---
title: "GRU is which airport? São Paulo"
description: "GRU is São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport in São Paulo, Brazil. Why the code is GRU and not something you could guess, plus the codes it gets mixed up with."
url: https://atoneplace.net/airport/gru/
site: "At One Place"
---

# What airport is GRU?

**GRU is: São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport**

São Paulo, Brazil

## Why the code is GRU

GuaRUlhos, the city it sits in — not São Paulo.

The airport authority or a contemporaneous record states this directly.

## The airport

- **IATA code:** GRU
- **ICAO code:** SBGR
- **Airport:** São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport
- **City:** São Paulo, Brazil
- **Opened:** 1985
- **Code origin:** Documented

Guarulhos is the busiest airport in South America and the main gateway to the continent. São Paulo's second airport, Congonhas, is inside the city with a notoriously short runway and handles domestic traffic; SAO covers both.

## Codes people book by mistake

| Code | What it actually is |
| --- | --- |
| CGH | Congonhas, in the middle of São Paulo. Domestic only, and a much shorter runway. |

## The other code, SBGR

Every airport has two codes. The three-letter IATA code, GRU, is the one on your boarding pass and your luggage tag, and it is assigned for commercial use. The four-letter ICAO code, SBGR, is the one pilots and controllers use, and it is assigned geographically: the first letter or two identify the region, so every airport in the same part of the world shares a prefix. That is why SBGR looks nothing like GRU.

## Common questions

### What airport is GRU?

São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport, in São Paulo, Brazil.

### Why is São Paulo's airport called GRU?

GuaRUlhos, the city it sits in — not São Paulo.

### What is the difference between GRU and SBGR?

GRU is the IATA code, used commercially — tickets, timetables, luggage tags. SBGR is the ICAO code, used operationally by pilots and air traffic control, and assigned geographically by region.

### Is GRU the same as CGH?

No. CGH is congonhas, in the middle of São Paulo. Domestic only, and a much shorter runway.

## Related pages

- [Brazil](https://atoneplace.net/country/brazil/)
- [The flag of Brazil](https://atoneplace.net/flag/brazil/)
- [Airport codes in Brazil](https://atoneplace.net/airport/in/brazil/)

## Sources

- OurAirports — OurAirports (https://ourairports.com/data/) [Public domain]