Rio de Janeiro Reports

[Xpartan]

It really depends on the airline. On some carriers paying for premium economy is not worth it, while on others it absolutely is, like with EVA Air:

https://www.cntraveler.com/story/eva...economy-review

Thanks for the link.

My PE experience is very limited (only American and Cathay Pacific). But EVA is an exceptional airline on its own. I rode them in business, and it's a cut above Cathay Pacific business, which itself is quite good. I also read in your article that EVA's recline in PE is 120 degrees. That's insane! I don't know exactly what American recline is, but I can bet that it's just a few degrees over Economy. So, yes, it seems like EVA PE is in a class of its own.

That said, even a lousy PE product (like AA) is way better than economy. The leg rests help a lot. It's ridiculous how much they actually help to alleviate the pressure on your body. So it can be a viable alternative when not priced out of wack.

[The Cane]

Premium Economy is another option, but truth be told, it's much closer to economy than to business.

It really depends on the airline. On some carriers paying for premium economy is not worth it, while on others it absolutely is, like with EVA Air:

https://www.cntraveler.com/story/eva...economy-review

[KcDark]

Lot of people pointing out the business class travel part. I agree business class is the way to go no question- I fly to Europe all the time for work (75% of the time in business) and man is it amazing. HOWEVER (the other 25% of the time), can we not pretend a lot of the times it's just insanely ridiculous and that the price is laughable? No way my company would allow it LOL- I've seen $8,000-10,000 flights to Europe in business, especially in the summer.

Back to Brazil- My ticket from NyC to Houston to Rio was $1300 on United (booked about 2-3 months in advance). When. I checked business it was $9,500 round trip LOL. When I checked two days before my flight, it was $8000 to upgrade seats, ONE WAY LOL. Sometimes airline pricing has no logic. Even the points upgrade was ridiculous. I find the best option is to ask at the gate, and sometimes you'll get lucky and they'll do it for $1000 one way (done this plenty of times to europe and India- Pre-Covid, and saved couple K each time). Business class pricing can be a nasty game.

I agree, the prices are laughable to some of the destinations in business class. What is even weirder is that if you shift your trip by a day forward or back, the prices are nearly 50% cheaper which makes little to no sense. When I fly in two weeks to SP, I will ask the gate agent about the price to upgrade my seats. I've always heard that tickets in general are cheaper at the airport compared to online or with an agent over the phone.

I've flown 1st class & Business class and Economy (cattle) class so I know the difference. My overall issue is with the price disparity between economy class and business class, it's hard for me to justify the cost. The delta between airfares can fund my accommodations + on the ground activities!! I just can't seem to justify the cost.

This also makes sense and I will never judge anyone for how they want to spend their money when traveling. I know A LOT of people who don't mind traveling economy and that is cool with me. But I will share that most of the people who can tolerate economy for long flights have smaller frames, can sleep the entire flight, or zen out and not be concerned about their accommodations.

[Lakeside32]

I did the bus ride from SP to RJ last year and it was great.

I left around 6 am and got to RJ around 1 pm. There was a stop half way at a buffet place where you pay by the weight.

Only thing that sucked was that I had to go to the bus station to buy the actual ticket. If you know a girl who can help you buy it for you, use her CPF and credit card, and pay her the cash value then that would be best.

There are only so many leito camo seats available so best to get one before they sell out but usually they don't.

I went with a friend so we sat next to each other and we both slept like a baby.

You're going to want to sleep anyways so this is sort fo the best option for that to kill time before you can check in to your hotel room or airbnb.

I used aguia branca bus line and the photos are the seats we had.

That whole process can be a nightmare. I've done it twice goin from Riio to S. P. And the process was different both times. Luckily I booked thru FlixBus so the app was already on my phone. The bus station has numerous bus companies so the first time I had problems finding a FlixBus counter. Well there wasn't a FlixBus counter, but I was not allowed to exit the door without a pass from the counter even though I had the ticket for the ride. Well with 10 minutes to go I found what doubled as the FluxBus agent and finally I was allowed to go thru the turnstile. The second trip I just simply walked out to the bus without a problem. It was during all the chaos after the election so luckily all the roadblocks were removed 5 days before I made my journey to S. P.

[The Cane]

I did the bus ride from SP to RJ last year and it was great.

I left around 6 am and got to RJ around 1 pm. There was a stop half way at a buffet place where you pay by the weight.

Only thing that sucked was that I had to go to the bus station to buy the actual ticket. If you know a girl who can help you buy it for you, use her CPF and credit card, and pay her the cash value then that would be best.

There are only so many leito camo seats available so best to get one before they sell out but usually they don't.

I went with a friend so we sat next to each other and we both slept like a baby.

You're going to want to sleep anyways so this is sort fo the best option for that to kill time before you can check in to your hotel room or airbnb.

I used aguia branca bus line and the photos are the seats we had.

I've not taken the bus before. That looks quite comfortable. But for me it's the time it takes that's the issue. That said, a roundtrip airfare between Sampa and Rio of $800 would likely force many to look for another option, including myself.

[Sperto]

Only thing that sucked was that I had to go to the bus station to buy the actual ticket. If you know a girl who can help you buy it for you, use her CPF and credit card, and pay her the cash value then that would be best.

I usually buy bustickets online using my CPF. If you buy the ticket on the bus company's website there will be no extra fee. However if you buy the ticket on other sites, like Clickbus and Queropassagem, they will add a fee. If you want to buy the ticket in advance it's often cheaper (depending on which city you are located) to take an Uber back and forth to the Rodoviaria than paying the Clickbus fee.

There are also agencies that sell bustickets. In Copacabana there are Guanatur on Rua Dias the Rocha 16 and Sami Tour on Av Nossa Sra de Copacabana 1022. They do charge a fee but you don't have to go to the Rodoviaria to buy your ticket and no CPF is needed.

Leito is the most comfortable, but I prefer Executivo. Executivo is much cheaper and the comfort is really good.

[Xpartan]

Yes, do think about it. A busride from Sao Paulo to Rio is about 6 hours, included a stop for eating. Very comfortable buses and a scenic ride.

We're talking specifically about connecting to Rio after an international flight. A bus ride from GRU is 7-10 hours, at least in the morning when flights from the USA Tend to land.

After a 10-hour flight, I don't feel like spending another 7-10 hours on the bus, but that's just me.

The point I was trying to make is that if you want to connect to Rio from GRU rather than change airports, look for flying to GIG instead of SDU because they tend to be much less expensive. Is it always the case? No, but more often than not, it is. Airlines know you'd rather land in the city, hence the markup.

If I can fly in any class other than "cattle class economy" I'm going for it! Arrive well-rested and well-fed to start my journey off right! Yes sir! After flying in Business Class the first time there was no way in hell I could happily got back to Economy. It's like when I bought my first car with comfortable leather seats in it. No going back! When I fly for leisure these days now it's always premium class and above whenever possible. It's well worth it to me, including on the ground where your trip experience really begins. Being able to skip the long lines at the counter. And I like having lounge access to get away from the hustle and bustle and the "great unwashed" of a busy airport LOL! Being able to board earlier and be ensured of adequate overhead bin space. More room and a more comfortable seat. Better food and drink (and more of both too). And arriving without a sore neck! All of these things make avoiding Economy well worth it to me. There was a time when I couldn't afford it. But now I can, and I'm willing to spend the money (or miles) for all of the aforementioned reasons. Where I will try to save is on my hotel accommodations. I typically will usually go for 3-star hotels but sometimes 4-stars. I mean I spend so much time away from the hotel anyway. It just needs to be clean and comfortable enough with enough space to store my things, public transit and taxi accessible, and with a good internet connection. And I'm set! Haven't we all had this discussion in-depth before?

I'm with you on almost everything except hotels, but have you checked business class fares to Rio lately? It's between $6 K-10 K rt. I mean, that's a lot of sessions, not even mentioning hotel rooms.

If I can't get a lie-flat on miles or some ridiculous discount, I'll suffer in Economy for 10 hours rather than burn my budget.

Premium Economy is another option, but truth be told, it's much closer to economy than to business.

[Bearsi]

I did the bus ride from SP to RJ last year and it was great.

I left around 6 am and got to RJ around 1 pm. There was a stop half way at a buffet place where you pay by the weight.

Only thing that sucked was that I had to go to the bus station to buy the actual ticket. If you know a girl who can help you buy it for you, use her CPF and credit card, and pay her the cash value then that would be best.

There are only so many leito camo seats available so best to get one before they sell out but usually they don't.

I went with a friend so we sat next to each other and we both slept like a baby.

You're going to want to sleep anyways so this is sort fo the best option for that to kill time before you can check in to your hotel room or airbnb.

I used aguia branca bus line and the photos are the seats we had.

[UniversalX]

The 300 dollars for 3 hours is basically the price scale they reference when you pay for 3 hours at the terma. They figure if you can pay 100 bucks an hour to fuck them in the terma, then you should pay the same amount to fuck them in your hotel / apartment. As far as the 200 US for one hour, they are swinging for the fences. Once in a blue moon, a girl get a sucker. Sorry, I mean a gringo, who will pay astronomical prices (With the mind set of "this would cost me so much more back home! She will sprint back to her girlfriends and brag about how much money she made and then all of her friends will try the same price quote just to see if anyone is stupid enough to pay it.

This is so true. I just quote what I am going to pay. I kind of negotiate (not really), I just indulge them to provide a price quote. If it fits in my budget ok. If its above, then I counter (not really, it's my best and only offer) if accepted cool if not walk.

Know what $100USD (or your country currency) is in $BRL, baseline it and go from there.

Lot of people pointing out the business class travel part. I agree business class is the way to go no question-

Back to Brazil- My ticket from NyC to Houston to Rio was $1300 on United (booked about 2-3 months in advance). When. I checked business it was $9,500 round trip LOL. When I checked two days before my flight, it was $8000 to upgrade seats, ONE WAY LOL. Sometimes airline pricing has no logic. Even the points upgrade was ridiculous.Business class pricing can be a nasty game.

I've flown 1st class & Business class and Economy (cattle) class so I know the difference. My overall issue is with the price disparity between economy class and business class, it's hard for me to justify the cost. The delta between airfares can fund my accommodations + on the ground activities!! I just can't seem to justify the cost.

[AcesOnTheRiver]

If I can fly in any class other than "cattle class economy" I'm going for it! Arrive well-rested and well-fed to start my journey off right! Yes sir! After flying in Business Class the first time there was no way in hell I could happily got back to Economy. It's like when I bought my first car with comfortable leather seats in it. No going back! When I fly for leisure these days now it's always premium class and above whenever possible. It's well worth it to me, including on the ground where your trip experience really begins. Being able to skip the long lines at the counter. And I like having lounge access to get away from the hustle and bustle and the "great unwashed" of a busy airport LOL! Being able to board earlier and be ensured of adequate overhead bin space. More room and a more comfortable seat. Better food and drink (and more of both too). And arriving without a sore neck! All of these things make avoiding Economy well worth it to me. There was a time when I couldn't afford it. But now I can, and I'm willing to spend the money (or miles) for all of the aforementioned reasons. Where I will try to save is on my hotel accommodations. I typically will usually go for 3-star hotels but sometimes 4-stars. I mean I spend so much time away from the hotel anyway. It just needs to be clean and comfortable enough with enough space to store my things, public transit and taxi accessible, and with a good internet connection. And I'm set! Haven't we all had this discussion in-depth before?

Lot of people pointing out the business class travel part. I agree business class is the way to go no question- I fly to Europe all the time for work (75% of the time in business) and man is it amazing. HOWEVER (the other 25% of the time), can we not pretend a lot of the times it's just insanely ridiculous and that the price is laughable? No way my company would allow it LOL- I've seen $8,000-10,000 flights to Europe in business, especially in the summer.

Back to Brazil- My ticket from NyC to Houston to Rio was $1300 on United (booked about 2-3 months in advance). When. I checked business it was $9,500 round trip LOL. When I checked two days before my flight, it was $8000 to upgrade seats, ONE WAY LOL. Sometimes airline pricing has no logic. Even the points upgrade was ridiculous. I find the best option is to ask at the gate, and sometimes you'll get lucky and they'll do it for $1000 one way (done this plenty of times to europe and India- Pre-Covid, and saved couple K each time). Business class pricing can be a nasty game.

[Bravo]

That's interesting because girls at Dolce and Casablanca quoted me $200 USD per hour. I laughed hard and ignored them. Girls at Termas quoted $300 usd for 3 HR plus uber and then dropped to 1200 r for 3 HR. Funniest shit they kept try quoting me in usd. I guess too many gringos paying that kind of money there. No thanks.

The 300 dollars for 3 hours is basically the price scale they reference when you pay for 3 hours at the terma. They figure if you can pay 100 bucks an hour to fuck them in the terma, then you should pay the same amount to fuck them in your hotel / apartment. As far as the 200 US for one hour, they are swinging for the fences. Once in a blue moon, a girl get a sucker. Sorry, I mean a gringo, who will pay astronomical prices (With the mind set of "this would cost me so much more back home! She will sprint back to her girlfriends and brag about how much money she made and then all of her friends will try the same price quote just to see if anyone is stupid enough to pay it.

[FlowState985]

So I definitely found Brazil cheaper, statistically I would say 25% cheaper based on the average numbers. This is strictly speaking for Cartagena and Medellin vs Rio, and working girl night clubs for take out. Not smaller towns, streetwalkers, websites/social media, strip clubs etc.

That's interesting because girls at Dolce and Casablanca quoted me $200 USD per hour. I laughed hard and ignored them. Girls at Termas quoted $300 usd for 3 HR plus uber and then dropped to 1200 r for 3 HR. Funniest shit they kept try quoting me in usd. I guess too many gringos paying that kind of money there. No thanks.

[FlowState985]

GOL and TAM were still at $400, however, to my delight, most Azul flights dropped to $50 one way!

GOL is a shitty airline, I wouldn't go with it if they pay me. LATAM from now on.

[The Cane]

Of everything you posted, this is the only thing I would push back on. I have suffered in economy for a long time being 6'2" and built to be an outside linebacker. Since shifting my budget to be in business class or better, I can truly start my vacation off in a more positive way compared to when I have been stuck next to a passive aggressive seat mate jockeying for arm and leg space. Coupled with someone next to me who fidgets the entire trip, moving away from sitting on top of each other has made a tremendous difference in how I personally want to travel.

But, to each his own.

If I can fly in any class other than "cattle class economy" I'm going for it! Arrive well-rested and well-fed to start my journey off right! Yes sir! After flying in Business Class the first time there was no way in hell I could happily got back to Economy. It's like when I bought my first car with comfortable leather seats in it. No going back! When I fly for leisure these days now it's always premium class and above whenever possible. It's well worth it to me, including on the ground where your trip experience really begins. Being able to skip the long lines at the counter. And I like having lounge access to get away from the hustle and bustle and the "great unwashed" of a busy airport LOL! Being able to board earlier and be ensured of adequate overhead bin space. More room and a more comfortable seat. Better food and drink (and more of both too). And arriving without a sore neck! All of these things make avoiding Economy well worth it to me. There was a time when I couldn't afford it. But now I can, and I'm willing to spend the money (or miles) for all of the aforementioned reasons. Where I will try to save is on my hotel accommodations. I typically will usually go for 3-star hotels but sometimes 4-stars. I mean I spend so much time away from the hotel anyway. It just needs to be clean and comfortable enough with enough space to store my things, public transit and taxi accessible, and with a good internet connection. And I'm set! Haven't we all had this discussion in-depth before?

[Balboa]

I have heard similar.

But what's going on with the price of Brazilian national airline tickets? I was recently searching the airline sites for roundtrip CGH-SDU-CGH flights, and I followed up on what turned out to be a 600-price offer from one of the airlines which included 1st row seats and 1 checked in bag. The price seemed very good & I almost bought the ticket until I realized at the last moment that the quoted price was in dollars not reais. The website switched from reais to dollars when I changed the language from Portuguese to English. KKK.

So, hell yeah, I am going to rent a car and drive to RJ. The bus would work almost as well for me, but I think it will be fun to have a car in RJ. I have heard some bus lines are very good.

I was looking to buy a flight from SP to Rio the other day.

The cheapest price was $400, one way.

I was considering the bus option as well.

Then yesterday I checked the flight prices again.

GOL and TAM were still at $400, however, to my delight, most Azul flights dropped to $50 one way!

I snagged one!

Crazy!