Recife to Rio De Janeiro (REC–GIG) — Airlines, Schedules & Connections
No flights match your filters.
No scheduled airline flights on this route — it's flown by charter / private operators (). No nonstop flights on this route. connecting options below.
Most recently operated nonstop flights — the month shown is when each was last scheduled. Most destinations remain reachable with a connection.
No discontinued nonstop flights on record for this route.
REC–GIG is served by 2 airlines with nonstop service. Gol Linhas Aereas and Azul Linhas Aéreas Brasileiras lead the route. The flight covers 1,155 miles in approximately 3h. Beyond nonstop, 1-stop connecting options are also available.
Airline Landscape
| Airline | Freq/wk | Aircraft | Duration | Dep OTP | Alliance | Codeshares |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G3 Gol Linhas Aereas Also: AF, AR, AV, CM, EK, TP | 37 | 738, 7M8 | 2h49-3h11 | – | – | AF, AR, AV, CM, EK, TP |
| AD Azul Linhas Aéreas Brasileiras Also: AV, AZ, CM, TP | 21 | 32N | 2h55-3h | – | – | AV, AZ, CM, TP |
Weekly Schedule Pattern
Connection Landscape
Other ways to reach Rio De Janeiro from Recife
| Metric | REC→GIG | JPA→GIG | MCZ→GIG |
|---|---|---|---|
| Distance from REC | – | 68 mi | 113 mi |
| Nonstop airlines | 2 | 9 | 7 |
| Weekly flights | 272 | 154 | 126 |
| Flight time | 3h | 3h | 2h 40m |
Travel Essentials
REC: -03 · GIG: -03
When it's 6:00 PM in Recife, it's 6:00 PM in Rio De Janeiro.
Uber and 99 serve the airport at R$50–80 to Ipanema or Copacabana (40–60 min off-peak). Official táxi amarelo (yellow taxi) at the curb: R$80–120. Pre-pay at the taxi counter inside arrivals for a fixed rate option.The Real Auto Ônibus airport bus (R$16) runs to Rodoviária Novo Rio, Cinelândia metro station, and Santos Dumont Airport. BRT Transcarioca (R$4.05) serves Barra da Tijuca. Rental car desks are in the arrivals hall. GIG is 40km from the South Zone; always check traffic before planning ground travel time.
Tropical climate on Guanabara Bay. Summer (December–March) is hot and very wet at 28–37°C with intense afternoon downpours that regularly flood approach roads and occasionally cause airport disruptions. January and February see the highest rainfall and are the most disruption-prone months operationally.
Winter (June–September) is warm and drier at 22–28°C. This is the most operationally stable period. The airport sits on Ilha do Governador. Approach paths are over water, but the surrounding terrain causes occasional windshear on the south runway. Rio's Carnival period (February–March) creates extreme traffic on ground access routes.
REC–GIG Quick Facts
Frequently Asked Questions
Recife to Rio de Janeiro Galeao: Northeast Brazil Corridor
REC-GIG connects two of Brazil's major coastal cities across a 2,275 km coastal arc. LATAM holds the largest nonstop capacity share, deploying A320s and A321s daily. Azul provides supplementary service with Embraer and Airbus equipment. The route serves both originating leisure travelers and business passengers connecting through Rio to international destinations. Recife's Guararapes-Gilberto Freyre International is a regional hub for northeast Brazil, handling connections to Fernando de Noronha and other northeastern cities. Demand peaks around Carnaval in February, New Year, and the Brazilian July school holiday period.
Airport and Connectivity Notes
Galeao (GIG) is Rio de Janeiro's international gateway, with two terminals served by separate check-in and baggage halls. Terminal 1 handles most domestic carriers; Terminal 2 handles international departures and some domestic traffic. A free shuttle bus connects the two terminals airside. Passengers arriving at GIG and connecting internationally should ensure their routing goes through the same terminal to avoid re-clearing security. Recife's REC airport sits 12 km from the city center; the Linha do Aeroporto metro extension connects the airport to the central area in 25 minutes for R$4.70. REC is the primary gateway for northeast Brazilian beaches and for the Fernando de Noronha island archipelago.