R$25–35 usually gets you a 99 ride from FOR to Meireles
At Pinto Martins International (FOR), 99 runs normally 24/7 and is often cheaper than street taxis, with many rides into central Fortaleza (Meireles/Beira Mar area) landing in the R$25–35 range outside of peak traffic. Pricing spikes in rush hour along Av. Borges de Melo and Av. Domingos Olímpio, so late afternoon weekdays can jump closer to R$40–50.
Arrivals at FOR use Terminal T1 only, and 99 drivers typically meet passengers at the public curb just outside the main arrivals hall on the ground floor. Exit baggage claim doors 1–3 in T1, walk about 30–60 meters to the general pickup lane, and only then request your ride so the app pins your location correctly. If the lane is crowded, message the driver with the exact door number shown on the terminal signage.
Airport Wi‑Fi at FOR is free but can drop around baggage carousels 1–4, so many passengers open the 99 app once they reach the public area near the cafés by Door 2. A Brazilian SIM from TIM, Vivo, or Claro usually gets stronger coverage along the curb, which helps the driver locate you in the parking chaos around the first 100 meters of the exit road.
From FOR to Praia de Iracema, drive time can run 20–30 minutes late at night, and 35–50 minutes around 17:00–19:00 because Av. Santos Dumont clogs near Aldeota. Going the other way, leaving Meireles for T1, calling a 99 about 1 hour 45 minutes before a domestic departure and 2 hours 15 minutes before an international one usually leaves enough buffer for traffic plus check-in lines.
Payment inside 99 supports Brazilian cards and some international cards, but many drivers still prefer in-app card or PIX over cash for airport trips above R$40. If your foreign card fails in-app, expect the driver to ask for cash in reais, and ATMs at T1 arrivals tend to charge around R$20 per withdrawal, so plan before you land.
Practical tip: In the 99 pickup notes, type “Saída 1 T1” or “Saída 2 T1” so the driver heads to the exact door; it usually cuts 3–5 minutes of back-and-forth messages at pickup.