7 sizzling sights in Brazil
Brazil may rank fifth in size and population among the world's countries, but many global travelers are just now discovering its allure. If the 2014 FIFA World Cup didn't permanently put it on the map, this summer's Rio Olympics surely will. But when you visit Brazil, what is there to see in Rio and beyond?
Rio de Janeiro
Go for the sights: Gaze down on Rio and its famed beaches, such as Copacabana and Ipanema, from the 98-foot-tall Christ the Redeemer statue atop the Corcovado mountain towering 2,300 feet into the sky — or reverse the view by peering up at the monument from the pristine sand. Go for the sounds: Samba clubs are the pulse of the music scene in the Lapa neighborhood. Go for the flavors: The aroma of meats grilling at churrascarias (a type of Brazilian steakhouse known for its buffet-style serving) envelops the city. Or just go for the whole sensory feast, whether your reason for visiting is business, your bucket list, the Olympics (August 5-21) or the next Carnival (starting Feb. 24 2017).
Sights of São Paulo
Often overshadowed by Rio, São Paulo is actually far more populous and more affluent and diverse, with the people and the cuisine reflecting waves of immigration from Europe, the Middle East and Asia. It's home to the most Japanese residents outside of Japan, so sushi can be enjoyed everywhere. Sao Paulo is also Brazil's culture capital, so don't miss the Museu do Ipiranga and its Versailles-inspired gardens.
Iguazu Falls
Think Niagara Falls — but higher, wider and with more waterfalls. This thunderous medley of cascades also straddles an international boundary, in this case, the Brazil-Argentina border. Viewed from wooden platforms — or a boat, helicopter or rainforest train — Iguazu Falls (also called Iguassu or Iguacu Falls) tumble into two national parks.
Amazon adventures
Most Amazon explorations commence from Manaus, a city at the mouth of the amazing Amazon. Transportation and lodging options range from luxury cruise ships to eight-cabin riverboats and rustic eco-lodges. Regardless of your choice, you will be surrounded by the world's most bio-diverse collection of flora and fauna as your vessel ventures deep into the rainforest.
Beach cities
Along Brazil's Atlantic coastline — at 4,655 miles, more than twice the length of the U.S. East Coast — are countless cities, towns and villages known for their sunbathing and surfing beaches. The cities with the most to offer in addition to beaches:
- Salvador (located in northeastern state of Bahia): Check out its 17th-century cathedral and Afro-Brazilian cuisine.
- Florianópolis (capital of southern Brazil's Santa Catarina state): Take a selfie on one of its picturesque bridges and indulge in the superb seafood.
- Recife (capital of Brazil's northeastern state Pernambuco): This former Dutch colony is situated near coral reefs and tropical forests for those looking to spend some quality time with Mother Nature.
- Fortaleza (capital of northeastern state Ceará): The museum district and lively nightlife won't disappoint.
Fernando de Noronha
Visiting this island, 220 miles off the easternmost tip of South America, is worth the relatively high accommodations prices. The snorkeling, diving and hiking options are all outstanding, and the beaches are rated the best in Brazil. Much of the six-mile-long island is part of a national marine park — expect to spot spinner dolphins. Only about 300 visitors are allowed to arrive daily by air, so reserve a flight well in advance on Azul Brazilian Airlines.
Brasília
This unique planned city sprung out of nothing — carved out of the jungle in a three-year uprising of modernist architecture during the late '50s. Several palaces, the massive government complex at Three Powers Square and the glass-roofed Cathedral of Brasília are some of the most popular attractions.
All of these destinations are easily accessible via United nonstop flights from the U.S. (to Rio and São Paulo), and, once you arrive, you can get to the smaller cities on United mileage partner Azul Brazilian Airlines. Plan your adventure on united.com or by using the United app.
Rio de Janeiro
Go for the sights: Gaze down on Rio and its famed beaches, such as Copacabana and Ipanema, from the 98-foot-tall Christ the Redeemer statue atop the Corcovado mountain towering 2,300 feet into the sky — or reverse the view by peering up at the monument from the pristine sand. Go for the sounds: Samba clubs are the pulse of the music scene in the Lapa neighborhood. Go for the flavors: The aroma of meats grilling at churrascarias (a type of Brazilian steakhouse known for its buffet-style serving) envelops the city. Or just go for the whole sensory feast, whether your reason for visiting is business, your bucket list, the Olympics (August 5-21) or the next Carnival (starting Feb. 24 2017).
Sights of São Paulo
Often overshadowed by Rio, São Paulo is actually far more populous and more affluent and diverse, with the people and the cuisine reflecting waves of immigration from Europe, the Middle East and Asia. It's home to the most Japanese residents outside of Japan, so sushi can be enjoyed everywhere. Sao Paulo is also Brazil's culture capital, so don't miss the Museu do Ipiranga and its Versailles-inspired gardens.
Iguazu Falls
Think Niagara Falls — but higher, wider and with more waterfalls. This thunderous medley of cascades also straddles an international boundary, in this case, the Brazil-Argentina border. Viewed from wooden platforms — or a boat, helicopter or rainforest train — Iguazu Falls (also called Iguassu or Iguacu Falls) tumble into two national parks.
Amazon adventures
Most Amazon explorations commence from Manaus, a city at the mouth of the amazing Amazon. Transportation and lodging options range from luxury cruise ships to eight-cabin riverboats and rustic eco-lodges. Regardless of your choice, you will be surrounded by the world's most bio-diverse collection of flora and fauna as your vessel ventures deep into the rainforest.
Beach cities
Along Brazil's Atlantic coastline — at 4,655 miles, more than twice the length of the U.S. East Coast — are countless cities, towns and villages known for their sunbathing and surfing beaches. The cities with the most to offer in addition to beaches:
- Salvador (located in northeastern state of Bahia): Check out its 17th-century cathedral and Afro-Brazilian cuisine.
- Florianópolis (capital of southern Brazil's Santa Catarina state): Take a selfie on one of its picturesque bridges and indulge in the superb seafood.
- Recife (capital of Brazil's northeastern state Pernambuco): This former Dutch colony is situated near coral reefs and tropical forests for those looking to spend some quality time with Mother Nature.
- Fortaleza (capital of northeastern state Ceará): The museum district and lively nightlife won't disappoint.
Fernando de Noronha
Visiting this island, 220 miles off the easternmost tip of South America, is worth the relatively high accommodations prices. The snorkeling, diving and hiking options are all outstanding, and the beaches are rated the best in Brazil. Much of the six-mile-long island is part of a national marine park — expect to spot spinner dolphins. Only about 300 visitors are allowed to arrive daily by air, so reserve a flight well in advance on Azul Brazilian Airlines.
Brasília
This unique planned city sprung out of nothing — carved out of the jungle in a three-year uprising of modernist architecture during the late '50s. Several palaces, the massive government complex at Three Powers Square and the glass-roofed Cathedral of Brasília are some of the most popular attractions.
All of these destinations are easily accessible via United nonstop flights from the U.S. (to Rio and São Paulo), and, once you arrive, you can get to the smaller cities on United mileage partner Azul Brazilian Airlines. Plan your adventure on united.com or by using the United app.

On March 19, 2020, United operated its first flight carrying cargo without passengers on board. While the passenger cabin was empty, its cargo hold was completely full, carrying more than 29,000 pounds of commodities from Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Frankfurt Airport (FRA).
A year later, United Cargo has operated more than 11,000 cargo-only flights carrying more than 570 million pounds of freight. To support the COVID-19 pandemic recovery efforts, United Cargo has also transported more than 113 million pounds of medical and pharmaceutical products on both cargo-only and passenger flights as well as approximately 10 million COVID-19 vaccines, providing global communities access to the items they have needed most.
"At the beginning of the pandemic, we knew we were uniquely positioned to utilize our widebody aircraft and our network to keep commodities moving, so we quickly mobilized various departments throughout the airline to launch a cargo-only network of flights that would keep commodities moving," said United Cargo President Jan Krems. "Thanks to those efforts, United Cargo has delivered millions of items to countries all around the world. We would not have been successful without the steadfast support of our employees, industry partners and our customers."
Since last March, United Cargo has transported almost 850 million pounds of freight on cargo-only and passenger flights. The airline will continue to monitor market trends adjust its cargo-only flight schedules to help ensure we are meeting our customer's evolving shipping needs.
Whether you haven't flown with us for a while or just need a quick refresher before your spring trip, read this list of tips to know before your flight and arrive at the airport travel-ready:
1. Download the United app for contactless bag check, travel assistance and more
Before your flight, download the United app to view your flight status, check in, sign up for flight notifications, locate departure gates, access our free personal device entertainment when available and more. We've also updated our app with new features that can make your trip a little safer, including contactless bag check.
Don't forget to use Agent on Demand for help with any and all questions you may have before your flight. This new capability is available at all our U.S. hub airports and allows you to use your own mobile device to contact a customer service agent via phone, video or chat to help with day-of-travel questions while you're at the airport. Learn more about Agent on Demand here.
2. Check out the Travel-Ready Center
Our Travel-Ready Center makes it easy to get a personalized overview of everything you need to do in preparation for your flight. Just enter your confirmation number or MileagePlus® number and you'll find detailed information on all the documents, tests and more that you'll need for your trip.
3. Read and sign the Ready-to-Fly checklist
Before completing check-in, all United travelers will need to read our Ready-to-Fly checklist and confirm that they understand and agree to our policies. These include:
Acknowledging that you haven't had any symptoms of COVID-19 in the last 14 days
Agreeing that you will not fly if you have tested positive for COVID-19 within the last 21 days
Confirming that you will follow all policies regarding face masks, social distancing and other health and safety measures we've adopted
4. Arrive early; avoid the stress
Airports can be busy, especially during peak travel periods like spring break season. The TSA advises arriving at the airport two hours before your flight for domestic travel and three hours for international travel in anticipation of long security lines. This can help ease the stress when navigating busy check-in areas, security lines and crowded boarding gates.
5. Get familiar with CleanPlus
United CleanPlus℠ is our commitment to delivering industry-leading cleanliness as we put health and safety at the forefront of your experience. We've teamed up with Clorox to redefine our cleaning and disinfection procedures and Cleveland Clinic to advise us on enhancing our cleaning and disinfection protocols, like:
Disinfecting high-touch areas on board and in the terminal
Using electrostatic spraying, Ultraviolet C lighting wands and more advanced measures to clean aircraft cabins before boarding
Redesigning our mobile app to allow for touchless check-in and contactless payment, along with enhanced travel assistance features
Implementing high-efficiency (HEPA) filters on our aircraft that completely recirculate cabin air every 2-3 minutes and remove 99.97% of airborne particles, including viruses and bacteria
Studies show COVID-19 exposure risk is minimal when air filtration systems and masks are in use, so you can rest assured that the steps we've taken to keep you safe truly make a difference.
6. Wear your mask
Federal law requires all travelers to wear a face mask in the airport, including customer service counters, airport lounges, gates and baggage claim, and on board during their entire flight. Make sure you review the requirements for face masks, including what an acceptable face mask looks like.
7. Get ready for a safer boarding process
To make boarding even safer, we now have travelers board their aircraft from back to front. At the gate, just listen for your row number to be called – we'll ask a few rows at a time to board, starting with the last row of the plane. This helps everyone maintain a safe distance from each other during boarding without slowing things down. As you step onto the plane, flight attendants will hand each passenger a sanitizing towelette, which you can use to wipe down your seat to ensure it's extra clean.
8. Pack smart
Before packing your bags, check to see what exactly you can carry on and what you should plan to check. You can also copy your confirmation number into our Baggage Calculator tool to learn about the bag allowance included with your reservation, as well as the cost of checking any additional bags.
9. Check your flight status, important notices and weather
Check the United app regularly for the latest updates on weather conditions, flight status, gate numbers and seat assignments. You can also visit our Important Notices page to find essential information and updates about travel waivers, international travel, TSA and security, airports and United Club locations.
10. Relax and enjoy your flight
Once you're on board, it's time to sit back and enjoy your flight. Our flight attendants will be happy to help you with anything else you need.
This week, we were honored to become the first U.S. airline to join the UNICEF Humanitarian Airfreight Initiative to combat the COVID-19 pandemic by transporting the vaccine and other critically needed supplies to underserved areas of the globe.
"We are committed to helping the global community in any way we can, and we all must work together to do our part to bring this health and humanitarian crisis to an end," said Director of Cargo Specialty Products Manu Jacobs.
We will leverage our expertise to transport these critical pharmaceutical and healthcare shipments around the world safely, efficiently and expediently. We are proud to partner with the United Nations to support this global effort and provide equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines.