Brazil deal: Book flights for as low as $293, but there may be changes in visa requirements

Brazil is planning to reinstate its visa requirements for U.S. travelers, suspending a decision made in 2019 to encourage more tourism to the country.

The visa requirements — which were first reported by Reuters — will also apply to travelers from Australia, Canada and Japan. Brazil’s government is set to announce the decision Thursday.

While former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s administration scrapped visa entry requirements for U.S. travelers, the Brazilian government found that the measure didn’t do much to significantly increase tourism in the country; however, the COVID-19 pandemic may have played a role in hindering the initiative’s potential impact.

But as Brazil brings back its visa process for U.S. travelers, you can still visit the region without having to shell out lots in airfare. Although keep in mind that you will now have to probably give yourself some time to apply for a Brazilian visa if you plan to visit. Copa Airlines, LATAM Airlines and Avianca Airlines have a few spring and summer deals to Belo Horizonte, starting at $293.

You can fly to Belo Horizonte from Boston, Miami, New York City and Washington, D.C. A round-trip flight to the Brazilian city would otherwise typically cost $900, so these fares are a steal.

Deal basics

Airlines: Avianca, Copa and LATAM.
Routes: From Boston, Miami, New York and Washington to Belo Horizonte.
How to book: Search through Google Flights to find your ideal dates and then book directly with the airline of your choice.
Travel dates: March to mid-June.
Book by: The next two to three days.

Thanks to Going for flagging these flights. The site’s Premium membership has discounts of up to 90% and includes a 14-day free trial — all for only $49 a year. The Elite membership also scouts premium economy, business-class and first-class deals.

Sample flights

While there’s availability in March, Brazil’s imminent visa requirements could affect any last-minute plans, so be sure to give yourself some time to apply for a visa — it normally takes 10 business days for a visa to arrive, according to Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Here are examples of discounted flights:

• Copa: Miami International Airport (MIA) to Tancredo Neves International Airport (CNF), starting at $293 (includes a layover in Panama City).
• Avianca: Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) to CNF, starting at $428 (includes a layover in Bogota, Colombia).
• Avianca: Dulles International Airport (IAD) to CNF, starting at $514 (includes a layover in Bogota).
• LATAM: John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to CNF, starting at $592 (includes a layover in Sao Paulo).

We recommend using Google Flights to determine your best dates and then booking your flights on the airline’s website. Direct airline bookings are more dependable if a flight is canceled, delayed or experiences a booking change.

Google Flights shows how good of a deal the $293 fare is for a round trip from Miami to Belo Horizonte — all the other available flights cost at least $800.

For returning flights, Copa has three options that keep the fare at $293.

Also, remember that Google Flights can sometimes show lower fares than what’s advertised on the airline’s website due to the availability of third-party booking sites.

The fares featured in these deals are for basic economy only. Copa’s basic economy charges fees for checked baggage, seat selection and booking changes.

Maximize your purchase

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Bottom line

Even though Brazil will roll out its visa entry requirements again, it shouldn’t hamper your ability to visit the country, especially when there are good flight deals. Basic economy may be restrictive, but some of these flights are so heavily marked down that even if you were to pay for checked baggage and seats, you’d still be saving tons.