Transportation To/From the Galápagos Islands

Transportation

V!VA User‘s Description

Flights to the main Galápagos airport on Baltra depart from Quito and stop en-route in Guayaquil. The Quito-Guayaquil flight lasts about 40 minutes, and the Guayaquil-Baltra flight takes two hours. Since the archipelago is one hour behind mainland Ecuador, passengers leaving Quito in the morning will land before noon. For a significant portion of the flight, passengers travel over international waters, so they can make use of complementary alcoholic beverages and duty-free items.

Two airlines, TAME and Aerogal, service the Galápagos Islands. TAME operates daily flights to the Baltra island airport and flies from Quito to San Cristóbal via Guayaquil on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. Aerogal flies from Quito to Baltra every day except Saturday and from Quito to San Cristóbal on Mondays, Thursdays, and Sundays. During the high season, flights on both airlines cost $389.16 from Quito and $344.36 from Guayaquil. During the low season, flight prices are reduced to $333.16 from Quito and $299.56 from Guayaquil. Children get a 50-percent discount, and infants get a 90-percent discount. According to TAME, the major Ecuadorian airline servicing Galápagos, the low tourist season is from May 1 to June 14 and from September 15 to October 31.

Even though there is usually some availability on flights to the Galápagos, it is a good idea to make independent flight reservations at least a few days in advance. Travel agencies will block seats for their all-inclusive tours, but then release them on the day of the flight if there are cancellations or unsold tour spaces. So if you are desperate to get to (or return from) the Enchanted Islands, you should be able to find spaces last-minute, especially during low-season.

Since flight prices are fixed, you can change the date of your ticket after purchasing it without penalty. This policy can come in handy if you—like many other tourists—get caught up in the small-town charm of Puerto Ayora and decide to extend your stay: just stop by the TAME office on Charles Darwin Avenue anytime before your flight to make alternative arrangements.

Furthermore, if you decide after sun-bathing for a week that you want to spend more time in coastal climes, you can easily change your final destination to Guayaquil. This requires simply checking your luggage to Guayaquil; no ticket change is needed.