Brazil's Gol Airlines plans first-ever New York flights with new Rio nonstop
New Yorkers have a new way to fly to Brazil this summer.
Brazilian carrier Gol Airlines will launch its first-ever nonstop service to New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) from Rio de Janeiro's Galeao International Airport (GIG) on July 8, the airline said March 6.
Flights will depart JFK on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays and GIG on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, according to Gol's website. They will initially be flown by Airbus A330s operated by Wamos Air until Gol takes delivery of the first of five A330-900s due later in 2026.
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Gol and Wamos are both subsidiaries of Abra Group, a South American airline group that also owns Colombia-based Avianca.
There's no word yet on what terminal Gol will use at JFK. Sister carrier Avianca operates from Terminal 4, and Gol partner American Airlines uses gates in Terminal 8.
The addition of JFK to Gol's map marks a new era for the Brazilian carrier. Gol's move away from Boeing 737s toward Airbus A330neos will allow it to expand to longer intercontinental routes. Gol's parent Abra Group said earlier in March that the airline will deploy the wide-body planes on flights to Europe and North America.
Gol currently serves two U.S. airports — Miami International Airport (MIA) and Orlando International Airport (MCO) — with Boeing 737 MAX 8 planes, schedule data from aviation analytics firm Cirium shows. Flights to both airports depart from northern Brazilian gateways that are within range of the 737s and not from the country's two largest cities, Rio and Sao Paulo.
The carrier has offered few details of the onboard offering on its new A330s. The planes will seat more than 290 passengers — a standard number for the A330neo — and include Gol's first-ever business-class product. Gol only offers economy and premium economy seats on its 737s.
The JFK-GIG route is currently available seasonally through American Airlines and Delta Air Lines during the Northern Hemisphere's winter months, Cirium schedules show. When its flights begin in July, Gol will be the sole operator until late 2026.
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