Cuenca to Galapagos

One flight away

Since March 31, LATAM Ecuador has connected Cuenca with Baltra, the main gateway to the Galapagos, twice a week and without an aircraft change. Six months in, it remains one of the simplest ways to combine the colonial Highlands with the islands in a single trip.

How the route works:

• Airline: LATAM Ecuador.

• Days: Tuesdays and Saturdays.

• Routing: Cuenca – Quito – Baltra – Cuenca. The outbound flight stops in Quito to pick up passengers, and the return from Baltra goes nonstop to Cuenca in about 1 hour 52 minutes.

• Outbound schedule at launch: Tuesday departures from Cuenca at 07:38 and Saturday at 07:55, with arrival in Baltra around 10:10 and 10:27 respectively. [Confirm the current schedule and add return times.]

• Aircraft: Airbus A319, up to 144 passengers.

Why we recommend

Until this route, reaching the Galapagos from the southern Highlands meant going through Quito or Guayaquil. Now a client can leave Cuenca in the morning and be in the islands before noon. The two weekly frequencies fit well with three- and four-day Galapagos programmes, and they let you build itineraries that pair Cuenca's UNESCO-listed historic center with the islands.

What your clients need to know before flying

Traveling to the Galapagos involves a few extra steps:

• Obtain the Transit Control Card (TCT).

• Complete the sworn declaration of goods.

• Pass the baggage inspection by the Galápagos biosecurity agency (ABG) at the departure airport, before check-in.

• Arrive at the terminal at least 3 hours before departure.

For more information on Galapagos, please check our guide.

To include Cuenca and the Galapagos in your next Ecuador program, contact us.