You Can Now Earn & Redeem American Miles On Gol

GOL is in better shape than most other South/Latin American airlines. COPA might be the only other airline in reasonable shape. In the current climate, GOL will have opportunities to expand. Avancia and Azul are a mess and might not be around much longer or an opportunity for GOL to take over Avancia and give a true competitor to LATAM in SA. I see GOL expanding after this and the AA/GOL partnership eventually leading to a OneWorld partner. DL will move to number 2 in SA but still distant from AA. UA is DOA. GOL may never fly widebodies or fly to Europe or Asia, but right now, that's okay, they have partners (more coming) who can and will give them a solid footing to grow. LATAM has a mess of debt to deal with and their sugar daddy, DL is out of cash.

Great, a partner that does not offer a premium cabin experience. Just what we need. #rolleyes

GOL's inflight experience is terrible; will never fly them again

@david

GOL's domestic inflight product is actually better than LATAM's - keep that in mind.

@Ryan LATAM doesn't offer a domestic premium cabin either, so it's an even swap. I found LATAM pretty mediocre, so will be interesting to experience GOL now. I wish they had a clearer route map on their website so I can consider plans, but I assume they have the basic routes/destinations I'd be looking for. They also need to update their website, as it still shows US originating routes connecting via DL hubs...(but the relevant staff probably furloughed for now?!)

Gol is perfectly fine domestically. For most in the U.S. I think that's the important sweet spot for a Brazilian partner. They actually have more frequency than LATAM to many markets within Brazil and an equal, if not better, product. And when I say perfectly fine - I am saying perfectly fine for Brazil. No, this is not an Asia level product. But I would say it's actually more pleasant than most U.S. domestic products in coach (since they don't offer a business).

The loss of LATAM from the U.S. for AA flyers is not a horrific thing. Especially when it comes to using AA miles, this as LATAM NEVER seems to release any award miles to partners. They would sometimes have more decently priced paid business class though from MIA to GRU compared to American. But I would expect that AA is going to beef up and start discounting to compete with them more when things start moving again.

Gol may actually come out of Covid in a position of strength. They did not take the intl. hit like LATAM has. They were probably grateful to be able to shut down their few Miami and Orlando flights to Fortaleza etc in that they had to do them with a stop in Santo Domingo given the loss of the 737MAX.

If they do come out stronger, I am convinced (though others disagree with me) that they will ditch the 737MAX and possibly negotiate to convert those to 787's, then start ramping up intl expansion to the U.S. and possibly Europe. Or they could find some second hand, as god knows there will be plenty of available aircraft on the cheap coming to market.

@Leigh. If you're looking at GOL route map you can assume they fly everywhere that LATAM does domestically. And then some. As well with more frequency in some cases. Much better network domestically.

@Stuart. Thanks for the intel, I had noted the GOL aircraft at the main airports when traveling in Brazil, and good to know that their network is better. Do they also fly to BUE and SCL from SAO/RIO/other, and have anything to Colombia? My usual destinations.

It would be great to see them expand their long-haul intl network, but I may politely disagree. I don't think any airline will be expanding their networks anytime soon, and the reason for all of the available second-hand aircraft is because...there aren't passengers for them...just my two reals:)

@Leigh, Two reals is not going far either these days! 🙂

GOL is not going to give you much connectivity to other S.A. destinations from the U.S. via GRU. A few but, really, why? If you are doing multi city flying on one trip with stops between, ok. In that case LATAM is probably going to give you more outside Brazil. But I would never use LATAM or GOL to connect in GRU to go to EZE. Plenty of other options non-stop from MIA.

But if doing multi city itineraries, yes, Gol does operate to EZE from GRU. As far as to SCL - last I saw was from secondary cities like Recife. Not sure about Bogota as I never need to go there.

Regarding GOL expanding, I was not talking tomorrow. But, look at the facts, Azul is greatly weakened. Avianca Brazil is gone, Avianca Columbia is on the verge of collapse, and LATAM has serious debt and concerns (And Mama Delta is out of money to help them). GOL is the best positioned carrier in S.A. right now to emerge from this nicely and expand before anyone else and when the others are still weakened or have folded. Their domestic network is still flying, albeit less, and they had very little in the way of losses from international. I would compare them to being the strongest member of the Donner Party.

One could very much imagine a future in Latin America where GOL, LATAM, and COPA rule the skies completely.

@Sal -- false. Gol flights are definitely not anywhere near as nice as LATAM, not by a mile. Gol is set up as a LCC, LATAM is a full service airline.

@Michael
Both carriers are essentially LCC's domestically and regionally. Neither have premium cabins on narrowbodies. GOL has more seat pitch than LATAM and serves snacks which LATAM does not do on comparable routes. I don't think you have actually flown LATAM on a domestic/regional flight, it is far cry from LATAM's longhaul routes.

@Michael Not sure what parallel universe you live in but Gol is perfectly comparable, if not better than, LATAM. Neither offer anything beyond an LCC format on domestic flights. If you choose to compare LATAM international with GOL domestic you are indeed comparing apples and oranges. Fly from GRU to FOR on either though (as an example) and you will find a very competitive product. And despite the label of being an LCC (isn't everyone now?) I find GOL to be far better in economy than anything you will find in the U.S.

I have a GOL Smiles account. I did a quick check to see whether AA transatlantic flights were offered on two routes. The answer is yes, for reasonable mileage, but for economy only. Business-class partner availability has deteriorated tremendously in the program during the past two years.

As I would never dream of redeeming/waste miles for Economy or even Premium Economy, GOL is not in fact "better than nothing" !

As a brazilian frequent flyer I assure vou guys sitted in front of your PC in North hemisphere that GOL can't compare to LATAM; they are much better! LATAM internacional serviçe is quite good but their domestic service is the worst in Brazil. If you go Azul or GOL you Will be fine. US citizens are used to fly AA, UAL etc so in this case even LATAM is better. US airline Standards are very low in terms of inflight services.

So for AA it was a good move.

Take care guys.

For the huge Brazilian domestic market GOL is much better! Gol is the only South American airline with own good lounges in both domestic and international terminals of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo airports. Besides that they offer free beverages and snacks for all passengers in every flight. Their planes are newer and have more legroom. Their network is much better for brazilian domestic travel. They are now much better at beginning in 2004 as a LCC. Nowadays they are the best brazilian airline.

I can see how this will benefit people in or wanting to travel to Brazil but my travels are to and within countries on the Pacific side and Gol's route map there looks like a mere shadow of LATAMs. And in my experience I never had any issues finding award space on the LATAM flights I wanted and burned many an Avios point with them.