UIO Airport Transfer | Quito Ecuador

Mariscal Sucre International Airport (IATA: UIO) is Ecuador's primary international gateway, in Tababela 18 kilometres east of Quito's UNESCO old town. UIO opened in February 2013, replacing the old in-town airport of the same name which was considered dangerously close to the city with its 2,850-metre altitude runway. The new airport sits at 2,400 metres altitude — 400 metres lower than the old town — and is accessed via the Ruta Viva motorway. Transfer times into central Quito run 35 to 55 minutes. Uber and Cabify operate with legal pickup zones. A LocalsRide booking confirms USD at reservation and meets you at arrivals with a name sign; drivers are briefed on altitude-aware first-day pacing for sea-level arrivals.

UIO Transfer Times

Quito historic centre (Plaza Grande, Plaza de San Francisco): 40 km via Ruta Viva, 45–65 min. La Mariscal (Plaza Foch): 35 km, 40–60 min. Parque La Carolina and north Quito: 32 km, 40–55 min. Cumbayá (suburban valley): 18 km, 20–30 min. Tababela (airport valley hotels): 3 km, 5–10 min. Mitad del Mundo: 55 km, 1.25–1.5 hours. Otavalo: 100 km, 2 hours. Mindo cloud forest: 75 km, 2 hours. Cotopaxi National Park: 80 km, 1.5 hours. Baños de Agua Santa: 175 km, 3 hours.

Good to know

Frequently asked questions

Why is UIO so far from Quito city centre?

The old in-town airport sat in a narrow valley at 2,850 m surrounded by residential neighbourhoods — a safety risk for high-altitude operations and a noise issue. The 2013 replacement in Tababela is on a flatter plateau 400 m lower. The trade-off is the 40 km transfer; Ruta Viva motorway keeps it to 45–65 min at peak.

Does altitude affect my first-night plans arriving at UIO?

UIO 2,400 m, Quito old town 2,850 m. Sea-level arrivals notice altitude in 2–6 hours — shortness of breath on stairs, headaches, disrupted sleep. First day best kept low-effort: check-in, light meal, short walk. Coca tea offered at most hotels. Day two usually feels normal. Direct transfers to Mindo (1,250 m) or Amazon basin avoid the adjustment.