4/ 5 reviews
Terminal & facilities
“The scenery before landing was absolutely beautiful!!!”
Yessica Megistriani5★ on Google
Airports / Brazil / SDU
Large airport · SDU
Santos Dumont Airport.
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil · 11 ft elevation. A private-aviation gateway on the Bravo register.
4.5/5
Google rating
39,241 ratings
0
Operators based
11
Elevation ft
Scheduled service
Rio de Janeiro, BrazilELEV 11 FTLarge airportScheduled service
4.5
Google rating
39,241
Google reviews
ratings on Google
11
Field elevation
feet above sea level
8
Nearest alternate
nm to GIG
Field standing
#20 / 134
Brazil airports by Google rating
4.5★ across 39241 Google ratings , ranked against 134 rated Brazil fields.
8 nm
To the nearest alternate
Rio Galeão – Tom Jobim International Airport (GIG), 4 fields within 50 nm.
Overview
Santos Dumont Airport, listed as SBRJ / SDU, is a large commercial airport in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Field elevation is 11 feet above sea level. Scheduled carriers operate here, and the field also sees regular private and charter activity.
While no charter operators list SDU as their home base, the field is reachable for repositioned charter aircraft from nearby bases. The closest alternate fields are Rio Galeão – Tom Jobim International Airport (GIG, 8 nm), Jacarepaguá - Roberto Marinho Airport (RRJ, 12 nm), and Campo Délio Jardim de Mattos Airport (SBAF, 12 nm). The field has 2 runways, the longest 4,341-foot paved runway, long enough for charter aircraft up to light jets.
Trip costs from SDU are driven by the aircraft category flown and how far it must reposition. You may also see the field referenced as RIO. Browse operators flying from the area or estimate a trip cost from SDU to plan your flight.
Run an FBO at SBRJ? Become the preferred FBO
What fliers highlight.
From the stored review texts
3/ 5 reviews
Easy in & out
“It’s an airport that feels designed for quick, smooth travel rather than long waits or complicated transfers.”
Jonathan Phan4★ on Google
Themes counted by keyword across Google review texts for Santos Dumont Airport, every quote is verbatim from a real review.
Field capability
ICAO
SBRJ
IATA
SDU
FAA / Local
RJ0002
Elevation
11 ft
Coordinates
22.9104° S · 43.1628° W
Airspace
G · GolfClass G, GolfUncontrolled field, no tower. Pilots self-announce and sequence themselves on the common traffic advisory frequency.Source: FAA NASR class airspace
Size
Large
Scheduled svc
Yes
Elevation vs Brazil fields
state range 8–4,138 ft
At 11 ft, SDU sits lower than 96% of the 138 Brazil fields on the register.
Runways & aircraft access
2 runways
longest 4,341 ft
- 02R/20L4,341 ft × 138 ftAsphaltLighted
- 02L/20R4,134 ft × 98 ftAsphaltLighted
Which aircraft can operate here
vs longest paved runway 4,341 ft
SDU's 4,341 ft paved runway typically supports charter aircraft up to light jets.
- Turboprop3,000 ft
- Light Jet3,500 ft
- Midsize Jet4,500 ft
- Super-Midsize Jet5,000 ft
- Heavy Jet5,500 ft
- VIP Airliner6,000 ft
Class minimums are sea-level planning rules of thumb. A specific aircraft's balanced-field length varies with weight, temperature, and field elevation. Confirm performance with the operator.
Access & alternates
Closest alternate fields by great-circle distance, every listing links to its own field brief.
- 8nmGIGRio Galeão – Tom Jobim International AirportRio De Janeiro
- 12nmRRJJacarepaguá - Roberto Marinho AirportRio de Janeiro
- 12nmSBAFCampo Délio Jardim de Mattos AirportRio de Janeiro
- 31nmSNZSanta Cruz Air Force BaseRio de Janeiro
- 67nmBZCUmberto Modiano AirportCabo Frio
- 68nmJDFFrancisco de Assis AirportJuiz de Fora
Location
Open the full mapSBRJ · Santos Dumont Airport · Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Flight times from here
Approximate nonstop block times from SDU on a typical midsize charter jet. Faster classes trim these; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.
| Destination | Distance | Block time |
|---|---|---|
| Miami (MIA) | 3,635 nm | 8h 51m |
| Palm Beach (PBI) | 3,669 nm | 8h 56m |
| Washington DC (IAD) | 4,184 nm | 10h 8m |
| New York (TEB) | 4,198 nm | 10h 10m |
| Boston (BED) | 4,224 nm | 10h 13m |
| Nashville (BNA) | 4,319 nm | 10h 27m |
| Houston (HOU) | 4,359 nm | 10h 32m |
| Austin (AUS) | 4,476 nm | 10h 49m |
Common questions
- What size private jets can use SDU?
- Santos Dumont Airport's longest paved runway is 4,341 ft, which typically supports charter aircraft up to light jets. Lighter classes (turboprops, light and midsize jets) operate comfortably; confirm exact performance for a specific tail with the operator, since balanced-field length shifts with weight, temperature, and elevation.
- What is the longest runway at SDU?
- Santos Dumont Airport has 2 runways; the longest measures 4,341 ft on a paved surface and is lit for night operations.
- What is the nearest major airport to SDU?
- The closest alternate is Rio Galeão – Tom Jobim International Airport (GIG), about 8 nm away, followed by Jacarepaguá - Roberto Marinho Airport (RRJ) at 12 nm. Operators often position aircraft between these fields depending on ramp space and availability.
- How long is a flight from SDU to major cities?
- Typical block times on a midsize jet: Miami about 8h 51m (3,635 nm), Palm Beach about 8h 56m (3,669 nm), Washington DC about 10h 8m (4,184 nm). Faster classes trim these times; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.