São Paulo / Congonhas Airport or simply Congonhas Airport (IATA: CGH, ICAO: SBSP) is a domestic airport in the city of São Paulo, the second busiest airport in Brazil. The airfield is in the south zone of the city. It is 10.6 km from the center of the capital and 35 km from Sao Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport. It is an airport, marked with scars of serious aerial accidents that have occurred throughout its history. It is also considered the executive airport of Brazil due to the large number of its passengers who travel on business between São Paulo and other major centers such as Rio de Janeiro and Brasilia.

Inaugurated in the mid-1930s in an open area, the airport was soon surrounded by the city and became a central airport, currently serving Greater São Paulo with national and regional domestic flights to more than 30 destinations in Brazil. Congonhas serves five of the 20 busiest routes in Brazil, including the Rio-São Paulo airway, the busiest in the country. Has two lanes, one from 1940 and one from 1435 meters, the latter used by the executive aviation that is very intense at the airport. The greater track is used by commercial aviation and large biz-jets. LATAM and GOL also share the leadership of passenger landings and departures in CGH, with AVIANCA in third place and Azul in last. You will see many Boeing 737 and Airbus A320, A319. Congonhas is home to countless companies that use executive planes, so landings and takeoffs of executive jets and turbo-propellers are constant here as well, it is in fact the busiest executive airport in Brazil. General Aviation ccounts for 22 percent of airport traffic.The São Paulo-Rio de Janeiro (SDU) route is the fifth busiest in the world.,39,000 flights were performed between the two airports in 2017, more than 100 flights a day!

This airport was scene  of the biggest aviation accident of Brazil, when an Airbus A320 of the airlines TAM did not manage to stop and left of the track, colliding with a building of the own company. 199 people died in the airplane and ashore.

Written by Ediney Ribeiro and Gabriel Aguiar. Last change: January 2024 (Spot 5 added)

Rating
Movements
Airline Variety
Photo Locations
Weather
Airport Information
Runways
17R/35L	1940 mts (6.375ft)
17L/35R	1430 mts (4.738ft)
Terminals	One terminal for all commercial passenger traffic
Spotting Information
Ladder	You will only need a ladder at spot 4, in the other points there is no need for a ladder.
Car/Public Transport	As driving around the city and parking space is limited we recommend you to walk. Especially spots 1-3  are within walking distance to the terminal. So get there by public and walk to the spots. Only spot #4 is far away from the terminal and a ladder is needed there too so a car (or uber) is recommend.
Restrooms	At spot 1 and in spot 5 you will have toilets and shade in spot 3 is next to a gas station so you can go there to use the restrooms. At spot 2 and 4 there are no ones.
Drinks/Food	At spots 1 you will be in the room of the hotel Slim, in point 5 inside the airport and in point 3 you have a gas station where you can buy drinks and food.
Hotels	There are many hotels in the region, the best for spotting is Slim Slavieiro (spot 1), which provides a full view of the airport. You can also stay at the Ibis Congonhas, but you will not have such a good view and the photos will not be good
Season	Outside the months of December, January and February the other months are good to photograph in CGH. In the cited months there is much rain. Best months are June, July August.
Security	The points that can bring you some security problems are 3 and 4. I still have not heard reports of assaults, but at these points you should have prudence of preference to go with a few more people to have more security
Runway Usage
17R/35L	The tracks are used according to the variation of the winds being difficult to predict which one will be used, with 17R/35L being the only one used for commercial aviation operations.
17L/35R	Used for business aviation only in both directions due to its short length

	Spot #1 – Slim Slavieiro Hotel
WHERE	The Slim Slaviero Hotel is the best location for CGH photos. You have to book a room facing the airport side on the tenth floor. Stay in room 1015 because it has a full view of the airport and you can take photos of both takeoffs and of landings. Windows can be only tilt a bit and it is not possible to open them completely The daily rate is around 60 dollars with a good breakfast. You can only photograph in the hotel if you are staying. But there is the possibility of trying together with the management of the hotel a half a day just to photograph. This is not guaranteed and formerly this was possible. To get to the hotel if you are coming by plane to CGH exit the airport on Washington Luiz Avenue and cross the only footbridge that is there Walk 50 meters and turn left, next block turn right, walk five blocks (Av. Baronesa Bela Vista) ahead you will find the hotel.
WHAT	Best for landings and take-offs on RWY 17R. Arrivals and departures on RWY 35L are no problem too.
TIME	This is the negative point of this place as you can only shoot afternoon until sunset. In a few months just before 12PM in others a little later. It is possible to take night shots of aircraft movements when operating runway 17R for takeoffs because the aircraft stop in queue before takeoff.
MISC.	You’re in your hotel room, so everything is at your fingertips.
FOCAL LENGTH	You can use 70-300mm lenses up to 50-500mm lenses because you will have smaller planes landing / taking off on the lane farther (17L / 35R) and larger planes landing / taking off on the nearest lane (17R / 35L)

CGH-Spot1

CGH-Spot1

CGH-Spot1

CGH-Spot1

CGH-Spot1

CGH-Spot1

	Spot #2 – Memorial 17 de Julho
WHERE	This is a place on the former TAM property, where the worst Brazilian aviation accident occurred. This place was transformed into a memorial in honor of the victims of this accident. To get here walk about 300 meters from the hotel at spot#1 by the street Baronesa de Bela Vista and you will arrive. Its a huge plaza and you can stay anywhere here to take photos.
WHAT	You will be able to photograph arrivals on lane 17R. The landings on the 17L are further away but it is also possible to photograph them using a larger lens. But the takeoffs of the 35R pass very high, is a very bad angle, this spot is not very popular among spotters because the angle is not good.
TIME	From afternoon till sunset. In a few months just before 12PM in others a little later.
MISC.	There are several benches, bars and restaurants around.  Should be a safe place too.
FOCAL LENGTH	70-300mm to 50-500mm

CGH-Spot2

CGH-Spot2

CGH-Spot2

	Spot #3 – Bridge over  Washington Luiz Avenue
WHERE	This place is on a pedestrian bridge over the avenue Washington Luiz, to get here you can walk or use an Uber. Leaving the airport turn right and walk down the avenue Washington Luiz for about 1.5 kilometers until you see the pedestrian bridge that is next to a gas station. This place is always busy passing pedestrians every moment, but the angle is very good.
WHAT	It is the best place to take photos in the morning until noon for landings and departures on RWY17R/34L. Executive movements on 17L/34R are almost impossible as stand below the flight path and the angle is pretty worse.
TIME	From sunrise till around noon.
MISC.	The place is busy with pedestrians crossing at all times and not to be a very safe place. It is better to go in groups and never alone. There is a gas station with food/drinks and restrooms.
FOCAL LENGTH	You can use from 50 to 400mm depending on the track in use and the size of the aircraft

CGH-Spot3

CGH-Spot3

CGH-Spot3

	Spot #4 – Jurandir Avenue
WHERE	This place is very little used by local spotters as its on the opposite side of the terminal and only reached by car. There is no public transport to this location. To get here get a car from the airport on Washington Luiz Avenue heading north and take the first exit on the right, bypassing the airport and then you will reach Avenida dos Bandeirantes and continue until you find João Carlos Malet Street street and take the first left. Soon you will be in Jurandir street and go until you find the street Alameda dos Gaiaos. Where the road branches you can put your ladder. You will need one as the airport fence here is very high and you must place the ladder on the opposite pavement and never on the sidewalk of the airport perimeter-wall. It is very possible that if you are seen by the security of the airport they will ask you to leave immediately. Why is it worth going here? The view from the airport is great, and you can make great photos in the morning.
WHAT	Landings and takeoffs on both lane, and will be very close to the runway most used by executive aviation
TIME	From sunrise till around noon.
MISC.	It is not a very common place and you should be aware because I do not consider its a safe place.
FOCAL LENGTH	50-400 mm depending on the aircraft.

CGH-Spot4

CGH-Spot4

CGH-Spot4

	Spot #5 – Centenaria Tree
WHERE	The location is at the back of the airport and it is possible to reach it by car or via transport apps. You can find it under the name “centenary tree”. A small park, located between the streets Almirante Sousa Braga and Correia de Almeida. You can park your car in front of the square, which is a quiet place. There are stairs next to the last building, bringing you to the highest place from where you can take the photos.
WHAT	It is possible to see takeoffs from runways 17R and 17L and also the aircraft alignment from runway 35L.
TIME	From sunrise till around noon.
MISC.	As it is on the street, the place does not have a bathroom or nearby places to eat. There are no problems with the police either, it’s a quiet place, without crowds, it’s always good to be accompanied by other people too.
FOCAL LENGTH	70-300mm

CGH-Spot5

CGH-Spot5

CGH-Spot5

CGH-Spot5

CGH-Spot5

CGH-Spot5

	Spot #6 – Terminal
WHERE	This place is inside the passenger terminal behind security. Not the best place, for photography, just for registration, there are glazing and reflection disturbing the photos a lot.
WHAT	Airplanes parked, taxiing and also landing or taking off
TIME	From afternoon till sunset. In a few months just before 12PM in others a little later.
MISC.	Everything you need within the terminal complex.
FOCAL LENGTH	Airplanes parked and taxiing from 28 to 100mm for landings and takeoffs from 100 to 300mm

CGH-Spot6

CGH-Spot6

CGH-Spot6