that stops at many of the major hotels, as well as the major beaches in the area. One of the nicer buses available in the area is the air-conditioned Empresa Real bus service that drives along the coast and into the city. There is also an executive city bus, and you can purchase tickets for it in advance on the Arrivals floor. The travel time on the buses to the city center of Sao Paulo takes around 30-50 minutes depending on the traffic.

There are many taxi services available from the airport. The taxi stands are located outside the two terminals just outside the Baggage Claim area. It is recommended that travelers avoid the RDE taxi desk and instead go to the Rio de Janeiro State Tourism Authority desk. At this desk, you can purchase pre-paid taxi vouchers, as well as get tourist information about Sao Paulo and the surrounding areas. If you do not purchase the pre-paid taxi vouchers, make sure that the meter has been cleared from the previous fare when you get in the taxi. Before departing, you should get the price of the fare for the destination you are heading to, so there are no misunderstandings with the driver. To take a taxi to the city center of Sao Paulo takes around 30 minutes depending on the traffic. Generally, the taxis from the airport have fixed prices into the city and will usually cost around $30.00.

There are also car rental facilities at the airport. Some car rental companies at the airport include Avis, Budget, Hertz, Interlocadora, Localiza, and Unidas. Getting to the airport by car is very easy, as you can take either the Ayrton Senna or Presidente Dutra highway and then follow the signs directly to the airport. The two terminals of the airport are very close to one another, so you can travel between them on foot.

Sao Paulo can become congested, and travel outside the city can take some time especially when there are activities going on in the city. Make sure that you allow enough time to get to the airport for check in and getting through security. This is especially true if you are flying internationally.

Need Transportation? Call 800-984-4303

There are several information desks at Sao Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport. There are a few tourist information desks that are located on the Arrivals floor of both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. There are also two Infraero information counters that are located in each of the airport terminals. If you have any special needs, you can contact the Comunicaçao Social. Their telephone number is (011) 6445 2256/2891. For other tourist related information, as well as the area where you can purchase pre-paid taxi vouchers, you can go to the Rio de Janeiro State Tourism Authority desk. The tourism desk can also help you with information such as transportation to and from the airport, accommodations in and around Sao Paulo, information about the airport itself, and up to date arrival and departure flight information.

Need Transportation? Call 800-984-4303

Sao Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport has a full range of airport facilities for both passengers and guests. There are several business facilities in the airport, as well. These business facilities have fax machines, telephones, and computers and are located on the Departures area in the administrations building. There are also a few VIP lounges and two separate conference rooms available at the airport. Each of the conference rooms can accommodate from 80-100 people comfortably.

Sao Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport can handle disabled passengers and guests. There are ramps located throughout both terminals and elevators/lifts, as well. In addition, there are also telephones and restrooms for the disabled. For any special assistance, disabled passengers should contact the airport's information desks beforehand.

There are several ATM's located throughout each terminal building. There are banks that have bureau de change facilities at each terminal where you can exchange money at the current exchange rates. Terminal 1 has a post office that is open 24 hours a day, where you can send both envelope mail and packages. Both terminal buildings at Sao Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport have a first aid facility and a pharmacy.

There is a wide range of shops throughout the airport. These are located in both terminal buildings. There are several duty free shops available at the airport. In both terminals at the airport, there is an also a selection of bars and restaurants. There are fast food establishments as well as hosted restaurants. The newsstands in the airport have snacks, beverages, books, magazines, and souvenirs.

Need Transportation? Call 800-984-4303

Passengers that are delayed at the airport and have a few hours to kill can take part in some activities in Sao Paulo. You can take a bus or taxi, but it is advisable to take a taxi, as it takes less time, to any of these places to spend a few hours before your flight.

The Museu De Aarte Moderna, located at Gate 10 Sao Paulo, houses a permanent collection of more than 2,600 paintings, drawings, and sculptures from the modernist movement of Brazil. This movement began in the 1920's. At the Museu De Aarte Moderna, there are also quite a few exhibitions by local artists. The Museu Memoria Do Bixiga, located at Rua dos Ingleses 118, is museum that has objects that once belonged to Bixiga's Italian immigrants. On the weekends, Feira do Bixiga sells antiques, furniture, and local handicrafts. If you have several hours to kill between flights, you should check out the Parque Zoologico DeE Sao Paulo, located at - Av. Miguel Stefano 4241. This is the main zoo in Sao Paulo, and it is 200 acres in size housing more than 3,000 animals. There are a total of 410 species of animals at the zoo, many of which are endangered. At the zoo there are small islands on a lake where monkeys live on stilted houses. One of the more interesting attractions at the zoo is the Casa do Sangue Frio, House of Cold Blood, that has many amphibians and reptiles. If you're traveling with children, the zoo is something they would enjoy.

Need Transportation? Call 800-984-4303

There are several hotels that are located within 3 kilometers of the airport for travelers looking for overnight stays and have early flights from the airport. Hotel reservations can be made at the tourist information counters located at both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 at the Arrivals area. The hotels within 3 kilometers of the airport are the Oasis Plaza Othon Classic, Estanplaza Nacoes Unidas, Estanplaza Paulista, Hilton Sao Paulo Morumbi, Maksoud Plaza Hotel, Estanplaza Ibirapuera, Blue Tree Convention Ibirapuera, Estanplaza Funchal, and the Gran Estanplaza Sao Paulo. Some of these hotels offer courtesy shuttles to and from the airport. Check with the information desks at the airport to find out if there are courtesy hotel shuttles to the accommodations where you'll be staying. There is also a shopping center and a movie theater in the Guarulhos area, which is very near the airport.

Need Transportation? Call 800-984-4303

Sao Paulo is a very metropolitan city where you can find a wide range of accommodation possibilities. The accommodations run from very affordable guesthouses and hostels to five star luxury hotels. In the Paulista and Jardins districts of Sao Paulo, you'll find a number of "pousadas," which are Brazilian guesthouses. These guesthouses are very affordable, and they average in cost from $40 - $80 per night. Just south of Paulista, there are many 4-star hotels, which average about $50 per night. In addition, there are many hostels that are located in the downtown area of Sao Paulo, and they have dorm style rooms for as little as $10 per night. It is recommended that you book your accommodations ahead of time. The busy tourist season in Sao Paulo is between the months of December and February, and during this time the rates for accommodations can triple in price. You can save a significant amount of money by booking your accommodations well in advance.

Need Transportation? Call 800-984-4303