Passenger terminal

Fourteen gates, one building: CWB keeps everything under one roof

The single passenger terminal at Curitiba–Afonso Pena (T1) handles all domestic and international flights in one compact building, with just 14 gates serving Azul, Gol, and LATAM Brasil. Check-in rows for these three airlines sit in the same hall on the departures level, so you can switch counters in minutes if a self-service kiosk fails or lines spike.

Security for all 14 gates feeds into one main airside hall, so lines back up fast in the early morning bank of departures around 6:00–8:00. Walking time from the entrance doors to the furthest gate usually sits under 10 minutes at normal pace, which softens the pain if queues at the X-ray machines are running longer than you’d expect for a “small airport.”

Domestic and international flights share the same departures concourse, with passport control spun off to one side before a smaller international holding area used by routes like LATAM Brasil to Santiago and seasonal flights. If you land from abroad and connect to a domestic Azul or Gol flight, you clear immigration, grab your bag, clear customs, then head straight back upstairs to the same check-in hall instead of shuttling to another terminal.

Arrivals and departures sit on separate levels in the T1 building, with taxis and ride-hail pickup zones on the lower curb directly outside the baggage claim doors. Baggage belts are only a short walk from every gate because of the 14-gate footprint, so it’s common to be at the curb in under 20–25 minutes after a domestic landing if you arrive outside the evening rush.

Facilities airside are basic: think small cafés and snack counters rather than full-service restaurants, with typical Brazilian options like salgados, sandwiches, and espresso-based coffee running in the R$10–R$30 range. If you want a proper meal, you’re usually better off eating in Curitiba before heading to the airport, since late-night choices after 22:00 can shrink to a single open counter near the central gates.

There is no published airline lounge list for T1, and regulars on business routes between CWB and São Paulo note that they often just grab coffee at a landside café and work from general seating. Power outlets show up near some gate areas but not every row of seats, so bring a charged power bank if you’re banking on a 2–3 hour layover between Gol or LATAM legs.

Shops inside the terminal focus on basics: newsstand-style kiosks, small gift spots, and travel essentials close to the main departures hall, with prices higher than in central Curitiba but still reasonable for sunscreen, last-minute chargers, and bottled water. Duty-free for international flights operates near passport control, typically with shorter lines than you’ll see at GRU or GIG because of the lower daily international departure count.

User reviews on third-party sites call out that single-terminal simplicity can backfire during peak business-bank departures around Monday mornings and Friday evenings, when queues for check-in and security in T1 feel long for an airport with only 14 gates. One travel guide suggests adding 20–30 minutes to whatever minimum connection Gol or LATAM sells you if you’re moving from one domestic flight to another, just to protect tight schedules.

Frequent flyers commuting between CWB and São Paulo often book connections of at least 60–75 minutes in T1, even though the walking distance between the most distant gates can be done in under 8–10 minutes. That buffer absorbs slow baggage delivery on checked bags and occasional morning staff shortages at security, which locals say crop up more often on Mondays than midweek.

Practical tip: for a same-day domestic–international connection in T1 involving baggage claim and re-check, treat Curitiba like a bigger hub and pad in at least 90 minutes; the building is small, but queues and formalities still eat real time.