American Begins Codesharing on GOL Flights within Brazil

American Airlines has begun codesharing on flights operated by GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes between Sao Paulo and Salvador, Belem, Brasilia, Curitiba, Fortaleza, Manaus, Natal, Porto Alegre and Recife, as well as between Rio de Janeiro and Porto Alegre.

The U.S. carrier says its new codeshare agreement with GOL offers customers a more convenient travel experience when flying to and from points in Brazil not served by American Airlines. The U.S. airline serves five major Brazilian cities from the United States and GOL serves 51 destinations within Brazil.

Members of American’s AAdvantage program will continue to earn AAdvantage miles on GOL’s own flights as well as on the new American codeshare flights operated by GOL, according to American. AAdvantage members are also able to redeem miles for travel on GOL flights.

The new agreement also expands the opportunities for AAdvantage members to earn miles, points and segments that count toward qualification for elite-status membership when traveling on the American codeshare flight (booked using the AA flight number) to the additional destinations flown on GOL.

“This codeshare agreement with GOL makes it even more convenient for travelers to see more of Brazil, South America’s largest country,” says Peter Dolara, American’s senior vice president for Mexico, the Caribbean and Latin America. “Our customers traveling to and from Brazil will now have an unparalleled choice of destinations and schedules. We are proud to be able to connect more people throughout the world through our new arrangement with GOL.”

Until American Airlines starts taking delivery of up to 100 Boeing 787s which it has ordered, the Boeing 777-200ER is the carrier's primary long-haul aircraft type. American is due to operate up to 54 777-200ERs, each of which it has outfitted to seat 247 passengers in three service classes

With the codeshare agreement in effect, customers transferring from GOL to an American Airlines flight leaving Brazil can check their luggage through to their final American Airlines destination when they check in for their GOL flight. Similarly, customers traveling to Brazil on American and transferring to a GOL flight within Brazil, or elsewhere in South America, can purchase a single ticket for their journey, rather than multiple tickets, and check their luggage to their final destination. As always, customers still have to clear U.S. and Brazilian customs upon arrival.

Along with convenient ticketing and luggage arrangements, American and GOL also offer interline fares for both Premium Class and Economy Class travel. Interline tickets for travel between American and GOL can be purchased through American and its appointed agencies around the world, using electronic ticketing.

American serves five destinations in Brazil from Miami International Airport, New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, while GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes operates more than 860 daily flights to 51 destinations connecting the most important cities in Brazil and nine major destinations in other countries in South America.

Offering more flights to Brazil than any other U.S. airline, American is expanding its service to South America’s largest nation, adding extra flights and new destinations to its network.

Assuming it receives Brazilian government approval, American plans to begin service from its Miami hub to Brasilia on November 18, and from New York-JFK to Rio de Janeiro on November 19. American is also seeking authority from the Department of Transportation to operate new nonstop service from Dallas/Fort Worth to Rio de Janeiro from November 18. With these additional flights, American would offer a total of 72 weekly flights to and from Brazil.

Including its planned new services, from November American Airlines expect to be serving Sao Paulo from Dallas/Fort Worth, Miami and New York JFK; Rio de Janeiro from Miami, New York JFK and Dallas/Fort Worth; and Belo Horizonte, Recife, Salvador and Brasilia from Miami.