Going to Rio?

[DannyelBrazil]

Actually from USA there are several options to reach Rio or Sao Paulo (which is a fair option, since it's only 35-minute flight far from Rio, not to mention, the new International Terminal of Sao Paulo became the best option for immigration when arriving in Brazil).

Miami, by far, is the main gateway to Brazil with dozens of destinations and up to 6 or 7 airlines serving both countries.

With connecting flights:

AeroMexico (from many US destinations via Mexico City to Rio or Sao Paulo)

Copa Airlines (from many US destinations via Panama City to Rio)

LAN Chile (from some US destinations via Santiago to Rio)

Avianca (from some US destinations via Bogota or Lima to Rio)

Gol Airlines (from Miami or Orlando via Santo Domingo to Rio).

^^

Those are truly cheaper options, if you guys don't mind about connection options and flying in B737 aircraft.

Direct flights:

American Airlines have flights from New York, Dallas and Miami to Rio. And from New York, LA, Dallas and Miami to Sao Paulo.

Delta reaches Rio from Altanta and Sao Paulo from Atlanta, New York and Detroit
US Airways reaches Rio from Charlotte and Sao Paulo from Charlotte, Houston and New York

United Airlines reaches both Rio and Sao Paulo from Houston

TAM have direct flights from New York and Miami to Rio and Sao Paulo. And from Orlando to Sao Paulo.

Azul Brazilian Airlines is starting in december flights from Orlando, Ft. Lauderdale and New York to their main hub in Campinas Campinas (40-minutes flight far from Rio)

^^
They are more expensive, but aircraft are bigger and you lose less hours to reach Brazil.

PS: Check Copa Airlines, they became the main cheaper option from Brazilians to reach USA. It's a very well-commented low fare airlines among us Brazilians and their hub in Panama City seems to be very nice.

Edited August 4, 2014 by DannyelBrazil

[A-Money1983]

DannyelBrazil:

Thank you so much for the information about the flights. I'm definitely hanging on to it!

As for how to attend, what would you recommend?

Volunteer, Media, Spectator?

Thanks!

[DannyelBrazil]

DannyelBrazil:

Thank you so much for the information about the flights. I'm definitely hanging on to it!

As for how to attend, what would you recommend?

Volunteer, Media, Spectator?

Thanks!

You're welcome

About how to attend, I never went to Olympic Games before, but I work for the media and media always have some advantages. You have the best of the worlds: you can be spectator and you can be in the middle of the scene.

Anyway, I think there are people here that can help you better than me about it.

[snowmadsam]

I am also going to Rio!! Waiting for volunteer registration to open!!! Not long!!!

[DannyelBrazil]

Updating. Due the merging process of American Airlines and US Airways, Charlotte will not have more flights to/from Brazil from January 2015 on...

[runningrings]

I'm not too fussed by Rio 2016, despite it being an iconic event. Even though I was an Istanbul supporter, I'm thinking I'll make the trip to Tokyo in 2020.

[A-Money1983]

Okay, I'm about 7% saved up on 2016, with Zs savings account I started earlier this month. Any tips on where to find other groups going as well.

I'd really like to make it happen, just not by myself.

[Alexjc]

Squirraling away savings for this...Any other NZers going?

Air New Zealand and it's travel agent partners are preparing tour packages...But it's early days yet and they are focussing on RWC2015 - (as so tempting as it is.)

I know it will be on the thick end of NZ $10k for a decent basic fortnight deal.

[A-Money1983]

Okay, I've been number-crunching so far. Here's a sample itinerary. It's been suggested that I try different clusters to see all of Rio. For safety and financial reason's, I'd prefer to stay in Barra. If I can find other people to go with, than the whole planning could easily change.

August 11- Judo, Handball
August 12- Swimming
August 13- Track Cycling
August 14- Wrestling, Field Hockey
August 15- Gymnastics

August 16- Weightlifting

This way, I can get three of the charter sports (five if you count Cycling and Weightlifting), and three other fun sports. Possibly boxing as well.

I estimated $8-$10K for this week- including events, lodging, food, transportation, airfare. It could be way off. I've also read there could be a 'lottery' in place for the hard-to-get-to sports like Gymnastics, Track, Swimming.

Let me know what I should do. I considered applying as a volunteer, but decided it would be better to go as a spectator. I'm open to any and all advice. I realize I'm 23 months early, but I suppose that I'm a compulsive planner!

[runningrings]

Okay, I've been number-crunching so far. Here's a sample itinerary. It's been suggested that I try different clusters to see all of Rio. For safety and financial reason's, I'd prefer to stay in Barra. If I can find other people to go with, than the whole planning could easily change.

August 11- Judo, Handball

August 12- Swimming

August 13- Track Cycling

August 14- Wrestling, Field Hockey

August 15- Gymnastics

August 16- Weightlifting

This way, I can get three of the charter sports (five if you count Cycling and Weightlifting), and three other fun sports. Possibly boxing as well.

I estimated $8-$10K for this week- including events, lodging, food, transportation, airfare. It could be way off. I've also read there could be a 'lottery' in place for the hard-to-get-to sports like Gymnastics, Track, Swimming.

Let me know what I should do. I considered applying as a volunteer, but decided it would be better to go as a spectator. I'm open to any and all advice. I realize I'm 23 months early, but I suppose that I'm a compulsive planner!

Every Olympics has a lottery ballot of high demand events - it is unlikely you will get your first preference itinerary.

[A-Money1983]

Thanks... I've done a bit of researching.

I just gathered that those who do not get drawn for the high demand events are often first priority for the other events.

I just wish I knew more about the process and how it works.

[ofan]

The schedule also hasn't been released yet, making planning difficult.

Nvm, yes it has.

[A-Money1983]

Just no ticket sales as of yet. I really don't care what the events are (as long as I can squeeze 1 or 2 majors in).

If anything, I could be thinking too hard on finances and security.

[ofan]

Just no ticket sales as of yet. I really don't care what the events are (as long as I can squeeze 1 or 2 majors in).

If anything, I could be thinking too hard on finances and security.

Honestly, I don't think security will be as big of an issue as you make it seem. Just be smart and you'll be fine.

[baron-pierreIV]

I estimated $8-$10K for this week-

That's plenty. And correct, the premium events will be swimming, track, gymnastics & probably volleyball (which is not on your list). And events which will have the home team. But for others in the earlier rounds, you can probably buy tickets AT THE BOX-OFFICE. Do NOT buy from street vendors.

Tickets go on sale 1 year before; and then lock in your flights at least 8 months before-esp if you are loyal to one airline. You can also work your way around by getting the long flights say, to BA or Sao Paulo, if direct flights to Rio are sold out; and then throw in a local connector flight.

[zekekelso]

Please ignore Baron’s posts. Pretty sure he’s never been to an Olympic sporting event in person.

30 second lesson: Tickets are based on your country of residence. If you live in Brazil, you’ll buy tickets directly from the Olympic organizing committee. If not, your country of residence’s Olympic Committee will get an allocation of tickets, and pick a company to sell those tickets to you. (Each country has the option to have their citizens buy directly from the host committee, but since that eliminates all the graft and corruption possibilities, few countries do that.)

Whatever company your NOC picks will set the rules. The rules will change from Olympiad to Olympiad, so no sense thinking too much about it now. Whatever rules they set up will be complicate and will have many “rounds”. The good news is that since you are paying attention, you’ll know the rules better than 95% of the people looking for tickets and will likely eventually get much of what you want. If you are rich, your NOC will also sell tickets through a hospitality partner, who will sell you a room+tickets pages at a *huge* markup. Unless you are made of money, ignore those.

You need to balance several items in picketing tickets. Some things I look at:

• Availability
• Cost
• In person vs TV. Some Olympic sports just aren’t that exciting to watch live
• Finals vs preliminaries
• Different Venues

One thing that is key is getting at least one ticket to an event inside the Olympic Park. There is a lot going on in the park, and often the only way to get in is by with a ticket to an event.

Other keys to remember.

• Buy fewer tickets than you think you want. There’s a lot going on in town; you don’t want to spend all your days with events
• Getting to/from events, dealing with security takes much longer than you expect (another good reason to buy fewer tickets)
• Don’t get your heart set on any one event. Ticket availability can be tricky.
• You mention swimming. Those tickets are hard to get, expensive, and to be honest, it’s *much* better on TV than in person.
• You mention track cycling. Possibly the hardest sport to get a ticket to. Really hard.
• Wrestling, Hockey, Judo and Handball are all pretty easy tickets. Cheap too.
• If you can get a ticket to a “finals” session of athletics, get it. It’s just so very Olympic.
• Personally, I’m targeting sports that feel “Brazilian”. Football, beach volleyball.

[baron-pierreIV]

/\/\ Another stupid, ignorant post from Zekel. Speak for yourself, BOZO!! Not only have I been to 5 Olympics, I actually worked in 2 of them -- much more than you can say for yourelf. So just shut the trap up, zekel. I don't know why this site is so full of these retards.

[zekekelso]

Psst - Baron - you have me on ignore, remember?

[A-Money1983]

Okay, okay, okay..

I had no intention of causing any arguments (unless you guys are just joking).

I know there are Web sites like sportstravel.com and roadtrips.com. I just got off the phone with an agent from one of those sites, and he's telling me a six-day package of 3-4 events would run close with $12,000.

It does strike me as a bit hefty, as they're stacking all the most expensive food, lodging, airfare, getting profit in return.

Please don't tell me a six-day minimum would run $12-20K!

A$83

[Sir Rols]

Okay, okay, okay..

I had no intention of causing any arguments (unless you guys are just joking).

I know there are Web sites like sportstravel.com and roadtrips.com. I just got off the phone with an agent from one of those sites, and he's telling me a six-day package of 3-4 events would run close with $12,000.

It does strike me as a bit hefty, as they're stacking all the most expensive food, lodging, airfare, getting profit in return.

Please don't tell me a six-day minimum would run $12-20K!

A$83

Nuh. Steer away from the packages. What you might get from them is some good event tickets, but you're paying lots of more in the agency overheads and profits than you have to. And you'll be herded around as a group for most of the time. It minimises the time you can do your own thing. If you're little wary about safety by-yourself, as Ofan said, just be street smart and you'll be fine. You can probably arrange some meetings from people here who are there as well if you want some company (I'm still hoping to make it, but not that actively planning anything at this stage).

For London, a city that traditionally is hugely expensive, I stayed for 12 days with about 8-10 events, including some high profile ones, for about $7000-$8000*. That wasn't lavish, but it wasn't frugal or penny pinching either. The biggest chunk of that was the airfare - about $2300 from Oz to Heathrow return. I was given a budget of $1000 to order whatever tickets I could get (though I went little bit over that, and ended up buying more tickets when I was there with my spending money). For accommodation, I shared a pretty well-appointed apartment with two others from here for the bulk of the time, with two others coming in for shorter stays. We split the costs and I think I had to come up with about $1200 to pay for that. The rest was my spending money, which was plenty for eating (dinners at nice restaurants or pubs and some breakfasts and lunches out interspersed with Greenwich McDonalds on some nights), a bit of extra curricular activities (I was no party animal, but I still managed to fit in a West End show and visits outside of London, a few rounds of drinks etc), shopping for odds and ends souvenirs and other stuff, and as I said, a few event tickets I picked up on the fly (yes, it's possible - at one point I stood outside an event I really wanted to go to with a sign asking if anyone had any spare tix, and within five minutes got what I was after for for face price - there's always people who have an extra ticket to two because they bought too many or someone couldn't make it). You'll find box office tix for many lower pofile events are always still available through the OCOG during the games.

I came home with plenty of my spending money still in my pocket.

I suppose probably the main disadvantage of the independent visit is it is a bit of a big task to organise. Looking out for all the ballots and awaiting your results from that, then planning your trip around what you've got, and so on. You have start planning well ahead (like you're doing now). But the planning and anticipation's half the fun as well, IMO.

Also, in terms of events, one mistake I did was to "double up" events. I went to gymnastics and athletics twice in 2012. Unless you're an avid camp follower of a particular sport, rather spread your events around. Don't just go for high profile events - a lot of the cheaper and less in-demand sports are just as fun, maybe even more so, in an Olympic context. As Zeke said above, though, do try for at least one event in the Olympic Park, and I'd add, try and get into the main stadium for the athletics - a finals session if you can, but if not, some of the heats and preliminary sessions should be pretty easy to get tix for.

Go to the live sites and join the crowds for some of the street events like road cycling and the marathon. It's part of the home city experience, for free!

Don't try and do too many events. Half a dozen is ample - you don't want to spend your whole time rushing from event to event- take your time and enjoy the city as well - it's usually/always at it's very best in pure party mode. Bathe in the atmosphere.

* Aussie dollars - about $6800-$7800 in $US.

Edited September 2, 2014 by Sir Rols

[Olympic Fan Darcy]

Anyone thinking of volunteering? Any past experience/advice? It opened up a few days ago but I see it's different to London and Sochi as Rio doesn't provide accommodation.

[TorchbearerSydney]

Well I have done the cop out thing, and went to Rio last year to take in the city, and then be an 'informed' TV viewer in 2016.

I am from Sydney, but have to say Rio is the most spectacular city I have ever been to- by far. It's natural beauty is beyond belief: beaches, huge tropical parks, mountains and outcrops, huge lagoon for rowing right in the city next to Ipanema etc. I think Rio will be the most beautiful Games ever. If (and strangely it seems a big 'if' after the World Cup ceremonies and London Handover) they can channel the passion and colour of Carnival into the ceremonies it will be totally unforgettable.

GO and see Rio- even if not during the Games.

[zekekelso]

I looked briefly at volunteering once. Lots of negatives. Big commitment. No guarantee on what job you get. Lack of financing/housing support.

[baron-pierreIV]

I looked briefly at volunteering once. Lots of negatives. Big commitment. No guarantee on what job you get. Lack of financing/housing support.

Nah. They wouldn't take a repulsive tool like you anyway. Whew. Rio will be safe.

[baron-pierreIV]

Psst - Baron - you have me on ignore, remember?

Well, guess what? I'm feeling bored this week, so I decided to peek at what I knew would be an absurd post; and sure enuf, you didn't fail to disappoint. As I said, I exercise the option to place or REMOVE doofuses on my IGNORE list when I feel like it.