A few hours and you'll be at the carnival: New York to launch direct flights to Rio de Janeiro
'11.03.2026'
ForumDaily New York
New Yorkers will have a new way to travel this summer to the land of carnivals, football, coffee, and unique nature. Brazilian airline Gol Airlines announced the launch of its first-ever direct flight between New York and Rio de Janeiro. Pointsguy tells in more detail.
The airline announced on March 6 that the inaugural flight between New York's John F. Kennedy Airport and Rio de Janeiro's Galeão International Airport would take place on July 8.
According to information on the Gol website, flights will operate according to the following schedule:
- from New York - Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays;
- From Rio de Janeiro - Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.
At the first stage, flights will be carried out by Airbus A330 aircraft, which are operated by company Wamos Air. This will continue until Gol receives the first of five aircraft A330-900. Their delivery is expected later in 2026.
Which companies are participating in the project?
Gol and Wamos are part of the Abra Group, a South American aviation group that also owns Colombia's Avianca.
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It is currently unknown which terminal Gol will operate from at JFK Airport. Avianca operates from Terminal 4, and Gol's partner, American Airlines, uses gates in Terminal 8.
A new stage for Gol Airlines
The launch of flights to John F. Kennedy Airport will mark a new milestone for Gol. The airline's transition from Boeing 737s to larger Airbus A330neos will allow it to open long-haul intercontinental routes.
Abra Group previously announced that the new wide-body aircraft would be used on flights to Europe and North America.
Gol currently flies to two US airports:
- Miami International Airport;
- Orlando International Airport.
These flights are currently operated by Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft. They cannot fly very far, so they depart from northern Brazilian cities that are closer to the United States.
And from Brazil's largest cities—Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo—it's a longer flight. The Boeing 737 isn't suitable for such distances, which is why Gol hasn't previously launched flights from there to the US.
This is changing now, as the airline will receive more powerful Airbus A330 aircraft, which can fly longer distances.
What is known about the A330 aircraft?
The airline has so far revealed few details about the service on board its new Airbus A330s.
The aircraft will be designed to accommodate over 290 passengers—the standard capacity for the A330neo. For the first time in Gol's history, these aircraft will feature a business class.
The airline currently offers only Economy and Premium Economy classes on its Boeing 737 aircraft.
According to Cirium's schedule, flights between JFK Airport and Rio de Janeiro are currently seasonal. They are operated by American Airlines and Delta Air Lines during the Northern Hemisphere winter months.
When Gol flights begin in July, the airline will become the sole operator of the route.
This situation will remain until the end of 2026.
