London to Sao Paulo flights

How long is the flight from London to Sao Paulo?

The duration of a direct flight from London to Sao Paulo is 11 hours.

What are the most common stopovers?

If you choose to break your journey with a stopover, the most common flight path is to buy a ticket to another European city and then cross the Atlantic to Brazil. Common stopovers include Madrid, Lisbon, Paris or Frankfurt.

What documentation do I need to fly to Sao Paulo from London?

British passport holders need 6 months left on their passport for trips to Brazil. If you are visiting for holidays of up to 6 months or city breaks, usually you will not require a visa.

Is there a time change from London to Sao Paulo?

Due to differences in daylight saving, Sao Paulo (GMT-2) is 2 hours behind UK (GMT) time in winter, and 4 in summer.

There is a huge choice of departures to Sao Paulo, both direct and with stopovers. Your choice of airlines includes:

• Latam Airlines, large South American airline offering routes across the continent.
• British Airways, UK flag carrier airline.
• TAP, the Portuguese national airline.
• Air France, French carrier with connections through Paris.
• KLM, long-established Dutch airline with connections in Amsterdam.
• Lufthansa, Germany's national airline.

Any search for great deals on trips to Sao Paulo starts with a visit to the Opodo website. Opodo is the UK's leading online travel agent, famous for its intuitive search engine which makes it easy to find the ideal airfares for you. Filter searches by date, preferred airline or price to build your perfect deal.

• February is the top month to visit Sao Paulo, when the city's famous Carnival celebrations are in full swing.
• January is the cheapest time to go, as many visitors delay their visits to coincide with carnivals. January is also the wettest time of the year.
• October is another popular month as it is dry, with comfortable temperatures.

All direct flights to Sao Paulo depart from London Heathrow airport (LHR). If you have chosen flights connecting through another European city, you may start your journey at London Gatwick (LGW) instead.

Useful information about London Heathrow Airport

London Heathrow is the UK's best-known and busiest international airport. Heathrow is 15 miles to the west of central London, and has 4 main terminals.

How to get to the airport:

• London Underground – 24 hour Piccadilly Line trains to 3 stations at Heathrow. 50 minutes from Leicester Square or Piccadilly Circus.
• By train – Heathrow Express every 15 minutes from London Paddington station. Journey time 15 minutes.
• Car – Heathrow is close to the M4, M40 and M25 motorways. Journey time from Central London around 45 minutes, depending on traffic.

Services: Easy connection between the airport's 4 terminals. Wide range of restaurants, bars, shops and fast food outlets. Free Wi-Fi, showers, baby change, children's play areas and phone charging stations.

Useful information about London Gatwick Airport

If your journey to Sao Paulo starts at Gatwick, you'll find this airport 30 miles to the south of London. It's the UK's second busiest airport, and has two terminals.

How to get to the airport:

• Coach – A3 airport shuttle buses from Victoria coach station in Central London. Journey time up to 90 minutes, depending on traffic.
• Train – Gatwick Express rail service from Victoria train station every 15 minutes. 30 minute journey time.
• Car – Gatwick is close to the M23 motorway. The airport has both on and off-site parking for varying lengths of stays.

Services: Gatwick's North and South terminals are connected by a free monorail service. Both terminals have many bars, restaurants, cafes and fast food outlets. Free Wi-Fi, children's play areas, foreign currency exchange, showers and airport lounges.

There are three airports in the Sao Paulo area. Two primarily handle regional and domestic flights. Passengers on flights from Europe will arrive at Sao Paulo Guarulhos International Airport (GRU).

Useful information about Sao Paulo Airport

Sao Paulo international airport is in the Guarulhos area to the north-east of the city centre. It is around 15 miles from downtown Sao Paulo.

Getting to the city centre from the airport:

• Metro – take a bus from the airport to Tiete metro station, on Line 1 of the Sao Paulo metro.
• Bus – Service 250 from Placa da Republica, or 318 from downtown hotels. Journey time 65 minutes.
• Taxi – Over 650 approved taxis to pick up and transport visitors from the airport across the city. Journey time 45 minutes.

Services: hairdressers, foreign currency exchange, bars, restaurants and fast food. cash points, one hour free Wi-Fi.

• Admire the impressive art collection at the Sao Paulo Museum of Art.
• Find a shady spot in leafy Ibirapuera Park and watch the world go by.
• Catch a football match at the Corinthians stadium.
• Sample local food at the Municipal Market.
• Stroll along Paulista Avenue's museums, shops and restaurants.