GOL Linhas Aéreas (GOL), Brazil’s largest domestic carrier, launched new nonstop service between Rio de Janeiro and New York (JFK), marking the airline’s first long-haul international route. The route operates three times weekly aboard an Airbus A330.

Celso Ferrer, CEO of GOL, said: “This is much more than a new destination on our route map. It is an invitation for travelers to experience Brazil from the moment they board our aircraft.” By connecting Rio and New York nonstop, he said, “we are strengthening our presence in one of the world’s most relevant travel markets while expanding access to Brazil through our extensive domestic network.”

GOL is part of the Abra Group, which also operates Avianca. The carrier has partnerships with Avianca, American Airlines and Air France-KLM, offering its customers more than 60 codeshare and interline agreements. The partnership with American Airlines, said an announcement, allows customers to earn and redeem AAdvantage miles while benefiting from expanded connections between North and South America, making travel through the region even more seamless.

At a press event in New York, Ferrer said GOL would be building relationships with corporate clients through its affiliation with Avianca and by reaching out to companies with offices in the US and Brazil. 

Mateus Pongeluppi, chief commercial officer, said, “Our new business class, Insignia by GOL, brings a new level of comfort to our long-haul experience, highlighting the best of Brazilian hospitality.”