Ecuador Bound

You’ll be surprised by the clean, modern and efficient airports in Ecuador (videos below).

There are 3 main airlines that fly to Ecuador on a regular basis. They fly to all 3 of Ecuador’s largest cities:

• Quito – Quito – Mariscal Sucre Airport (UIO/SEQU) which was refurbished just a few years ago, however, a brand New Quito International Airport (NQIA) is currently being constructed 10 miles from Quito and the first phase is expected to open in late 2009 – early 2010. This new airport (video below) will be at a lower altitude and the NQIA will have a new airport terminal and 10 times more space than the existing airport (3,500 acres). It will be able to schedule more convenient take off and arrival times.
• Guayaquil – José Joaquin de Olmedo International Airport (GYE/SEGU) which opened in mid-2006 &
• Cuenca -Mariscal Lamar Airport (CUE/SECU).

The 3 Main Airlines are:

• American Airlines (http://www.aa.com)
• LAN (http://www.lan.com) – Site is in Spanish
• AeroGal (https://www.aerogal.com.ec) – Site is in Spanish

Flight options from the U.S. to Ecuador have recently expanded by AeroGal, an established Ecuadorian airline. They added Miami-Guayaquil and Miami-Quito flights. American Airlines and LAN (a highly regarded South American airline) have been flying these routes for years. AeroGal, the new kid on the block, is a good choice if you are looking to save a bit.

You have other options as well according to A-Z Airports:

Airlines Serving Quito Airport: Aerosucre, American Airlines, Arrow Cargo, Atlas Air, Avianca, COPA, Cielos Airlines, Continental, Delta Air Lines, Florida West, Iberia, Icaro, KLM, LAN Airlines, Martinair, SJM, TAME, Tampa, UPS Airlines, Vipair.

Once in Ecuador, you probably will want to continue on your adventure. Getting to the coast (la costa) takes approximately 20 minutes from Quito and flying to the jungle or Amazon (el oriente) takes just 30 minutes.

According to Ecuador Explorer:

TAME has flights to almost all destinations in the country including: Guayaquil, Quito, the Galapagos, Bahía, Esmeraldas, Manta, Portoviejo, Machala, Cuenca, Loja, Tulcán, Coca, Lago Agrio, and Macas. The up and coming Icaro now flies to most major destinations and is in the process of expanding its service.

While prices vary depending on the destination and the season, non-national tourists can expect to pay under USD 50 each way for mainland flights (with the exception of flights to and from jungle destinations in the Oriente which tend to be a little more expensive) and between USD 300 and USD 380 for a round-trip flight to the Galapagos from Guayaquil or Quito.

For the most up-to-date fare and scheduling information, it is always best to check with TAME and or Icaro. Also, don’t forget that students who have a valid ID card from their home university may receive a 10-25% discount. There is no departure tax on internal flights.

Tame.com.ec has a translator on their site for your convenience. I counted 16 different destinations in Ecuador they service. They had this under their current specials: “From now on all customers of TAME to present their boarding pass at any of the Hertz office at the national level will receive a 20% discount on their car rental services, among other important benefits.” Not too bad of a perc for taking a short trip.

Another Ecuadorian airline for in-country flights is Icaro. This site is in Spanish only. The site is nicely done, but if you can’t read Spanish yet, it might be a problem. I will give you some pointers on that issue in another post.

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Be sure to read my post on Choosing Travel Accommodations – Hotel & Airfare for a few money saving tools to book your flights and hotels.

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There a many, many hotels in Ecuador. From 5 star down to hostels and ecotourism locations designed for backpackers, etc. Quito, the capital, has numerous choices and is usually the first destination for the average person visiting Ecuador for the 1st time. Guayaquil is the largest city and is on the coast and has beautiful accommodations as you would expect along with a nice night life. Cuenca is the 3rd largest city and it’s colonial charm is outstanding. Manta is an up and coming city in it’s own rights on the Pacific Ocean and has fantastic accommodations.

I have listed a few different hotel search tools for you to play with to find the best rates for hotel & airfare. They may come up with the same listings, but then again, maybe not. As long as you don’t book your reservation then you can continue to compare and choose the best one for your individual needs.

I am handicapped, so I am always looking for that amenity myself. You may have others, like pets, smoking, oceanfront views, etc. Be sure to find the room that is most pleasant for your stay.

These tools are in no particular order, I have not judged them yet. If you find one better than another please let other readers know by commenting.

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Ecuador Hotels from GtaHotels.com:

NOTE: I have found that GtaHotels.com does pay the highest commision for me, however, I think they might be the best choice because they are the only ones that actually have a linkable page to Ecuadorian Hotels. I checked every one I could find & they are the only ones who actually take the time to highlight Ecuador. Let me know if you don’t like them in a comment below. I believe in being upfront at all times, please forgive me for my quirk.

Here are some of the many reasons why shoppers choose Gtahotels.com:
* Best Rate Guarantee – If the customer finds exactly the same deal online elsewhere for less we will match the other price and refund the customer 100% of the difference;
*Huge Selection of Hotels- choose from over 55,000 hotels in over 167 countries;
*Convenience- search for rooms by price, ratings, location, staff recommendations and more;
* No service fee or amendment fee

This Site is in Spanish:

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Be sure to read my post: Airlines & Airports in Ecuador, which covers the airlines themselves & airport connections as well as the conditions.

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