Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO) Guide: Quito, Ecuador

Mariscal Sucre International Airport is Ecuador’s high-altitude capital gateway, set far outside Quito in Tababela. UIO is modern and efficient, but the transfer is the whole game: choose official taxi/private ride for speed, public bus for price, and always leave a traffic buffer before international flights.

This guide is written for travelers who want the useful details first: the real airport name, where it sits, how much to budget for transport, what to expect in the terminal, where to search for flights, and which services to arrange before landing. Prices and routes are updated for June 2026 and should be treated as practical planning ranges rather than fixed promises.

Quick airport facts

Item	Details
Full airport name	Mariscal Sucre International Airport
Short codes	UIO / SEQM
Also searched as	Quito Airport, Mariscal Sucre Airport, UIO Airport, Aeropuerto Internacional Mariscal Sucre
City and country	Quito, Ecuador
Practical address	Parroquia Tababela S/N vía a Yaruquí, Quito, Ecuador; coordinates -0.125399, -78.354306.
Distance to city	About 37-45 km east of central Quito depending on neighborhood; taxis usually take 40-70 minutes, and public-bus combinations can take 90-120 minutes.
Updated	2026-06-15

Best for: Quito, Andes travel, Otavalo, Cotopaxi, Amazon/Galápagos connections, business trips, and Ecuador’s largest international route map.
Main route logic: domestic Ecuador, Galápagos positioning, Colombia/Panama/Peru, Miami/Atlanta/Houston/New York, Madrid/Amsterdam, and regional Latin America.
Airport style: modern out-of-town airport with official taxis, public buses, app rides, shuttles/transfers, restaurants, shops, lounges, hotels, and car rental.
Planning rule: use the official taxi counter at night; use public bus only with light luggage and daylight confidence.

Address and location

Use Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO) for flight searches and Quito Airport, Mariscal Sucre Airport, UIO Airport, Aeropuerto Internacional Mariscal Sucre as backup search wording in maps, hotel messages, and taxi conversations. The practical address is:

Parroquia Tababela S/N vía a Yaruquí, Quito, Ecuador; coordinates -0.125399, -78.354306.

About 37-45 km east of central Quito depending on neighborhood; taxis usually take 40-70 minutes, and public-bus combinations can take 90-120 minutes. For a serious itinerary, save the airport coordinates offline, download the city area in Google Maps or Organic Maps, and keep your hotel address in both English and the local language where possible.

How to get from the airport to the city

Option	Typical time	Approximate cost	Best use
Official airport taxi to central Quito	40-70 min	Often USD 25-30	🚕 Best standard arrival.
Ride-hailing / inDrive / Uber	40-70 min	Often USD 15-30	📱 Good with data and daylight pickup.
Public bus 198/199/200 + city transit	90-120 min	About USD 2-3	🚌 Cheapest with light bags.
Private transfer	40-70 min	Often USD 35-55	✅ Best late/family/business arrival.

Quito Airport’s official site lists 24/7 taxi service and public buses to Río Coca, Quitumbe, and Carcelén. 2026 transfer guides put the official taxi to central Quito around USD 25-30.

Transport tips

🧾 Confirm the fare before loading luggage, especially when there is no visible meter or posted rate.
📍 Save the exact hotel pin offline; airport drivers may know districts better than street names.
💵 Carry small local cash for the first transfer, baggage carts, snacks, or phone calls.
🌐 Install an eSIM before departure so you can message your driver immediately after landing.

Public transport and metro

Quito has city rail/metro transit, but UIO is not connected directly to the metro. Use taxi, app ride, public bus, or private transfer from Tababela.

Where public transport exists, it is usually best for daylight arrivals with light luggage. For late flights, family travel, heavy bags, or first-time visits, a taxi, hotel transfer, or pre-booked private driver is usually worth the extra cost.

Taxi prices and transfer strategy

Taxi prices around airports are rarely as neat as an official table. Time of day, luggage, driver availability, fuel prices, and whether the destination is inside or outside the central city all matter. The ranges above are realistic planning budgets, but the best practice is simple: agree the fare before moving, keep your phone map open, and avoid changing money with random drivers.

For smoother arrival logistics:

🚕 Use official taxi ranks or a hotel-arranged driver where available.
🧳 Pre-book a transfer if you land late, carry equipment, or travel with children.
🚗 Compare rental cars before arrival with DiscoverCars if you need regional freedom.
🏨 Use Expedia to check hotels near the airport and in the city before choosing a transfer.

Airport facilities, shops, and restaurants

Facilities include restaurants, coffee shops, duty-free, shops, lounges, ATMs, currency services, official taxis, public buses, app ride pickup, car rental, hotels nearby, and practical long-layover services.
Quito’s airport is far from the old town but easier for onward routes to Otavalo and the northern Andes.
The old Aeroservicios shuttle has mixed/outdated references, so confirm current operation before relying on it.
Altitude and weather can affect Quito arrivals; keep connection buffers realistic.

The smart rule at UIO is to treat the terminal as a transfer point rather than as a shopping destination. Eat before arriving when possible, keep a refillable bottle where security rules allow, and bring a small power bank. If you have a long delay, an airport-area hotel or city hotel is usually more comfortable than waiting in the terminal.

Airlines and where the airport flies

FlightConnections lists 14 airlines flying from Quito to 27 airports as of June 2026. Search Guayaquil, Cuenca, Manta, Galápagos, Bogotá, Panama City, Lima, Miami, Atlanta, Houston, New York, Madrid, Amsterdam, and Mexico City-style connections.

Avianca, LATAM, Copa, American, Delta, United, KLM, Iberia/Air Europa, Euroairlines/Aeroregional-style domestic operators, and regional carriers serve UIO by date.

Cheap routes to check first

Quito to Guayaquil, Cuenca, Manta, and Galápagos: core domestic fare checks.
Quito to Bogotá, Panama, Lima, Miami, Atlanta, Houston, New York, Madrid, or Amsterdam: key international benchmarks.
UIO versus GYE: compare altitude, road itinerary, and Galápagos connection times.

Cheap airport strategy is different from simply sorting by lowest fare. Always compare the final cost after checked baggage, seat selection, payment fees, transfer costs, and missed-connection risk. A slightly more expensive flight into the correct airport can be cheaper than a low base fare that forces a long taxi ride or overnight hotel.

Where to buy flights and hotels

Start with broad searches, then verify the exact airport code before paying. This is especially important in cities with more than one airport or with airport transitions.

Need	Recommended booking link	Why it matters
Internet on arrival	🌐 Yesim eSIM	Install before flying so maps, airline apps, WhatsApp, and hotel messages work as soon as you land.
Flights and hotels	🏨 Expedia flights and stays	Useful for comparing nearby hotels, airport overnights, and onward tickets in one search.
Tours and transfers	🎟️ Viator tours and airport transfers	Best for guided city tours, day trips, private arrival transfers, and skip-the-line activities.
Rental cars	🚗 DiscoverCars	Compare local and international rental agencies before accepting a walk-up airport rate.
Travel medical insurance	🛡️ SafetyWing	Check coverage, exclusions, and country wording before travel, especially on complex itineraries.
Support this airport-guide project	🤝 Patreon: HEDONISMcloud	Helps keep airport guides updated with fares, route changes, and city transport notes.

eSIM, internet, insurance, and car rental

🌐 Internet: install Yesim eSIM before the flight. Airport Wi-Fi can be slow, blocked by SMS verification, or unavailable exactly when you need maps.
🛡️ Insurance: compare policy wording with SafetyWing. Read exclusions for the destination, adventure activities, medical evacuation, political/security events, and pre-existing conditions.
🚗 Cars: compare vehicles on DiscoverCars before arrival. Airport counters can run out of automatic cars or quote higher walk-up rates.
🎟️ Tours: use Viator for airport transfers, city tours, day trips, and guided experiences when independent transport is inconvenient.

Practical arrival checklist

Before you fly	Why it matters
Check the IATA code on the ticket	Prevents booking a hotel or transfer for the wrong airport.
Save airline, hotel, and driver contacts offline	Messaging apps may not work until data is active.
Carry local cash	Useful for taxis, snacks, and small airport expenses.
Recheck live departures	Regional schedules can change more quickly than major-hub schedules.
Keep insurance documents accessible	Helps at medical facilities and during airline disruption.

Safety and travel notes

Use official taxis at night, confirm ride-hailing plates, avoid unlicensed drivers, and keep extra time for Ruta Viva traffic.

The most reliable traveler is the boringly prepared traveler: documents printed, data working, transport confirmed, hotel address saved, and enough time between every moving part of the itinerary.

Short airport excursion idea

If you have a long layover or an overnight stop, choose one simple plan rather than trying to see everything. Stay close to the city center or a known hotel district, keep the return transfer booked, and avoid cutting the return to the airport too close. In smaller airports, a missed flight may mean waiting a day or more for the next practical departure.

Frequently asked questions

How far is Mariscal Sucre International Airport from Quito?

About 37-45 km east of central Quito depending on neighborhood; taxis usually take 40-70 minutes, and public-bus combinations can take 90-120 minutes.

How much is a taxi from UIO airport?

Typical taxi planning ranges are shown in the transport table above. The safest method is to confirm the price before loading luggage and to use a hotel-arranged driver when arriving late or visiting for the first time.

Are there restaurants and shops at Mariscal Sucre International Airport?

Yes, but the depth of choice depends on the airport size and operating schedule. Expect practical cafes or snack options at smaller airports and a better range at major hubs. Carry backup snacks and water for delays.

Which airlines should I check first?