TravelTravel

Travel Note

Getting to Rio de JaneiroGetting to Rio de Janeiro

If traveling from the U.S.: We suggest connecting in either Houston (IAH), Miami (MIA), Atlanta (ATL), Panama City (PTY), or São Paulo (GRU), if possible. There are also 2+ options that may be cheaper through Gol (partner with American Airlines) or Azul (partner with United Airlines), especially if you book directly through them. If you’re coming from… HOUSTON - There are nonstop direct flights to Rio de Janeiro on United (IAH). However, it can be more expensive sometimes to do the nonstop from Houston than to do a 1-stop over IAH from DFW or Austin. When pricing tickets, also look at flights from DFW or AUS and, if it is notably cheaper, drive, bus, or get a cheap commuter flight to one of those cities so you can save $$ in the long term. NYC / DMV / HOUSTON / LA - There are nonstop overnight flights to São Paulo that arrive in Brazil the next morning. If you choose this option, give yourself 2.5+ hours before your connection to Rio since you’ll have to go through immigration/customs and airport security before you can go to your connecting gate. If connecting directly to Rio from São Paulo, make sure your flight leaves from the same airport you arrive in (GRU). Book a longer layover if you connect via another country (except Panama - PTY). You will still have to go through immigration/customs and airport security before you can go to your next flight, even if you're not staying in the country. You may have to re-check your bags as well. Why do you suggest such a long connection time? Once you land, you'll need to go through immigration, customs, and security again. If you check a bag, you may also need to re-check the bag. There's no way to gauge how fast or slow this process will be on any given day, especially if your flight is delayed on arrival. Panama City (PTY) is an exception - you shouldn't have to go through immigration/customs/bag re-check when coming in from the US.

Hotel

Hotel Block: Rio Othon PalaceHotel Block: Rio Othon Palace

The room block is set up from Tuesday, May 20, to Thursday, May 29, to accommodate those who may want to arrive early or stay a bit longer in Rio. You do not need to book all of those dates to get the group rate. We suggest booking early for availability in the block. There is free cancellation until 48 hours before your check-in date. If you need to modify your dates for some reason, you can directly reach out to the hotel and/or Dan and Leah. The booking link is set up to show the dates of the full block for 1 room and 2 adults. You can change this in "advanced search" on the page. It doesn't work well on mobile for some reason, so I suggest booking on a computer. AS A HEADS UP, the prices may look really high since they are listed in Brazilian reais (BRL). Unfortunately, the hotel doesn't provide a USD conversion on their site to give a more realistic idea of price (in USD). As of July/August, the exchange rate has been around $1 USD = R$5.5 BRL. Dan and Leah use a 1:5 exchange rate to be safe. Room rates do not include tax. The full payment for the rooms will be made at check-in. We plan to arrange for vans to pick up and drop off guests at the hotel for the wedding. The Superior Side Sea View offers a king size bed or two single beds. You must specify which type of bed size you want when booking and the hotel will do their best to accommodate. The hotel is on the beach and offers free breakfast, free beach chair / umbrella services (based on availability), a rooftop pool and bar, and much more. If you're having trouble booking or if there are no more rooms available, please reach out to either Dan or Leah and we'll do our best to help.

Discount Code - 69376

Travel Note

Preferred Hotel Chains / Credit Card travelPreferred Hotel Chains / Credit Card travel

If you have a hotel chain preference or want to book your hotel using credit card points (e.g., AMEX), you can still book in Copacabana. We aren't setting up blocks or discount codes for the these hotels, but the addresses are below. Hilton: Avenida Atlantica 1020, Rio de Janeiro, 22010-000, Brazil Marriott: Av. Atlântica, 2600 - Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, 22041-001 Copacabana Palace: Av. Atlântica, 1702 - Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, 22021-001 AMEX travel: https://www.amextravel.com/hotel-searches/247025183

Travel Note

Transportation to/from AirportTransportation to/from Airport

We strongly advise against renting a car. Instead, take an Uber or taxi to get to your hotel, or contact us about potentially being in a shared van from the airport. UPDATE: Many people may be arriving on the same date/times, so we will look into vans that can take you directly from the airport to the hotel as long as enough people arrive at the same date/time/airport. We'll reach out about airport vans to the Rio Othon. For taxis: After exiting the airport (post-Duty Free store), head to the taxi stand (not in the customs area) for a regular metered taxi. Ask for a metered taxi instead of a flat-rate taxi - it is usually cheaper for Copacabana. You may need cash (Brazilian reais) for the taxi, and you should be prepared with approximately R$140-200 (~$35-50) to cover the fare. Ask ahead of time at the taxi stand at the airport. For Uber: Follow the signs to the Uber pick-up zone. Your account must be connected with a credit card or bank account. Venmo does not work outside of the US. If you've coordinated your flight with 5 or more people, chartering a van is an option. If you want to go this route, we can help you put this together both to and from the airport. You can also reach out to us to see if anyone else is arriving on the same flight as you so you can link up.