Foz do Iguaçu Cataratas Intl. Airport - Spotting Guide

Foz do Iguaçu Cataratas Intl. Airport – Spotting Guide

September 19, 2020 - last modified on December 6, 2023

Foz do Iguaçu is a Brazilian city is located on the border of Brazil with Paraguay and Argentina. It has approximately 300 thousand inhabitants and is the second most visited destination by tourists in Brazil!. More than one million tourists visit this city every year due to an exuberant fauna but mainly because if the biggest waterfalls in the world, “the Iguaçu waterfalls”. The gigantic set of waterfalls, which glimpses all visitors, is also the largest hydroelectric plant in the world. , the Itaipu plant. In the past the airport has already received the supersonic Concorde on some occasions, in addition to charter flights with the Boeing 747.
And to serve all these tourists there is the airport of Foz do Iguaçu Cataratas International Airport (IATA:IGU, ICAO:SBFI). In 2017, it handled almost 2 million passengers and about 9 thousand landings and takeoffs. Recently it underwent renovations gaining an increase in runway length and a terminal improvements with added fingers.

The airlines that operate at the airport are: LATAM, Gol, Azul and Amaszonas. Jetsmart in Chile would start operations this year, but have been postponed. The flights leave for São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and several Brazilian cities, in the international area there were flights to Santa Cruz de la Sierra, and Lima in Peru. During the holiday period there are several charter and executive aircraft flights.

Site IGUspotters : http://www.iguspotters.com.br/

Site Foz do Iguaçu Airport : https://www4.infraero.gov.br/aeroportos/aeroporto-internacional-de-foz-do-iguacu-cataratas/

This guide was made with information and photos from local spotters: Rogerio Avelino and João Carlos Ribeiro, who also belong to the photos.

Rating
Movements
Airline Variety
Photo Locations
Weather
Airport Information
Runways
15/33	2800 mts (8.534ft)
Terminals	One terminal for all commercial passenger traffic
Spotting Information
Ladder	You don’t need ladder .
Car/Public Transport	It is recommend to have a vehicle to go to points as they are far from the terminal. Public transport is available but difficult to use.
Restrooms	Only at the terminal you can find toilets.
Drinks/Food	Nothing available at the spots. Be prepared if you go to the locations.
Hotels	There are many hotels in the region and hostels too
Season	Practically in all months of the year it is possible to photograph in Foz do Iguaçu, and the most interesting traffic is at the end of the year between the months of December and January, where traffic increases and the light is guaranteed, but it usually rains more in these months too
Security	We have no news of problems with security, but prudence must always be taken into account, also in particular areas, especially at the headboard 33, and you can be approached by people in that place asking what you do there, be courteous, explain and hardly will have problems.
Runway Usage
15/33	There is no way to say which one is most used, it depends on the month of the year.

	Spot #1 – Itaboraí Street
WHERE	This place is on a road that passes close to the airport, Rua Itaboraí. To get here you must leave the airport by car and turn right when you reach the Cataratas Highway. Then turn right into Itaboaí street and after 1500 meters you will find the places to take the photos.

WHAT	Perfect for arrivals on rwy 15. It is also possible to photograph takeoffs at these locations.

TIME	In this place you can shoot both in the morning and in the afternoon. Along the yellow line on the map is possible to photograph, just follow the sunlight.

MISC.	It is a residential area. There are no bathrooms, water or food, nearby.

FOCAL LENGTH	70-300 mm – You can photograph approaches and also the plane very close.

	Spot #2 – Terminal/Departure lounge
WHERE	This place is behind the security checks so you need a valid boarding pass. It is in the departure area from where you can make pictures through the glass.

WHAT	Taxis, landings and takeoffs as well as planes on the runway.

TIME	The best time would be in the afternoon, because in the morning it would be backlit.

MISC.	There are all the amenities inside the terminal.

FOCAL LENGTH	50-300 mm – As you can take pictures of taxi, and even takeoffs the focal length is quite varied.

	Spot #3 – Farm Road
WHERE	To reach this location from the airport, turn left when you reach Cataratas highway and after passing by a publicly exposed Boeing 737-200 (take the time to see it) turn left again. After passing the Park Iguaçu you will see a narrow road where you should enter. Follow it to a place where you will see rwy 33. It is in a private area and access may have some difficulty or not and it will really depend on the day.

WHAT	Arrivals on rwy 33 and takeoffs from rwy 15

TIME	In this place you can shoot both in the morning and in the afternoon. Along the yellow line on the map is possible to photograph, just follow the sunlight.

MISC.	We have already been here and some residents approached us and asked us what we were doing, said and stayed there in silence, and there are days when no one will question you. There are no amenities here, take what you need, water, food and repellents

FOCAL LENGTH	70-400 mm -approaches and side photos.