Recife/Guararapes – Gilberto Freyre International Airport

Recife/Guararapes airport is about 14 km from downtown Recife, in the southern part of the city. The drive to the center takes about 30 to 35 minutes depending on traffic. You can also take the metro from the Aeroporto station, which is connected to the terminal by a covered walkway.

Recife airport is very close to Boa Viagem, the city's main beach district, and the trip takes about five minutes by car outside heavy traffic. Taxis, Uber and 99 are the quickest options, and city bus line 033 offers a faster bus trip to Boa Viagem than the general lines that continue to the center.

Yes. Guararapes airport lies within the city of Recife, in its southern part, about 14 km from downtown and a few minutes by car from the Boa Viagem beach district. It is linked to the Recife Metro's South Line through the Aeroporto station, and city buses connect it with Boa Viagem, the center and nearby Jaboatão dos Guararapes.

Recife airport has one passenger terminal, opened in 2004, which handles both domestic and international flights. Check-in, immigration, baggage claim and the arrivals hall are all in the same building, so there is no need to move between terminals. The terminal connects to the Aeroporto metro station through a covered walkway.

Azul is the largest airline at Recife and uses it as its main hub in the Northeast. GOL and LATAM Airlines also run domestic routes and flights to Argentina and Chile. International carriers include TAP Air Portugal to Lisbon, Iberia to Madrid and JetSMART to Buenos Aires. Recife no longer has regular direct flights to the United States.

Two kinds of taxis serve Recife airport, both 24 hours. Special taxis, identified by a red stripe, charge fixed fares by destination and have counters near baggage claim and in the south arrivals area. Regular taxis wait at the north and south arrivals areas and use the meter. Choose either at the official ranks rather than accepting offers outside.

Yes. The Aeroporto station on the Recife Metro's South Line is connected to the terminal by a covered walkway from gate B6 on the first floor. Trains run toward Recife station in the center from about 05:00 to 23:00, with trains roughly every eight minutes. It is a practical option if you travel light.

Yes, Uber and 99 both operate at Recife airport. The pickup area is on the first floor at the departures doors (B), where signs mark the app pickup points. Head there after collecting your bags rather than waiting at the ground-floor arrivals exits, which are used by taxis and buses.

It depends on your nationality. Since April 10, 2025, citizens of the United States, Canada and Australia have needed a Brazil e-visa for tourism and business visits, ending a waiver in place since 2019. Many European and South American citizens can enter without a visa. Check the official Brazilian government guidance for your passport before you travel.

Porto de Galinhas lies on the coast south of Recife, and Olinda is just north of the city, so both are reached by road from the airport. Taxis, rideshare apps and pre-booked transfers go directly to either place. Public transport to Porto de Galinhas involves buses with transfers, which is less practical with luggage.

Recife uses UTC−3 all year, the same time as Brasília, since Brazil stopped observing daylight saving time in 2019. The currency is the Brazilian real (BRL). The climate is tropical, warm and humid throughout the year, with a rainier season in the middle of the year, so light clothing and rain gear are useful.

Spanish airport group Aena operates Recife airport under a 30-year concession awarded in 2019, taking over from the state company Infraero in 2020. The airport handled about 9.9 million passengers in 2025, up 3.6 percent from 2024, and Aena expects it to pass 10 million passengers for the first time in 2026.