Mariscal Sucre International Airport

Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO) serves Quito, Ecuador's capital and a UNESCO World Heritage city. Located 45 km east of Quito in Tababela, the new airport opened in 2013, replacing the notoriously challenging old airport in the city center.

The airport has a single terminal with modern facilities. At 2,400 meters elevation, flights can be affected by mountain weather.

Key airlines: LATAM, Avianca, Copa, American, Delta, United, JetBlue, Iberia, and KLM.

UIO is far from Quito city:

• To Quito city center (Historic Center): 45 km, 45-90 minutes (traffic dependent)
• To La Mariscal (tourist area): 40 km, 45-75 minutes
• To Mitad del Mundo: 70 km, 1.5 hours
• To Otavalo: 60 km, 1.5 hours

Critical: The airport is MUCH farther from Quito than the old one. Allow 2+ hours before your flight.

Uber operates in Quito.

• To city center: $25-35 USD
• To La Mariscal: $25-30

Official airport taxis (regulated):

• Fixed rates posted
• To Quito center: $35-40 (negotiable)

Aeroservicios Bus

Airport buses connect to Quito:

• Route: Airport → Río Coca (Metro transfer) → Terminal Quitumbe
• Journey time: 2+ hours
• Cost: $8
• Frequency: Multiple daily departures

Long journey; taxi/Uber is more practical.

Type	Daily Rate	Notes
Covered	$20/day	Terminal adjacent
Open	$12/day	Shuttle available

UIO has good dining:

Terminal:

• Ecuadorian restaurants
• International options
• Fast food
• Cafés

Network: UIO Airport WiFi

• Cost: Free
• Speed: Good
• Easy connection

SIM cards from:

• Claro, Movistar, CNT shops in arrivals
• Prices: $10-20 for prepaid with data

ATMs in the terminal.

Currency: US Dollar (USD). Ecuador uses the US dollar.

• Duty-free
• Ecuadorian crafts
• Panama hats
• Chocolate
• Souvenirs

VIP Lounge

• Access: Priority Pass, business class, or purchase
• Amenities: Food, drinks, WiFi, shower

Copa Club

• Access: Copa business class, Star Alliance Gold

Hotels in Quito's La Mariscal or Historic Center. The airport area (Tababela) has limited options.

Quito is spectacular—a colonial UNESCO World Heritage center at 2,850 meters, surrounded by volcanoes in the "Avenue of the Volcanoes":

Quito attractions (with travel time from airport):

• Historic Center (Centro Histórico): 1 hour—best-preserved colonial center in Latin America
• La Compañía Church: 1 hour—jaw-dropping Baroque gilt interior
• Plaza Grande: 1 hour—main square, Presidential Palace
• Basílica del Voto Nacional: 1 hour—neo-Gothic church, climb the towers
• TelefériQo: 1.5 hours—cable car to 4,100m, Pichincha volcano views

Around Quito:

• Mitad del Mundo: 1.5 hours—equator monument (the actual equator is nearby)
• Otavalo Market: 2 hours—indigenous market, textiles, crafts (best on Saturday)
• Papallacta Hot Springs: 1.5 hours—natural thermal pools in cloud forest
• Mindo Cloud Forest: 2.5 hours—bird watching, adventure activities

Volcanoes & nature:

• Cotopaxi National Park: 2 hours—iconic cone volcano, hiking
• Quilotoa Crater Lake: 3 hours—stunning turquoise crater lagoon
• Antisana Reserve: 2 hours—Andean condors

Food & drink:

• Llapingachos: Potato patties, often with chorizo and egg
• Locro de papa: Potato and cheese soup
• Hornado: Slow-roasted pork
• Canelazo: Hot cinnamon drink with naranjilla and aguardiente
• Humitas: Sweet corn tamales

Local tips:

• Altitude: Quito is at 2,850m—take it easy the first day, drink water
• Airport distance: Allow 2+ hours to get to the airport; traffic is unpredictable
• Historic Center: Safe during the day; be cautious at night
• La Mariscal: Tourist district, nightlife, restaurants
• USD: Ecuador uses US dollars—no currency exchange needed
• Dry season: June-September; December-May is rainy season
• TelefériQo: Dress warm—it's cold at 4,100m
• Sunday: The historic center closes to cars—great for walking
• The old airport was infamous for short runway between buildings
• Quito's colonial center is genuinely stunning—spend time exploring