London to São Paulo is the UK’s main gateway to Brazil, and it is a comfortable overnight non-stop of around 11 hours 40 minutes. British Airways and LATAM both fly the route direct from Heathrow, so you rarely need to connect. This guide covers who flies it, what a fair return fare looks like in pounds, and when to book to save.
Route: London (LHR) → São Paulo, Guarulhos (GRU)
Distance: approximately 9,500 km (5,900 miles)
Non-stop flight time: about 11h 40m southbound; roughly 11h 30m on the way home
Direct flights: Yes — British Airways and LATAM fly non-stop from London Heathrow to Guarulhos, most departures leaving in the evening for a morning arrival; LATAM’s fares were £776–£780. One-stop options via Madrid are cheaper, from £533 — but check the arrival airport: most of them land at Viracopos (Campinas), about 100 km from São Paulo.
Fares from London to Sao Paulo (GBP)
São Paulo is a year-round business and leisure destination, but fares track Brazil’s summer and its big events. December to February (Brazilian summer and the school holidays) and the Carnival period are the busiest and priciest; the middle of the year is quieter and cheaper. The figures below are typical economy return fares in pounds — the lowest are usually early-booked or one-stop, with peak non-stops toward the top.
| Month | Demand | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| January | — | high (Brazilian summer) |
| February | — | high (Carnival) |
| March | — | medium |
| April | — | medium |
| May | — | low-medium |
| June | — | medium |
| July | — | high (summer holidays) |
| August | — | medium |
| September | — | low-medium |
| October | — | medium |
| November | — | medium |
| December | — | very high (holidays) |
Checked against every return fare on sale as we write, this route is cheaper than usually described: the floor is £533 and the median £586, so a return under about £555 is a genuinely good one and the three-figure sums often quoted describe the dear end rather than the typical fare. Those low fares are low-cost connections through Madrid into Viracopos, not Guarulhos. LATAM’s non-stop to Guarulhos was £776–£780.
Airlines on this route
Non-stop (about 11h 40m):
- British Airways — daily non-stop from Heathrow, usually an evening departure and a morning arrival into Guarulhos.
- LATAM — daily non-stop from Heathrow to its São Paulo hub, with the widest onward network across Brazil and South America.
One-stop (often cheaper, about 14–18 hours total):
- TAP Air Portugal via Lisbon — frequent connections and often among the best-value fares to Brazil.
- Iberia via Madrid and Air France via Paris — reliable European routings with competitive prices.
- Lufthansa via Frankfurt — another comfortable one-stop option when the non-stops are pricey.
Because two airlines fly non-stop, direct fares stay competitive outside the peak weeks. A one-stop routing via Lisbon or Madrid can save money, especially over the December–February high season, but it adds several hours to the journey.
When to book & how to save
- Book 2–4 months ahead for the best balance of price and choice; long-haul fares to Brazil rarely fall in the final weeks.
- Avoid Brazilian summer and Carnival (December to February) if you can — the middle of the year (April to June, August to September) is the cheapest.
- Fly midweek — Tuesday and Wednesday departures are usually cheaper than weekend ones on this route.
- Compare all-in prices including bags: full-service non-stops to Brazil usually include a checked bag, but the cheapest “light” fares may not, so check before you book.
- Set a price alert around the £570–£600 mark — that is a strong return fare on this route.
Arriving in Sao Paulo
Almost all international flights land at Guarulhos International (GRU), about 25 km northeast of the city and the busiest airport in South America. The Airport Bus Service runs to key city points, and the CPTM Line 13 train connects the airport to the rail network via Engenheiro Goulart. A metered or app taxi to the central and business districts (Paulista, Pinheiros) costs roughly £25–£40 and takes 40–60 minutes depending on traffic. Some domestic flights use the closer Congonhas (CGH) airport, so check which one any onward flight uses.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the flight from London to Sao Paulo?
Non-stop flights take about 11 hours 40 minutes southbound from London to São Paulo, and around 11 hours 30 minutes on the way home. One-stop itineraries via Lisbon, Madrid or Paris typically take 14 to 18 hours in total, depending on the connection.
Are there direct flights from London to Sao Paulo?
Yes. British Airways and LATAM both fly non-stop from London Heathrow to São Paulo Guarulhos, usually as overnight flights; LATAM was £776–£780 in our sample. If you would rather save money, one-stop options are cheaper — the cheapest we found were Ryanair, Wizz Air UK and easyJet through Madrid, from £533 — but those land at Viracopos, about 100 km from the city, not Guarulhos.
How much does it cost to fly from London to Sao Paulo?
A typical economy return runs about £552–£733, median £586, with the whole sample spanning £533–£964. Good deals start at £533 on a Madrid connection into Viracopos, usually in the middle of the year, while the December–February peak and Carnival push above that range.
What is the cheapest month to fly from London to Sao Paulo?
May and September are usually the cheapest. In the dates we could price, connecting returns started at £533 and LATAM’s non-stop at £776. Avoid December to February (Brazilian summer and Carnival) and the July holidays, which are the busiest and most expensive on this route.
Which airlines fly from London to Sao Paulo?
Non-stop: LATAM from Heathrow to Guarulhos (£776–£780); British Airways also flies it non-stop but did not appear among the cheapest when we checked. One-stop, cheapest first in our fare data, and all of these land at Viracopos rather than Guarulhos: Ryanair from Stansted via Madrid (£533–£545, the floor), Wizz Air UK from Luton via Madrid (£540–£634, over half the cheapest fares) and easyJet from Gatwick via Madrid (£548–£620). Into Guarulhos: TAP Air Portugal via Lisbon (£733–£940), Air France via Paris (£883–£964) and Iberia via Madrid (£916). The connections really are cheaper than the direct fares — but the cheapest ones cost you a 100 km transfer at the far end.
Which airport do I fly into in Sao Paulo?
Check this before you book — it is not always Guarulhos. Of the hundred cheapest fares we could price, eighty land at Viracopos (VCP) in Campinas, about 100 km from São Paulo: that is where every low-cost connection through Madrid goes — Wizz Air UK, easyJet and Ryanair alike. The LATAM non-stop and the flag-carrier connections use Guarulhos International (GRU), the main international airport about 25 km northeast of the city. The smaller Congonhas (CGH) handles mostly domestic flights and sits much closer to the centre. Budget for the coach or transfer from Viracopos before you decide a cheap fare is cheap.
How far in advance should I book London to Sao Paulo flights?
Aim to book 2 to 4 months ahead. Long-haul fares to Brazil tend to rise as departure approaches, particularly around the December–February high season and Carnival, so early booking almost always wins.
Is it cheaper to fly on weekdays?
Often, yes — midweek departures (Tuesday and Wednesday) are usually a little cheaper than Friday to Sunday, and flying out and back on weekdays can save £40–£100 on a return. Being flexible by a day or two is one of the easiest ways to cut the fare.
Fare guidance based on aifly.one deal tracking and current airline schedules; last reviewed July 2026. Indicative economy returns — always check the live fare before booking.
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