# Rio Galeão – Tom Jobim International Airport (GIG)

> Rio De Janeiro, BR · IATA: GIG · ICAO: SBGL · Large Airport · Cargo Hub

## Quick Facts

| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| IATA | `GIG` |
| ICAO | `SBGL` |
| City | Rio De Janeiro |
| Country | BR |
| Type | Large Airport |
| Elevation | 9 m |
| Cargo | ✅ |
| GPS | -22.81000, -43.25056 |

## Description

Thirteen kilometres north of downtown Rio de Janeiro, on Ilha do Governador in Guanabara Bay, Rio Galeão – Tom Jobim International (GIG/SBGL) is the leading air cargo airport of Rio de Janeiro state, with a freight terminal holding some 20,000 tonnes and rated for up to 78,000 tonnes of throughput a year. It has Brazil's longest runway, so widebody freighters face no technical constraint. The terminal accepts dangerous goods, radioactive material and heavy cargo, and a cold store opened in 2014 provides 11,000 cubic metres across two temperature environments with automated storage, alongside quarantine, fresh-meat inspection and livestock handling. Swissport has served the field since 1994 and runs its own cargo warehouse there, while LATAM Cargo Brasil links GIG to domestic and international lanes. A large share of the tonnage still moves as belly cargo on passenger flights: against Brazil's freight heavyweights São Paulo-Guarulhos (GRU) and Viracopos/Campinas (VCP), GIG remains the smaller address, and shippers needing freighter capacity or dense intercontinental frequencies usually check those two first. Customs is handled by the Receita Federal, and Brazilian imports are paperwork-intensive, so clarifying NCM classification and licence requirements early pays off. On the road side the Linha Vermelha expressway runs to the city centre and the Port of Rio de Janeiro, making sea-air combinations practical. The operator is currently courting a second Gulf carrier for long-haul capacity, with rising e-commerce volumes the central argument.

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*Freight Academy — Airport Profile: [https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/rio-galeao-tom-jobim-international-airport-gig](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/rio-galeao-tom-jobim-international-airport-gig)*

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