Getting to the Galápagos

Getting to the Galápagos: flights, fees and paperwork

There are no direct international flights to the Galápagos: you always arrive on a domestic flight from mainland Ecuador — from Quito (UIO) or Guayaquil (GYE) — and land either at Baltra (GPS), the airport that serves Santa Cruz, or at Puerto Baquerizo Moreno on San Cristóbal (SCY). Here is what the arrival day actually involves — and what it costs before a single tour is booked.

The trip comes in two stages: an international flight into mainland Ecuador, then a domestic flight out to the archipelago from Quito (UIO) or Guayaquil (GYE) — flights from Quito normally make a technical stop in Guayaquil on the way. Count on around two hours in the air from Guayaquil, and around two and a half from Quito with the stop. The route is flown by Avianca Ecuador and LATAM Ecuador; schedules and fares change with the season, so check them directly with the carriers when you plan.

You will not find a flight timetable on this page, because there is no honest way to publish one: departure times and fares shift through the year. Plan the TCT before your mainland flight and check your Park fee category separately. Public entry rules do not determine what a particular tour includes: read the current booking terms.

Getting to the Galápagos: flights, fees and paperwork
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The three island airports

  • Baltra (GPS) — Seymour Ecological Airport, the gateway to Santa Cruz and Puerto Ayora; it receives the larger share of the islands' visitors
  • San Cristóbal (SCY) — the airport of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, a few minutes from the town centre
  • Isabela (IBB) — General Villamil Airport: small aircraft on inter-island hops only, with a short runway and no flights to or from the mainland

Mainland flights serve only Baltra and San Cristóbal, from Quito (UIO) and Guayaquil (GYE). Which one you use depends on the tour: land-based itineraries are built around one of the two islands as a base, and the operator confirms the airport when you book.

From Baltra to Puerto Ayora

Baltra is a separate islet, so landing there is not the end of the trip: a bus takes you from the airport to the Itabaca Channel (about ten minutes), a ferry crosses the channel (about ten minutes more), and a second bus runs down to Puerto Ayora (about forty-five minutes). Around an hour and a quarter in all, and roughly $11 per person with the public ferry — local fares change, so treat that as an order of magnitude. Many land tours include this transfer, and it is one of the points where a package genuinely earns its price.

A private transfer with the tortoises on day one

The public route above is cheap and perfectly doable. If you would rather be picked up at Baltra and use the ride to see something, GetYourGuide lists one bookable option: a private airport transfer to Puerto Ayora that stops in the Santa Cruz highlands — the area of the giant-tortoise reserves — on the way, from $175 for the private service (price verified August 2026; the current figure is on the booking page). For a family landing after a long flight it can stand in for a first half-day tour; for a backpacker the bus and ferry remain the sensible choice.

Check the private transfer on GetYourGuide

Flying between the islands

Inter-island flights are operated by Emetebe on small aircraft with very tight baggage limits. At our last check of the carrier's own booking site, round-trip fares ran from about $147 (Baltra–Isabela) to about $192 (Baltra–San Cristóbal) — a reference, not a quote. The cheaper alternative between islands is the shared speedboat.

Entry fees: category, timing and payment

For an adult foreign visitor outside reduced or exempt categories, allow USD 200 for the Park plus USD 20 for the TCT. Complete the TCT before the mainland flight. Park rules allow operator prepayment and several payment methods; confirm the arrangement and counter availability before travel. Check your booking for any included fees.

  • TCT: USD 20 per tourist trip, completed before boarding in Quito or Guayaquil; valid ID, personal return ticket and remaining tourist days required. Check the current CGREG digital or counter procedure.
  • Park fee: USD 200 is the standard foreign-adult example, not a universal tariff. Reduced categories and exemptions apply; the 2026 regulation also permits operator prepayment.
Official page: galapagos.gob.ec
How the arrival works, step by step

How the arrival works, step by step

  • TCT: USD 20 per tourist trip, completed and validated before boarding in Quito or Guayaquil; check the current CGREG digital or counter process and any inclusion in your booking. The Park fee is handled separately on arrival or through an operator advance under the published rules; confirm practical payment arrangements before travel.
  • Tourist stays are limited to 60 days in the annual period starting on the first entry, added across visits; a TCT is required for each trip.

Before you book

  • Confirm which fees you still need to pay, where and by which method. Carry a USD cash reserve if a counter or small local business cannot accept cards; do not count the TCT twice if your booking includes it.
  • On safety: the Galápagos fall outside every area the UK FCDO advises against travelling to (page updated 10 July 2026). On the mainland the FCDO does advise against all but essential travel to several coastal provinces, Guayas — Guayaquil — among them, but it explicitly exempts airside transit at Guayaquil airport. Ecuador is also reported to be under a state of emergency covering ten provinces until 16 August 2026, the Galápagos not among them (reported figure, not re-checked against the primary source). The practical move: transit through the airport without going into the city, and re-read your own government's advisory before you fly.