Brazilian airline GOL Linhas Aéreas has opened ticket sales for its new long-haul direct service between Rio de Janeiro/RIOgaleão (GIG) and New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) for the 2027 season. The non-stop route is scheduled to begin on March 28, 2027, following GOL’s sales policy of opening reservations 330 days before departure. The service will operate three weekly round-trip flights.
The announcement comes ahead of GOL’s initial launch of direct Rio-New York flights on July 8, 2026, during Brazil’s winter travel peak. Those flights will also run three times per week and depart from RIOgaleão, the airline’s newest international hub. Tickets for the route are available through GOL’s channels and through American Airlines, GOL’s partner airline.
In New York, GOL’s flights will operate from Terminal 8 at JFK, the main hub for American Airlines. The airline says this will improve connectivity for passengers connecting beyond New York City. Departures from Rio de Janeiro are scheduled for Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays at 9:55 p.m., with arrival in New York at 6:55 a.m. the following day. Return flights from New York will depart on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 11:00 p.m. and arrive in Rio de Janeiro at 9:55 a.m.
Tickets for travel in March 2027 are now on sale through the GOL and Smiles websites and apps, GOL airport stores, travel agencies and American Airlines sales channels.
For long-haul customers, GOL is promoting its INSIGNIA Business Class product, which includes priority check-in and boarding, access to GOL Smiles and partner lounges in select airports, fully flat beds, premium amenity kits, noise-canceling headphones, a 16-inch personal entertainment screen and priority baggage delivery. Meals onboard are curated by Brazilian Michelin two-star chef Felipe Bronze.
The Rio de Janeiro-New York route will be operated with Airbus A330 aircraft, a twin-aisle widebody jet with room for nearly 300 passengers and a flight range of up to 15 hours. GOL also said it plans to launch flights to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport and Orlando International Airport, with launch dates to be announced soon and operations expected to begin in 2026.
