Getting around by Plane

Air services within Brazil are relatively expensive but offer a lot of advantages as the distances are very large. Varig and TAM are established Brazilian carriers. They have recently got competition of cheaper companies like Gol, Webjet, BRA and TAF. An alternative to air travel are long distance bus connections.

Travellers who arrive from abroad can buy an air pass in combination with their international ticket. This air pass allows them to make a number of flights within a limited period. This way, they can see a lot of Brazil in a short time at a convenient price. There are air passes that are valid for the entire Mercosul area allowing the visitor to visit Argentine, Paraguay, Uruguay and Brazil. There are also cheaper air passes for smaller areas like the Southeast of Brazil (Rio and São Paulo) and the Northeast (Fortaleza, Recife, Salvador etc).

If you are travelling within Brazil, you should not fill out a new entry/exit card (the form you get when you enter Brazil). You simply show the stamped copy you got when you entered Brazil and when your passport was stamped.

In order to get from A to B it is often necessary to change on larger airports. You should focus on your flight number when you are planning your domestic flight. Contrary to international flights, the flight listings display the last city your plane visits. This is not always the city where you are going.