João Pessoa: how to get there and around
Airports, stations, ports, where the hotels are and what the numbers say, from public data rather than a brochure.
João Pessoa is a city of 817,511 people in Brazil (Paraíba), 45 m (148 ft) above sea level. The nearest large airport is Presidente Castro Pinto International Airport (JPA), 10 km (6 mi) from the centre. Our booking partner lists 1,901+ places to stay.
Key facts
Open João Pessoa in Google Maps
Daylight in João Pessoa runs from about 11 h 45 min a day in late June to 12 h 35 min in late December (computed for -7.12° latitude), which matters more than the forecast when a day is built around one flight or one crossing.
Getting there
João Pessoa is served by one airport with scheduled flights. The closest large one is Presidente Castro Pinto International Airport (JPA), 10 km (6 mi) from the centre, with a longest runway of 8,251 ft, which limits it to short and medium-haul aircraft.
Flights to João Pessoa: every airport, routes and times
Buses to João Pessoa · Driving and car hire
Where to stay
Our booking partner lists 1,901+ places to stay in João Pessoa (statistics below are from the first 1,000). Of the 716 with a star rating, the largest group is 3-star (630), and 5 are five-star. Across 223 properties with at least 50 reviews, the average guest score is 8.5 out of 10. Guests have left 172,158 reviews in total.
Hotels in João Pessoa: the full picture, and book
Our booking partner lists 12 hostels in João Pessoa, out of 1,901 places to stay of every kind — 0.6% of everywhere it lists in the city, a small share: this is a city where nearly everything on offer is a hotel or an apartment. Across 6 hostels with at least 50 reviews, the average guest score is 8.5 out of 10, level with the city’s hotels. Guests have left 3,975 reviews across them.
Hostels in João Pessoa: the full picture, and book
Nearby cities, and how to get between them
- Recife, 104 km — trains · buses · car rental · tours
- Maceió, 299 km — flights · trains · buses · car rental · tours
- Natal, 152 km — flights · trains · buses · car rental · tours
- Jaboatão dos Guararapes, 112 km — trains · buses · car rental · tours
- Campina Grande, 113 km — buses · car rental · tours
- Caruaru, 179 km — buses · tours
- Olinda, 99 km — buses · car rental · tours
- Paulista, 92 km — buses · car rental · tours
- Parnamirim, 140 km — buses · car rental · tours
- Mossoró, 348 km — flights · buses · car rental
Common questions
Which airport serves João Pessoa?
Presidente Castro Pinto International Airport (JPA), 10 km (6 mi) from the centre.
How big is João Pessoa?
About 817,511 people live in João Pessoa (GeoNames).
What time zone is João Pessoa in?
America/Fortaleza, currently UTC-3.
What currency is used in João Pessoa?
The Real (BRL). Traffic drives on the right.
Are there hostels in João Pessoa?
12 of them, bookable on this site. Hostels in João Pessoa.
How many hotels are there in João Pessoa?
Our booking partner lists 1,901 or more places to stay in João Pessoa, bookable on this site.
Which cities are near João Pessoa?
Recife (104 km), Maceió (299 km), Natal (152 km), Jaboatão dos Guararapes (112 km), Campina Grande (113 km).
Where these facts come from
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
- Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
- OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
- Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines
Data compiled 14 September 2026. Hotel and hostel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.