Terminal 1

Most LATAM, Gol, and Azul flights now run from Terminal 2

Terminal 1 at Rio de Janeiro–Galeão (GIG) sits mostly quiet, with regular commercial flights from LATAM, Gol, and Azul shifted over to Terminal 2 in recent years. If your ticket or app still shows “T1” for GIG, cross-check on the airline’s site or with your booking, because day-of operations almost always use Terminal 2 now.

The Terminal 1 check-in areas and departure halls once handled domestic flights, but current airport maps and airline info point commercial passengers to Terminal 2 for both check-in and boarding. That means the standard flow for LATAM, Gol, and Azul at GIG starts and ends in Terminal 2, even if some older guides still reference Terminal 1 counters.

Lounges now sit in Terminal 2, not Terminal 1, with branded spaces and third‑party options all concentrated airside in the active terminal. If you go hunting for a Priority Pass or airline lounge in Terminal 1, you lose time and still end up backtracking to Terminal 2 security for your actual gate.

Dining and shops in Terminal 1 are largely shuttered, while Terminal 2 holds the functioning cafés, bars, and retail. Current traveler reports talk almost exclusively about food courts and grab‑and‑go spots in T2, with zero recent mentions of eating or shopping in T1, which tells you where the real services are.

Public transport and taxis drop at both terminal buildings along Avenida Vinte de Janeiro, but airport signage and most drivers at GIG now point airline passengers toward Terminal 2 doors for departures. If you do get dropped at Terminal 1 by mistake, plan on a short exterior walk or shuttle over to T2 before check-in cutoffs close.

Security screening for commercial flights runs through Terminal 2 lanes, not the old Terminal 1 checkpoints, so allow at least 60–90 minutes before departure for domestic and 2–3 hours for international flights on LATAM, Gol, or Azul. Showing up early at Terminal 1 just adds an extra transfer step before you even reach those T2 lines.

For now, the simplest move is to treat Terminal 1 at GIG as closed to you and head directly to Terminal 2 for any LATAM, Gol, or Azul flight on your itinerary.