São Paulo: €3,112 SWISS First Class Tickets from Budapest (Stopover in Zurich)

With a little trickery, it is currently possible to purchase Swiss First Class tickets from Budapest to São Paulo, Brazil, with prices as low as HUF 1,159,000 (~€2,971). You’ll have to add hotel costs for two nights in Zurich to that total – but still save more than buying a regular Star Alliance first class ticket.

You can only get the desired fare by booking a ticket with a stop in Zurich in each direction, which has to be at least 24 hours long. It can also be several weeks or even months long, so you can book other tickets from Zurich in the meantime.

Because the stops are required to get the lowest fare, booking the tickets is a tad bit more complicated than usual.

To book on Lufthansa’s or SWISS’ website, you can use our Go2 search form. The discounted tickets are available from late August 2023 through May 2024. A 24-hour stopover in Zurich is necessary in both directions if you want to score the advertised fare.

Flights between Budapest and Zurich are operated by Helvetic E-195, Air Baltic/SWISS A220 or Swiss A320 planes. All short-haul flights are European Business Class trips. Flights between Zurich and São Paulo are Boeing 777-300ER services with SWISS’ superb First Class suites in a 1-2-1 seating pattern. Before flights to Brazil, you will be able to enjoy the airline’s dedicated First Class lounge in Zurich.

SWISS First Class

In SWISS’ first class, you’ll be served excellent food in a comfortable seat that can be turned into a flat bed. Usually, the 8 first class seats are in a 1-2-1 formation, meaning that every seat has direct access to the aisle. You’ll be allowed to check in 3 pieces of luggage and bring 2 carry-ons. In Zurich, you’ll enjoy the first class lounge, which was recently named the best in the world. You can read all about SWISS’s first class in this review.

Search & Book

The fare rules for these tickets offer no sales or expiration date. You need to stay at least six days or a weekend in Brazil to get the cheapest tickets. The lowest fares show up for travel between late August 2023 and May 2024. You have to buy your ticket at least sixty days before departure to get the cheap rides.

Finding Availabilities

Because Google Flights multistop search has no convenient way to preview prices for multistop journeys, we turn our attention to the new ITA Matrix. You can use this link to open the Matrix with a preset search for first class tickets from Budapest to São Paulo. It will show you a lot of availabilities, but only by adding the extension code minconnect 24:00, you ensure that all of them are for sale. Otherwise, the tool displays tickets with a shorter layover, which are more attractive but cannot be purchased.

You can ease your search by setting selecting the calendar view for trips of a duration that you wish (e.g. 5-15 days). Displaying prices in Euro will also help most of our readers. Alter the red boxes to do this.

As you can see, this fare is broadly available:

Buy Tickets

After finding suitable flight dates with the Matrix, you can use our search form above to buy tickets directly from the airline. Make sure to select exactly the flights you found in the Matrix itinerary to get the lowest price. You can try it on the airline’s website yourself or use our Go2 form above.

Mileage

First class segments are booking class A while the European feeders are booking class J. A roundtrip earns the following miles and points:

Destination

Hotel prices in São Paulo usually start at roughly €20, but can quickly jump to €35 if you want to stay in a good location. Whichever category and hotel you opt for, make sure to get the best price! Our recommendation is to search on booking.com, or even on our own Travel-Dealz hotel search:

Information & Tips for São Paulo

São Paulo is Brazil’s largest city, known for its vibrant cultural scene, including the São Paulo Museum of Art (MASP), Ibirapuera Park, and the historic downtown area. The currency is the Brazilian real (BRL), and credit cards are widely accepted. The price level can be high, especially in tourist areas, but there are budget-friendly options for food and accommodation. The weather is tropical, with warm, humid summers and mild winters. The best time to visit is typically during the dry season, from May to September, when temperatures are more moderate.

We’ve compared various esim providers, such as Airalo and Maya Mobile. To see which plan is best for your travel needs and which network offers the best coverage, feel free to read our detailed guide:

The Best eSIM Plans for Brazil 🇧🇷 Compared

 

→ All Dealz for São Paulo

Information & Tips for Brazil

Brazil is famous for attractions like the Amazon rainforest, the vibrant cities of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, and natural landmarks like Iguazu Falls and Pantanal. The currency is the Brazilian real (BRL), and credit cards are commonly accepted in most places. The price level can vary—major cities and tourist spots can be expensive, but other areas offer more affordable options. Brazil’s weather is tropical, with hot, humid summers, especially in coastal regions, while southern areas experience milder winters. The best time to visit is generally during the dry season, from May to October.

Brazil’s transport infrastructure varies across the country. In major cities like Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, public transport includes buses, metros, and taxis, though traffic congestion can make getting around slow at times. Ride-hailing apps are widely used and convenient. For intercity travel, long-distance buses are a common, affordable option, but they can be slow. Domestic flights are popular for longer distances, offering quick access to destinations like the Amazon or coastal areas. However, outside major cities, transportation options may be less frequent or reliable, requiring more planning.

We’ve compared various eSIM providers, such as Airalo and Maya Mobile. To see which plan is best for your travel needs, and which network offers the best coverage, feel free to read our detailed guide:

The Best eSIM Plans for Brazil 🇧🇷 Compared

→ All Dealz for Brazil