GETTING THERE
How to Get to Galapagos: Flights, Airports & Transfers
Choose your island route before booking the flight that starts it.
THE SHORT ANSWER
For a scheduled flight to Galapagos, travel through mainland Ecuador, then fly from Quito or Guayaquil to Baltra or San Cristóbal. Choose the airport that fits your first island base and plan the departure airport alongside your final nights. Flights are separate from our land-based package prices.
How to get to Galapagos from Quito or Guayaquil
When searching from the US, Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand or Hong Kong, treat your international journey and island arrival as two planning decisions. Ecuador’s tourism authority identifies Quito (UIO) and Guayaquil (GYE) as the mainland gateways, with onward flights to Baltra (GPS) and San Cristóbal (SCY). See the official Ecuador travel overview.
Check the actual stops on the itinerary you are buying. A flight sold from Quito may have an intermediate stop; the city in the search box does not establish that a flight is nonstop. Avoid choosing a connection solely by the shortest displayed journey time.
Consider an overnight on the mainland if a delay would otherwise put your island arrival at risk. This is especially useful to discuss when tickets are purchased separately. Ask the airline which connections are protected and what happens if the first flight is late.
Baltra or San Cristóbal: choose around your hotels
| Airport | Natural starting base | Planning implication |
|---|---|---|
| Baltra · GPS | Santa Cruz | Allow for the transfer across the Itabaca Channel and onward to your accommodation. |
| San Cristóbal · SCY | San Cristóbal | Coordinate an island airport pickup with your hotel in or around Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. |
The National Park arrival guide explains the transfer stages. Baltra is a separate island from Santa Cruz: landing there does not mean you have arrived in Puerto Ayora. Confirm which transfer stages and charges your proposal includes.
If Isabela is part of your journey, plan its connection explicitly rather than assuming your mainland ticket takes you there. Our guide to island bases helps you choose where to sleep before locking in the flights.
From the airport to your island hotel
- Baltra to Santa Cruz: airport transport to the Itabaca Channel, a short boat crossing, then road transport across Santa Cruz to Puerto Ayora or your hotel.
- San Cristóbal to your hotel: complete arrival formalities, collect your luggage and take the arranged road transfer to Puerto Baquerizo Moreno.
- Continuing to Isabela: this is an additional connection within your itinerary, not the destination of a mainland flight to Baltra.
These stages follow the National Park arrival guidance linked above. Confirm the pickup and included transfer legs with your booking. Compare complete journeys rather than airport names alone.
Keep arrival day realistic
Build the day from landing to hotel, including arrival formalities, baggage collection and onward transfers. Our trip-length guide helps you count the usable days between arrival and departure. An excursion departure is a separate commitment: do not assume that a morning arrival leaves enough time to join any boat tour advertised for that day.
For a multi-island journey, work backward from the return flight too. Discuss spending the final night on the appropriate island base instead of depending on a tight same-day inter-island connection. Compare the seven-day island-hopping outline with your actual flight dates; the order can be discussed before confirmation.
Leave time for the Galapagos departure procedures
The official arrival guidance describes the Transit Control Card (TCT), biosecurity inspection before flying from the mainland, and the protected-area entrance payment on arrival. Check the current procedure and applicable charges before departure; these are distinct from an airline ticket and may be excluded from your package.
Use the Galapagos Governing Council’s TCT guidance for the current requirements. Follow the airline’s airport arrival instructions with these additional steps in mind. Use the biosecurity section of our packing guide to find the official guidance before packing food or organic items.
Send these details before buying the island flights
- Proposed arrival and departure dates, airports and flight times.
- Whether tickets are already confirmed or still flexible.
- The islands you most want to include and your preferred number of nights.
- Your travelers, hotel preferences and package budget per person without flights.
You can paste the flight outline into the message field of our inquiry form. We can then discuss a suitable start and finish for the land arrangements. Read the cost guide when separating your package budget from transport to the islands.
Before you decide
Can I fly directly from the United States to Galapagos?
Scheduled international journeys connect through mainland Ecuador. Compare your international connection with the onward flight to Baltra or San Cristóbal, including any stop within Ecuador.
Should I fly into Baltra or San Cristóbal?
Choose Baltra for a Santa Cruz start, or San Cristóbal for a stay on that island. The best choice depends on your full route, not just the cheapest flight.
Can I arrive at one airport and leave from the other?
That can suit a route between Santa Cruz and San Cristóbal. Confirm flight availability and the island transfers before buying separate arrival and departure flights.
Are flights included in the tours on this website?
No. Our package prices exclude international and mainland–Galapagos flights. Share your proposed flights so the land arrangements can be coordinated before confirmation.
YOUR NEXT STEP
Match your flights to the right island journey.
Share your dates, travelers and budget per person. We will use your preferences to prepare a personal proposal. Your itinerary remains adjustable before confirmation, subject to availability.
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