São Paulo/Congonhas–Deputado Freitas Nobre Airport — Attraction in Região Imediata de São Paulo

In an era where airports aspire to be lifestyle destinations, São Paulo's Congonhas Airport (CGH) remains defiantly, charmingly itself, a masterclass in controlled chaos serving over 21 million passengers annually in a space that feels like that cramped LaGuardia LGA got a South American makeover.

The 88-year-old facility wears its heritage proudly, from its Art Deco control tower, a cream-colored sentinel with a jaunty yellow trim, to the iconic black and white checkered floors that have become both its signature and metaphor. Like the chess pieces these tiles evoke, every movement here is strategic, whether it's suited executives power-walking to their Rio shuttles or ground crews orchestrating the ballet of lime-green buses beneath aircraft bellies.

Originally built on what was then the city's outskirts (a quaint notion in today's endless grinding São Paulo), Congonhas has evolved into Brazil's premier business hub. Operating exclusively domestic flights from 6 AM to 11 PM, a concession to neighboring residents that dates to 1976, the airport manages the remarkable feat of one takeoff or landing every two minutes on its 1,940-meter main runway.

The recently privatized airport balances its historical bones with modern necessity. The Advantage VIP lounge, with its sleek black panels and gold accents, offers refuge from the rhythmic chaos below. Here, Brazil's business elite sip coffee before joining the famous Rio-São Paulo air bridge, once the world's busiest shuttle route and still the beating heart of Brazilian commerce.

The terminal's dramatic ceiling, with its concentric rings of light floating above the passenger flow, suggests a modernist UFO has landed among the palm trees. It's a fitting metaphor for an airport that often feels like it operates in its own time zone, where somehow everything works despite (or perhaps because of) a distinctly Brazilian approach to punctuality.

Just 10.6 kilometers from downtown, Congonhas trades the international glamour of its crosstown rival Guarulhos for something more valuable: predictability wrapped in a package of mid-century charm. Like the mate plant it's named after, it offers a daily boost to Brazil's business culture, one flight at a time.

Practical Tips: Morning rush rivals São Paulo's legendary traffic - arrive early The observation area offers excellent plane-spotting Terminal-front traffic can build; rideshare drop-offs work smoothly Don't miss the proper Brazilian coffee before...

Okay I have flown in/out of here several times now. This airport has its pros and cons like everywhere and they really cancel each other out so I’ll give the place a solid 3 stars.

Pros: -one building, -one terminal, -one security check area, -Flights to many smaller interior destinations that aren’t served by GRU, -Security line goes fast -many times they offer forward and aft boarding and disembarkation of the plane

Cons: Always very crowded, Everyone, including staff, always confused, many times you don’t know your gate number until it’s boarding time The downstairs gates (I think gates 13-17 or something like that), are complete chaos. People line up in such a fashion that it blocks passageway through the corridor. It’s stuffy and smelly down there. Then when you finally get to the front of the line and it’s your turn to show your ticket to get on the plane, you walk out the door only to have to jam onto a bus. And I do mean jam on there. They pack you in, like sardines in a can, until the bus is just about to rub on its wheels. The bus is all sealed up and someone inevitably lets out a stinker. Then off you go on a journey to your plane which is parked away somewhere else. But hey if you want to travel these are sometimes the things you...

The Congonhas airport it’s convenient for those who looking for a domestic and more affordable, in terms of price, flight. Its open 24 hours, for those unfortunate enough to wait for the next day to catch a flight and has an available sitting area, where you can hangout. I had a flight from Miami with a final destination to Goiania with my total down to $760. A cheap flight but I had to change airports, from São Paulo Guarulhos to Congonhas. Overall, I am happy for what I pay, but for someone not so adventurous, I will advise him to reconsider. That being said a few tips for those future travelers that are planning to take a flight from Congonhas. How to get to São Paulo Congonhas from São Paulo Guarulhos : -With a bus. It’s a free shuttle bus which leaves every hour and the last one is at 22:00. You just show him your boarding pass and free to ride with it. ( it works with a first come first serve basis, so if it’s a big line you might end up missing it and then you will have to wait until the next one) -With a taxi. It’s service is 24 hours and costs 167.59 reals or around $55. In order to find where to take them, ask around, they will be more than happy to...