Terminal 3

LATAM long-hauls and Emirates A380s both leave from T3

Terminal 3 at GRU handles most of the long-haul international traffic, with 32 gates feeding flights for LATAM Brasil, American Airlines, Air France, Emirates, Qatar Airways, and many Star Alliance carriers. It sits slightly apart from Terminals 1 and 2, so build at least a 15–20 minute buffer if you’re walking over from domestic. All international departures funnel through the same upper-level check-in hall before passport control and security.

After passport control in T3, Star Alliance users head up the first escalator to the Espaço Banco Safra lounge, in the same footprint as the old Star Alliance-branded lounge. LATAM’s own lounge and the American Airlines Admirals Club sit in the same airside zone, above the main duty-free run, and usually open from early morning long-haul waves around 06:00 until the last departures near midnight. Priority Pass and Amex Platinum cardholders often default to the Aspire Lounge here when they’re not in business class or Star Gold.

Tryp by Wyndham GRU Airport sits airside inside Terminal 3’s international departures area, just past the transfer security point, and only same-day international passengers can use it. Staff on FlyerTalk state that arriving passengers must be carry-on only and follow the “International Connections” signs to reach the hotel; anyone with checked bags is forced landside and locked out. One regular described clearing transit security, finding the Tryp entrance immediately after, showering, eating breakfast, then taking an elevator down to level 0 to reach passport control afterward.

International-to-international connectors with a valid onward boarding pass can usually use the dedicated T3 transfer security instead of going through Brazilian immigration and customs, which can save 30–45 minutes. Recent reports say the connections checkpoint moved down an escalator next to passport control, and staff now ask to see an international departure boarding pass before letting you through. If your airline has already issued a mobile boarding pass, keep it ready at that point.

Food in Terminal 3 skews mainstream: Burger King, McDonald’s and Vivenda do Camarão sit along the main concourse, with Brioche Dorée and The Coffee scattered near several gate clusters. Paris 6 and Áriah cover more sit-down dining for longer layovers, while Bacio di Latte, Kopenhagen, and 3Corações handle ice cream, chocolates, and coffee. Prices run higher than city levels; expect a basic burger combo at Burger King or McDonald’s to push past 40–50 BRL.

Heineken Bar in T3 is the obvious beer stop, often busy before late-night transatlantic departures around 22:00–01:00. O Pastifício offers pasta dishes if you want something heavier than the lounge buffet but don’t want a full Paris 6 meal. Regulars who care about one last espresso before boarding usually pick The Coffee over the chains by comparing the grind and machine; one Reddit-style review mentioned better consistency there than at a random Dufry café stand.

Shopping in Terminal 3 is anchored by big Dufry duty-free stores right after immigration and again near the gates, plus brands like Sephora, Samsung, and Brazilian clothing label Reserva. Droga Raia covers basic pharmacy needs, while Fuel and Claro handle SIM cards and accessories if you land without data. Electronics in Samsung and travel gadgets in Dufry often price higher than in São Paulo city malls, so check your phone for comparison before dropping a few hundred reais.

Big complaints in T3 focus on access rules: you usually cannot reach the nicer lounges or the Tryp hotel on arrival if your trip ends in São Paulo or you checked a suitcase. FlyerTalk threads are full of mixed answers from staff about what’s allowed, with posters trading notes on needing an onward boarding pass, remaining in the transit area, and having no checked baggage. If you want a shower on arrival and you’re terminating in GRU with luggage, assume you’ll be using landside options in Terminals 2 or city hotels instead.

What regulars do here: Star Alliance flyers with through-tickets and e-boarding passes follow “Conexões Internacionais” signs, hit the T3 transit security point, and head straight back to the airside concourse and the Banco Safra lounge without clearing customs. Travelers planning to use the Tryp transit hotel build their trip as carry-on only so they can bypass baggage claim. One last tip: screenshot your onward boarding pass and keep your passport in hand from the moment you reach the T3 transfer escalator, or you’ll slow yourself down in the transit-security queue.