Recommended Carry-on Time at Brazilian Airports

Carry-on time at Brazilian airports

When you fly with carry-on only, you skip the check-in fee and the queue that goes with it. The rule that governs this in Brazil is ANAC RBAC 117, which sets the standard carry-on allowance at 10 kg and dimensions up to 55 × 35 × 25 cm, plus a personal item. Watch out for low-cost fares. Gol Light and Latam Basic, for instance, drop the carry-on limit to 5-7 kg. Leaving the checked bag at home buys you roughly 30 extra minutes at check-in, and on the other end you skip the 15-25 minute wait at the carousel. As a rule of thumb, show up 90 min before a domestic flight and 2 h before an international one. So: domestic, carry-on only, arrive 90 min ahead; add a checked bag and that becomes 2 h.

Applications

Think weekend getaways, a business meeting you fly out and back for in a day, or a connection that leaves you no margin. It also helps when you want to weigh Latam, Gol, Azul and Voepass against each other on carry-on rules, when you check in online and board off your phone, or when you simply want to dodge the checked-baggage fee on a low-cost ticket.

FAQ

Does ANAC actually weigh carry-ons? The airline does, not ANAC, and some of them will put your bag on the scale and in the sizer right at the gate when the flight is packed. Anything over goes to the hold, and you may pay for it.

Is the personal item separate? It is. A backpack, handbag or laptop bag measuring up to 35 × 25 × 20 cm rides under the seat in front of you, on top of the 10 kg carry-on.

What about liquids? Flying internationally, each container tops out at 100 ml and they all have to fit inside a clear 1 L bag. On domestic flights within Brazil there is no liquid limit in the carry-on.