Ecuador Getting There & Away

Getting There & Away

By plane Quito's airport has an executive lounge shared by all the airlines with drinks, snacks, and seating areas. The view is not of the airplanes and runway, but there is a view of the airport entrance and the surrounding mountains. Business class travellers get a free invitation. Economy passengers may enter by paying USD $15 as of August 2006. Another port of entry is Guayaquil, which has a modern airport that includes the typical amenities such as restaurants and duty-free shopping. The airport is located north from downtown. The Galapagos Islands are one of the Ecuadorian provinces and of course have their own airport on the only island which is not considered part of the national park. Aerogal is the name of the airline which flies to Galapagos and of course there is no way to get to the Galapagos without first coming to Ecuador. The Quito and Guayaquil airports charge an international departure tax of $31.60. This tax usually is not included in the cost of the flight. The cheapest departure cities to reach Ecuador are Los Angeles, Miami, and New York City. Houston and Panama City can also be used. American Airlines, Mexicana, and LAN sometimes have fare sales, but expect to pay about $500 or more round-trip. If you are not in a hurry (it takes most of the day), you can use Santa Barbara Airlines from Miami to either Quito (the capital) or Guayaquil (the hub for the Galapagos) via Venezuela for about $150 each way. By train There are no international train services into Ecuador. By bus If your enter Ecuador by bus you usually have to switch buses at the border. If come from Colombia you have to cross the border at Rumichaca near Tulcan and Ipiales (Colombia). There are several places to cross the border with Peru.