Ponta Grossa Airport - Comandante Antonio Amilton Beraldo

Aeroporto de Ponta Grossa (IATA: PGZ, ICAO: SSPG) sits about 10 kilometres southeast of the city centre, on the PR-151 highway that runs through the Campos Gerais region of Paraná. It is a small regional airport with a single asphalt runway, handling scheduled flights operated by Azul Conecta that connect Ponta Grossa to Curitiba and other cities in the state. The terminal is compact and functional — built for efficiency rather than spectacle — and serves around 30,000 passengers annually. For anyone moving between the interior of Paraná and the coast, or between the agricultural south and São Paulo, this airport offers a practical alternative to the congested hubs of Curitiba or São Paulo. The journey from gate to car park takes less than two minutes, and the only queue you are likely to encounter is at the security checkpoint before a midday flight.

Getting There

Ponta Grossa is well connected by road, and reaching the airport is straightforward. From the city centre, follow Avenida Balduíno Taques or the PR-151 highway south. The drive takes about 15 minutes in normal traffic. Taxis are available from the main square (Praça Marechal Floriano Peixoto) and the bus station; the fare is around R$40–50. Ride-sharing apps such as Uber and 99 operate in the city and are generally cheaper — expect to pay R$25–35. There is no direct public bus to the airport, but the nearest bus stop (on the PR-151 at the turn for the airport) is served by the linha Nova Rússia / São Pedro route; from there it is a 1.5 km walk along a paved road. Most passengers use taxis or private cars. The car park at the terminal is free and has designated spaces for wheelchair users.

Inside the Terminal

The terminal at Ponta Grossa Airport is a single-story building with a small check-in area, a waiting room, and an arrival hall. The confirmed facilities include a wheelchair-accessible entrance and car park, a toilet (accessible), and baggage storage — though the latter is not advertised; ask at the airline counter if you need to leave luggage. There are no restaurants or cafés inside the terminal. A vending machine that sells water and snacks is located near the check-in desks. The seating consists of about forty plastic chairs arranged in rows facing the departure gate. Wi-Fi is not provided free of charge; the signal from nearby cellular towers is sufficient for basic browsing. Security screening is quick — one X-ray machine and a metal detector staffed by two officers. Because the airport is not open every day (the schedule varies with flights), the terminal can feel deserted outside of operating hours. Arrive no earlier than 30 minutes before your flight to avoid waiting in an empty building. The busiest times, according to flight schedules, are Monday and Tuesday at 2 pm, and Wednesday and Thursday at 3 pm.

Aeroporto de Ponta Grossa and Ponta Grossa

Ponta Grossa is the fourth-largest city in Paraná, with a population of more than 350,000. It sits in the Campos Gerais — a region of rolling hills, sandstone escarpments, and fertile red soil that has shaped both its economy and its identity. The city grew wealthy on the tropeiro trade in the 18th and 19th centuries, when muleteers drove livestock from southern Brazil to the markets of São Paulo and Minas Gerais. That history is preserved in the historical centre, where colonial-era buildings like the Catedral Sant'Ana and the Museu do Tropeiro tell the story of the region's founding. For nature travellers, the main draw is Vila Velha State Park, a 25-minute drive from the airport. The park protects a field of exceptional sandstone pillars — some up to 40 metres tall — that were sculpted by wind and water over millions of years. The formations resemble towers, animals, and other shapes; guided tours explain the geology and the ecology of the surrounding cerrado-like vegetation. Also nearby are the Furnas — deep, water-filled sinkholes surrounded by sheer cliffs, where boat tours (when running) offer a view of the canyon walls. Ponta Grossa is also a university city, home to the State University of Ponta Grossa (UEPG) and several smaller colleges. The student population gives the downtown a lively atmosphere during term time, with affordable restaurants and bars clustered around the central plaza. The local cuisine reflects the tropeiro heritage: feijão tropeiro (beans with sausage, eggs, and cassava flour), barreado (a slow-cooked beef stew), and pinhão (the seed of the Araucaria pine, roasted in its shell). The annual Festa do Tropeiro in August celebrates the city's founding and includes parades, rodeos, and traditional music. While Ponta Grossa is not a major tourist destination on the scale of Curitiba or Foz do Iguaçu, it offers an authentic slice of Paranaense life, with attractions that reward a day or two of exploration. The airport's modest size reflects that position — a practical gateway for business travelers and visitors who value convenience over amenities.

Practical Information

• Address: Rodovia PR-151, Km 76, Ponta Grossa – PR, 84080-000
• Phone: +55 (42) 3225-1040 (airport administration) – note that this line is not always answered; the airline Azul Conecta can be contacted via their call centre.
• Hours: The airport is not open daily. It opens approximately 1 hour before scheduled flights and remains open until the last flight departs. Check the current flight schedule before planning your trip. Flights tend to operate Monday through Thursday, with reduced service on Friday and limited operations on weekends.
• Parking: Free, unsecured outdoor parking. No overnight parking restrictions, but vehicles are left at the owner's risk.
• Services: Baggage storage can be arranged through the airline desk; rates are not fixed — negotiate and pay in cash. No ATMs inside the terminal; the nearest bank (Caixa Econômica Federal) is 2 km away on Avenida Balduíno Taques.
• One concrete piece of advice: If your flight departs during the busy times (Monday–Thursday early afternoon), arrive 45 minutes before departure; otherwise, 20 minutes is enough — but you will still need to go through security, which takes about five minutes.