Gol Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes facts for kids
![]() A Boeing 737-800 of GOL
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Founded | 2000 |
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Commenced operations | 15 January 2001 |
AOC # | 12,669 - 2 October 2023 |
Hubs |
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Focus cities |
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Frequent-flyer program | Smiles |
Fleet size | 128 |
Destinations | 74 |
Parent company | Abra Group |
Headquarters | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
Key people | Celso Ferrer (President & CEO) |
Revenue | ![]() |
Net income | ![]() |
Employees | 13,969 (2021) |
GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes S.A. is a major Brazilian airline. It is often called "GOL Intelligent Airlines S.A." or VRG Linhas Aéreas S/A. The airline is based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
GOL is one of the largest airlines in Brazil. It carries many passengers on flights within Brazil and to other countries. GOL mainly competes with other big airlines like LATAM Brasil and Azul.
The airline operates many flights both inside Brazil and to other countries. Its main busy airports, called "hubs," are São Paulo–Guarulhos International Airport, Rio de Janeiro–Galeão International Airport, and Tancredo Neves International Airport near Belo Horizonte. GOL also has important operations at other airports like Rio de Janeiro-Santos Dumont Airport and São Paulo-Congonhas Airport.
The name "GOL" comes from the English word "goal," like in association football. The company's slogan in Portuguese means New GOL. New times in the air.
Contents
History of GOL Airlines

GOL started as GOL Transportes Aéreos S.A. in 2000. Its first flight was on January 15, 2001, from Brasília to São Paulo. The airline is part of a larger Brazilian company called Grupo Áurea. This group also owns Brazil's biggest long-distance bus company. The Constantino family owns Grupo Áurea.
In 2007, GOL was owned by several companies, including AeroPar Participações and American International Group. The Constantino family became very wealthy because GOL's stock price grew a lot.
GOL decided not to join a big airline group like Oneworld. Instead, it chose to work with different airlines through special agreements. For example, GOL and Aerolíneas Argentinas planned to share flights and frequent flyer programs.
In 2010, GOL made its maintenance center bigger at Tancredo Neves International Airport. This allowed them to fix more airplanes each year. They also started fixing planes for other airlines.
In 2011, Delta Air Lines bought a small part of GOL's shares. They also agreed to share flights and frequent flyer benefits. In 2012, GOL ordered 60 new Boeing 737 MAX airplanes.
GOL started special seasonal flights to Miami and Orlando in 2012. These flights were mainly for people who used GOL's frequent flyer program.
In 2014, Air France–KLM invested money in GOL. This happened before big events like the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Olympics in Brazil.
GOL calls itself a "low-cost carrier." This means it tries to offer cheaper flights. However, some experts say GOL's costs are similar to other airlines.
In 2019, Delta Air Lines sold its shares in GOL. This happened after Delta bought a part of LATAM Airlines Group.
In 2022, GOL announced it would join with Avianca to create a new group called Abra Group. Celso Ferrer became the CEO of GOL in July 2022.
In March 2023, GOL changed its flight schedule in Fortaleza and closed its hub there.
In January 2024, GOL faced financial challenges and filed for a special type of bankruptcy protection in New York. This allowed the airline to keep flying while it worked to manage its debt. GOL continued to operate flights normally during this process. The airline successfully exited this process in June 2025. It plans to add new routes and more Boeing planes to its fleet.
Buying Other Airlines: Varig
In March 2007, GOL bought part of the company that owned the famous Varig airline brand. This new company was called VRG Linhas Aéreas. GOL paid US$320 million for it. The original Varig airline was going through financial trouble at the time.
GOL decided to keep using the Varig brand name for some flights. For a while, VRG Linhas Aéreas operated flights under both the GOL and Varig names. However, most flights were always under GOL flight numbers. The Varig brand was used for some international flights. This plan was later changed.
Buying Other Airlines: Webjet Linhas Aéreas

In July 2011, GOL announced it would buy another airline called WebJet Linhas Aéreas. The deal was completed in October 2012. GOL started to combine Webjet's services with its own. However, in November 2012, Webjet suddenly stopped flying. All its flights were then taken over by GOL. The Webjet brand no longer exists. GOL also returned Webjet's Boeing 737-300 planes to their owners.
Working with TwoFlex
In April 2019, GOL started a partnership with TwoFlex. TwoFlex operated smaller flights for GOL in certain Brazilian states. These flights were sold by GOL but flown by TwoFlex. This helped GOL reach more places. However, in January 2020, Azul Brazilian Airlines bought Twoflex, ending the partnership.
Buying MAP Linhas Aéreas
In June 2021, GOL announced it would buy MAP Linhas Aéreas. This deal included important flight slots at São Paulo–Congonhas Airport. MAP's operations in the Amazon region and most of its planes were transferred to another airline called Voepass.
Working with Voepass Linhas Aéreas
Between August 2021 and May 2023, GOL and Voepass had an agreement. Voepass operated some flights for GOL during this time.
Where GOL Flies
As of December 2024, GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes flies to many places.
Country | City | Airport | Notes | Refs. |
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Argentina | Bariloche | Teniente Luis Candelaria Airport | Terminated | |
Buenos Aires | Aeroparque Jorge Newbery | |||
Ministro Pistarini International Airport | ||||
Córdoba | Ingeniero Aeronáutico Ambrosio L.V. Taravella International Airport | |||
Mendoza | Governor Francisco Gabrielli International Airport | |||
Rosario | Islas Malvinas International Airport | |||
Aruba | Oranjestad | Queen Beatrix International Airport | ||
Barbados | Bridgetown | Grantley Adams International Airport | Terminated | |
Bolivia | Santa Cruz de la Sierra | Viru Viru International Airport | ||
Brazil | Altamira | Altamira Airport | Terminated | |
Aracaju | Santa Maria Airport | |||
Araçatuba | Araçatuba Airport | |||
Araguaína | Araguaína Airport | Terminated Operated by Voepass |
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Barreiras | Barreiras Airport | Terminated Operated by Voepass |
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Bauru | Bauru Airport | Terminated | ||
Belém | Val de Cans International Airport | Focus city | ||
Belo Horizonte | Pampulha – Carlos Drummond de Andrade Airport | Terminated | ||
Tancredo Neves International Airport | ||||
Boa Vista | Boa Vista International Airport | |||
Bonito | Bonito Airport | |||
Brasília | Brasília International Airport | Hub | ||
Cabo Frio | Cabo Frio International Airport | Terminated | ||
Caldas Novas | Caldas Novas Airport | |||
Campina Grande | Campina Grande Airport | |||
Campinas | Viracopos International Airport | |||
Campo Grande | Campo Grande International Airport | |||
Carajás (Parauapebas) | Carajás Airport | |||
Cascavel | Regional West Airport | |||
Caxias do Sul | Hugo Cantergiani Regional Airport | |||
Chapecó | Serafin Enoss Bertaso Airport | |||
Cruzeiro do Sul | Cruzeiro do Sul International Airport | |||
Cuiabá | Marechal Rondon International Airport | |||
Curitiba | Afonso Pena International Airport | |||
Dourados | Francisco de Matos Pereira Airport | Terminated | ||
Fernando de Noronha | Fernando de Noronha Airport | Terminated | ||
Florianópolis | Hercílio Luz International Airport | |||
Fortaleza | Pinto Martins – Fortaleza International Airport | |||
Foz do Iguaçu | Foz do Iguaçu International Airport | |||
Goiânia | Santa Genoveva Airport | |||
Ilhéus | Ilhéus Jorge Amado Airport | |||
Imperatriz | Imperatriz Airport | Terminated | ||
Ipatinga | Vale do Aço Regional Airport | Terminated Operated by Voepass |
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Jericoacoara | Comte. Ariston Pessoa Regional Airport | |||
João Pessoa | Presidente Castro Pinto International Airport | |||
Joinville | Joinville-Lauro Carneiro de Loyola Airport | |||
Juazeiro do Norte | Orlando Bezerra de Menezes Airport | |||
Juiz de Fora | Zona da Mata Regional Airport | |||
Lençóis | Coronel Horácio de Mattos Airport | Terminated Operated by Voepass |
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Londrina | Londrina Airport | |||
Macapá | Macapá International Airport | |||
Maceió | Zumbi dos Palmares International Airport | |||
Manaus | Eduardo Gomes International Airport | Focus city | ||
Marabá | Marabá Airport | |||
Maringá | Maringá Regional Airport | |||
Montes Claros | Montes Claros Airport | |||
Natal | Augusto Severo International Airport | Airport Closed | ||
Governador Aluízio Alves International Airport | ||||
Navegantes | Ministro Victor Konder International Airport | |||
Palmas | Palmas Airport | |||
Passo Fundo | Lauro Kurtz Airport | |||
Paulo Afonso | Paulo Afonso Airport | Terminated Operated by Voepass |
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Pelotas | Pelotas International Airport | |||
Petrolina | Petrolina Airport | |||
Porto Alegre | Salgado Filho International Airport | |||
Porto Seguro | Porto Seguro Airport | |||
Porto Velho | Governador Jorge Teixeira de Oliveira International Airport | |||
Presidente Prudente | Presidente Prudente Airport | |||
Recife | Recife/Guararapes–Gilberto Freyre International Airport | |||
Ribeirão Preto | Leite Lopes Airport | |||
Rio Branco | Rio Branco International Airport | |||
Rio de Janeiro | Rio de Janeiro–Galeão International Airport | Focus city | ||
Santos Dumont Airport | ||||
Rio Verde | Gal. Leite de Castro Airport | Terminated | ||
Rondonópolis | Maestro Marinho Franco Airport | Terminated Operated by Voepass |
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Salvador da Bahia | Deputado Luís Eduardo Magalhães International Airport | Hub | ||
Santa Maria | Santa Maria Airport | Terminated Operated by Voepass |
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Santarém | Santarém-Maestro Wilson Fonseca Airport | |||
Santo Ângelo | Sepé Tiaraju Airport | |||
São José dos Campos | São José dos Campos Airport | |||
São José do Rio Preto | Prof. Eribelto Manoel Reino Airport | |||
São Luís | Marechal Cunha Machado International Airport | |||
São Paulo | São Paulo–Congonhas Airport | Hub | ||
São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport | Hub | |||
Sinop | Sinop Airport | |||
Sorriso | Adolino Bedin Airport | Terminated Operated by Voepass |
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Teresina | Teresina Airport | |||
Teixeira de Freitas | 9 de maio Airport | Terminated Operated by Voepass |
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Uberaba | Uberaba Airport | |||
Uberlândia | Uberlândia Airport | |||
Uruguaiana | Ruben Berta International Airport | Terminated Operated by Voepass |
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Vitória | Eurico de Aguiar Salles Airport | |||
Vitória da Conquista | Pedro Otacílio Figueiredo Airport | Airport Closed | ||
Glauber Rocha Airport | ||||
Chile | Santiago | Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport | Terminated | |
Colombia | Bogotá | El Dorado International Airport | ||
Costa Rica | San José | Juan Santamaría International Airport | ||
Curaçao | Willemstad | Curaçao International Airport | Terminated | |
Dominican Republic | La Romana | La Romana International Airport | Terminated | |
Punta Cana | Punta Cana International Airport | |||
Santo Domingo | Las Américas International Airport | Terminated | ||
Ecuador | Quito | Mariscal Sucre International Airport | Terminated | |
Mexico | Cancún | Cancún International Airport | ||
Paraguay | Asunción | Silvio Pettirossi International Airport | ||
Perú | Lima | Jorge Chávez International Airport | Terminated | |
Suriname | Paramaribo | Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport | ||
Trinidad and Tobago | Scarborough | Arthur Napoleon Raymond Robinson International Airport | Terminated | |
United States | Fort Lauderdale | Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport | Terminated | |
Miami | Miami International Airport | |||
New York City | John F. Kennedy International Airport | Terminated | ||
Orlando | Orlando International Airport | |||
Uruguay | Montevideo | Carrasco/General Cesáreo L. Berisso International Airport | ||
Punta del Este | Capitán de Corbeta Carlos A. Curbelo International Airport | Terminated | ||
Venezuela | Caracas | Simón Bolívar International Airport | Resumes 5 August 2025 |
GOL also offers special bus services for its passengers between São Paulo airports.
Airlines GOL Works With
GOL has agreements to share flights with these airlines:
- Abaeté Aviação
- Aerolíneas Argentinas
- Aeroméxico
- Air Canada
- Air France
- American Airlines
- Avianca
- Copa Airlines
- KLM
- Royal Air Maroc
- South African Airways
- TAAG Angola Airlines
- Turkish Airlines
GOL's Airplanes

Current Airplanes
As of June 2025, GOL uses only Boeing 737 airplanes. Here's what they have:
Aircraft | In service | Orders | Passengers | Notes |
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Boeing 737-700 | 12 | — | 138 | |
Boeing 737 MAX 8 | 57 | 46 | 186 | PR-XMR in sustainability livery. |
Boeing 737 MAX 10 | – | 30 | TBA | Orders convertible to the smaller 737 MAX 8 or 737 MAX 9 if GOL is uncertain of 737 MAX 10 type certification. |
GOL Cargo fleet | ||||
Boeing 737-800BCF | 8 | — | Cargo | |
Total | 141 | 76 |
Past Airplanes
GOL used to fly these airplanes:
Aircraft | Total | Introduced | Retired | Notes |
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Boeing 737-300 | 15 | 2004 | 2011 | |
Boeing 737-800 | 74 | 2002 | 2025 | One crashed as Flight 1907. |
Boeing 767-300ER | 1 | 2008 | 2010 |
Smiles: GOL's Loyalty Program
Smiles is GOL's special program for frequent flyers. It started in July 2006. When you fly with GOL or its partner airlines, you can earn points. You can use these points for things like:
- Flights
- Upgrades to a better seat
- Holiday packages
- Hotel stays
- Car rentals
Smiles was originally part of the Varig company that GOL bought. GOL kept the program and honored all the points people had earned. In 2013, Smiles became its own separate company.
Safety and Incidents
- On September 29, 2006, GOL Flight 1907, a Boeing 737-800, was flying from Manaus to Brasília. It crashed in the Amazon rainforest after hitting a smaller business jet in the air. All 154 people on board the GOL plane sadly died. The other jet landed safely. This was the only fatal accident in GOL's history.
- On April 29, 2022, a GOL Boeing 737 bumped into an Azul Brazilian Airlines plane while moving on the ground at Viracopos International Airport. No one was hurt, but both planes had some damage.
- On February 11, 2025, GOL Flight G3-1674, a Boeing 737 MAX 8, hit a maintenance vehicle while getting ready for takeoff at Galeão Airport. The plane stopped, and passengers safely left the aircraft. No injuries were reported.
See also
In Spanish: Gol Transportes Aéreos para niños
- List of airlines of Brazil