Brazilian low-cost carrier GOL has announced that it will return to Miami International Airport on Nov. 4 with daily flights to Brasilia and Fortaleza. It will serve the two routes with 186-seat Boeing B737-MAX8 aircraft.
“I am pleased to welcome GOL back to our community, and I am especially encouraged to see increased service to our busiest international tourism market,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez. “We look forward to seeing carriers like GOL generate renewed growth between our two regions in 2018.”
Founded in 2001, GOL operates approximately 700 flights per day with a fleet of 119 aircraft. GOL first launched service at MIA in 2012 with daily flights from Sao Paulo, but temporarily suspended operations in 2016. It will become MIA’s 9th low-cost carrier and will further expand the airport’s diverse roster of 107 passenger and cargo airlines – the most of any U.S. airport.
“Congratulations to MIA for adding GOL to its growing roster of airlines,” said Miami-Dade County Commissioner Rebeca Sosa, Chairperson of the County’s Economic Development and Tourism Committee. "The addition of new airlines creates jobs and helps strengthen our tourism industry, which is something every County resident can celebrate."
Miami-Dade Aviation Department Chief of Staff Joseph Napoli said: “We appreciate GOL’s decision to restart service at MIA with even more weekly flights than they previously offered. Our passengers will soon have yet another option to choose from when they travel between Miami and Brazil.”
GOL will also become the fourth airline at MIA to serve Brazil, joining American Airlines, Avianca Brasil and LATAM Airlines. MIA currently provides 88 weekly nonstop flights to eight Brazilian destinations, which is the most of any U.S. airport. After experiencing traffic declines the last two years due to a struggling national economy, Brazil – still MIA’s top international market with more than 1.5 million passengers annually – appears poised to make a comeback in 2018.
"The flights to the United States reveal a new moment of GOL. Along these 17 years, we have gained leadership in important industry indexes; we have evolved, updated our operation and grown. In addition to the new destinations, the arrival of the 737 MAX, from June 2018, is the fulfillment of a new delivery to offer the best travel experience to our customers, with new and modern aircraft, exclusive services and products and a strong and integrated network," said Eduardo Bernardes, GOL’s Sales and Marketing Vice President.
