Delta Resuming Daily Service From JFK to Rio de Janeiro

Updated: December 16, 2024, 12:55pm CST

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Delta Resumes Direct Flights Between JFK and Rio de Janeiro
Booking Delta Flights to Rio de Janeiro
Final Thoughts

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Delta Air Lines is restarting nonstop flights between New York City and one of the world’s most vibrant cities: Rio de Janeiro.

Here’s what you need to know about this exciting news!

Delta Resumes Direct Flights Between JFK and Rio de Janeiro

Delta has resumed daily nonstop service from New York (JFK) to Rio de Janeiro’s Galeão Airport (GIG). The seasonal and daily route will run from December 20, 2024, just in time for the holidays, to March 27, 2025.

Delta will fly a Boeing 767-300 with 215 seats on the route, featuring 25 fully flat Delta One seats, 18 Premium Select seats, 21 extra-legroom Comfort+ seats, and 151 Main Cabin seats.

The daily service will operate with the following schedule:

Depart New York (JFK) at 7:59 p.m. and arrive in Rio de Janeiro (GIG) at 8 a.m. (+1)
Depart Rio de Janeiro (GIG) at 10:55 p.m. and arrive in New York (JFK) at 7 a.m. (+1)

The renewed route is only scheduled to operate on a seasonal basis during the North American winter. Delta announced the relaunch of its service from New York to Rio de Janeiro in 2023, following the route’s suspension due to the pandemic, and it is scheduled to restart it once again on December 20, 2024.

Rio de Janeiro Brazil — Overlooking “The Marvelous City.” Image Credit: Daniel Ross

“With the resumption of the JFK-GIG flight, Delta and LATAM further consolidate their Joint Venture as the #1 partnership of its kind for flights between Brazil and New York, offering three daily frequencies to the Big Apple, including our flights departing from São Paulo, which demonstrates the power of our alliance,” said Ricardo de Oliveira, Delta’s Regional Sales Manager in Brazil.

Booking Delta Flights to Rio de Janeiro

The JFK-GIG route is now available to be booked on Delta.com or in the Delta mobile app.

The lowest round-trip fares currently available begin at approximately $574 for travel in March.

Delta JFK GIG Pricing Cash — Image Credit: Google Flights

Considering how costly travel to Brazil from the U.S. can be, the starting pricing for a round-trip booking is surprisingly reasonable. However, expect to pay significantly higher prices during the holidays and during Rio’s famous Carnival, which runs from late February through early March.

However, you are not required to pay with cash when booking. Instead, you can purchase your flight with Delta SkyMiles or Virgin Atlantic Flying Club points. Surprisingly, Delta is the superior option, with a one-way ticket from JFK to GIG costing as few as 35,000 miles.

Delta JFK GIG Skymiles — Image Credit: Delta

Hot Tip:

Earning Delta SkyMiles is straightforward, from opening a co-branded credit card to transferring points from Amex Membership Rewards or Marriott Bonvoy. You can earn Flying Club points by transferring from Amex Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards, and Marriott Bonvoy.

Final Thoughts

It’s great to see Delta making a returning to destinations it previously served after some time away because of the pandemic — especially to a vibrant place like Rio de Janeiro. For Delta flyers in New York, this is an ideal opportunity to snag an affordable flight to Rio this winter, especially with some great pricing options available for cash or points!