Gol Linhas Aéreas announced on Thursday new international routes from Rio de Janeiro, including flights to Paris and Lisbon, plus expansion to Orlando and New York. The airline is betting on Galeão Airport as a hub for these connections and introducing a new business class. The Airbus A330-900 aircraft will be added to the fleet between 2026 and 2027.
Gol announced on March 12, 2026, three new international routes: Paris, Lisbon, and expansion to Orlando, all departing from Rio de Janeiro's Tom Jobim International Airport (Galeão). The previous week, the airline had revealed flights to New York from the same airport.
Flights to New York will start in July, with three weekly frequencies to John F. Kennedy Airport. The Rio-Lisbon route begins on September 16, with four weekly flights to Humberto Delgado Airport. For Paris, at Charles de Gaulle Airport, the flights are confirmed but without a disclosed schedule or frequency. In Orlando, four additional weekly flights from Rio will complement existing operations from Brasília and Fortaleza using Boeing 737 MAX 8.
These routes will be operated with the new Airbus A330-900 aircraft, acquired by Grupo Abra, Gol's controlling group. Seven aircraft will arrive progressively between 2026 and 2027, with up to five for Gol and two for Avianca. The model has capacity for over 290 passengers, a double aisle, and autonomy of about 15 hours.
The airline launched the Business Insignia class, featuring seats that convert to full flat beds, priority check-in and boarding, access to Gol Smiles lounges and partners in New York, Orlando, Paris, and Lisbon, noise-canceling headphones, 16-inch touchscreen screens, and priority baggage delivery. The menu, signed by chef Felipe Bronze, will be served in three stages for lunch and dinner.
The expansion aims to compete in the long-haul market between Brazil, the US, and Europe, turning Galeão into an international hub. Veja also mentions a new Magno category in the Smiles program, with accelerated mile accumulation and upgrades.
