On Wednesday, July 31, 2024, Quiport announced that the Mariscal Sucre Airport in Quito will resume its expansion to "improve the passenger experience and increase operational capacity."

In November 2019, the expansion of the passenger terminal began but was interrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to Quiport, the investment amounts to USD 74.2 million. Of this amount, USD 19.1 million has already been spent, and USD 55.1 million is "yet to be executed."

There are four levels in the terminal expansion, which is an additional 25% and will be carried out between 2024 and 2025:

Level 0:

- Expansion of technical rooms and storage areas

Level 1:

- Expansion of the public arrivals hall

- Baggage claim area

- Increase in the capacity of international baggage carousels

- Reconfiguration of the Customs area

- Expansion of the duty-free store and baggage handling system

Level 2:

- Expansion of the public departures hall

- Passenger check-in area with 20 new counters and 12 self-check-in machines

- Pre-boarding lounge for 350 passengers

- New dining spaces

- Expansion of the international departure duty-free store

Level 3:

- Expansion of the international VIP lounge

Beginning this Thursday, August 1, 2024, the increased conservation fee for entry to the protected areas of the Galápagos will be applied, as mandated by the government of Daniel Noboa. National tourists will pay five times more, and foreign tourists, double.

With these new fees, the Ministry of Environment and Tourism aims to stabilize mass tourism to the islands and maintain the well-being of the ecosystems and inhabitants.

The increase was approved on February 24 by the Governing Council of the islands. The new fees are as follows:

Ecuadorian citizens and residents:

• Children under 2 years old: Free

• Children 2 to 11 years old: $15

• Persons 12 years or older: $30 (previously $6)

• Persons over 65 years old: $15

• Persons with disabilities holding a CONADISUS card: $15

Foreign citizens from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay:

• Children under 2 years old: Free

• Children 2 to 11 years old: $50

• Persons 12 years or older: $100

• Persons enrolled in Ecuadorian educational institutions: $50

Foreigners from all other countries:

• Children under 2 years old: Free

• Children 2 to 11 years old: $100

• Persons 12 years or older: $200 (previously $100)

• Persons enrolled in Ecuadorian educational institutions: $50

In 2023, the Galápagos National Park recorded a record 330,000 tourists in the archipelago, more than half of whom were foreigners.

You can also read about these new fees on this official page: Tributo de ingreso.

The National Federation of Intra and Inter Provincial Public Passenger Transportation (Fenacotip) has announced a strike of transporters for next July 16 and 17 due to the insecurity experienced by drivers on the roads. The president of Fenacotip said that work cannot continue under these conditions without the minimum help from the authorities and the Police. He also recalled that there are people who have died and that both passengers and drivers fear all the time for their safety.

The only runway of José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport in Guayaquil will be out of service for six hours next Friday, July 19, 2024, due to scheduled maintenance work. The closure will occur from 06:30 to 12:30. During these hours the airport will stay open for passengers but no airplanes will be able to take off or land. 

Since June 27, 2023, Copa Airlines has been flying between Panama and Manta. Because this flight has been in operation for one year, Informativo Digital Manabita has published a post on Facebook with interesting data:

• The service to Manta International Airport started with 3 weekly flights. Due to higher-than-expected demand, the frequency has been increased to 4 flights per week.
• The occupancy percentage has been higher than 80% in the first year of operation.
• The flights carried more than 39,000 passengers in the first year. This is considerably more than the 12,000 passengers that Copa Airlines projected for the first year.
• The main feeders for this flight are New York City, Miami, Panama, and Havana.

Copa Airlines is based in Panama City and is a member of the Star Alliance, which includes member airlines such as United Airlines and Lufthansa. Copa Airlines operates with a hub-and-spoke model, with the modern airport in Panama City serving as the hub. The airline specializes in connecting places in North and Central America with destinations in South America.

Airlines with a hub-and-spoke system usually offer convenient connections at the hub. The biggest complaint from passengers is that this is not the case for the flights to Manta. The layover time is too long for most destinations in the USA. This doesn't mean that you shouldn't use these flights, but before booking, you should make sure that the layover time is acceptable for you. As alternatives, you can fly from Guayaquil International Airport (accessible by land travel) or Quito International Airport (accessible by taking an Avianca or LATAM flight to Quito).

The National Traffic Agency has a regulation that allows pets to travel with their owners on interprovincial buses. These are the requirements that you will have to comply with:

• An signed agreement of responsibility between you and the bus company.
• You must be liable for civil and criminal actions and omissions.
• The animal must be fasting for at least four hours before the trip.
• The animal must have its own identification (collar and tag).
• The animal must have a microchip implanted.
• The animal must have a vaccination and deworming certificate for the last year.
• The animal must have certification for having been trained.
• The animal must wear a distinctive vest, a credential and a harness.

Animals can travel for free when they do not exceed 10 kilos of weight.

In this article we describe the options to travel from Quito to Manta. In general, three options are available: bus, (rental) car and airplane.

By bus

Buses from Quito to Manta depart from Quitumbe Bus Terminal and Carcelén Bus Terminal in Quito. There are no direct buses from Quito Airport to Manta. Therefore, when you want to take a bus to Manta, you first need to travel to one of these two bus terminals in Quito.

By bus from Quitumbe Bus Terminal

Quito's largest bus terminal is Quitumbe Bus Terminal, located in the southern end of Quito. This modern and safe bus terminal has services to the east, south, and west, including Manta. Bus fares for Manta cost about $11.75 (2023).

Tot get to this bus terminal you can take a taxi from Quito Airport for about $ 30. A much cheaper option ($ 2) is to take a green COSIBO bus with destination Avenida Río Coca.

Bus company Reina del Camino offers bus services between Quitumbe Bus Terminal and the bus terminal in Manta (Manta Bus Terminal). During the journey, you will see amazing landscapes, but the bus route is somewhat dangerous because of the steep hills and sharp curves in the mountains.

Reina del Camino offers various buses; regular buses, "coche cama" buses, and first-class buses.

Coche cama buses have seats that recline 160 grades. The maximum number of passengers is 25. A toilet, wifi, and snacks are available on these buses. The travel time is about 10 hours.

A first-class bus is called Bus Ejecutivo. These buses transport 42 passengers. A toilet, wifi, and snacks are also available on these buses. The main advantage of the Bus Ejecutivo is that it doesn't stop underway, making it the fastest option (about 7 hours). The Bus Ejecutivo is usually only available at night. Because of the high demand, it's recommendable to make a reservation in advance on mulitpasajes.com.

Bus company Trans Esmeraldas offers one service per day from Quitumbe Bus Terminal to Manta.

By bus from Carcelén Bus Terminal

Carcelén Bus Terminal is situated in the north of Quito and is the closest bus terminal to Quito Airport. The terminal is not as large and as modern as Quitumbe Bus Terminal. It's also somewhat less safe.

To get from Quito Airport to Carcelén Bus Terminal, you can take an OPERNORTE shuttle bus from Quito Airport. It's also possible to take a taxi to the bus terminal for about $ 25.

Trans Esmeraldas is the bus company that offers bus services from this bus terminal to Bus Terminal Manta. It operates comfortable double-decker buses on this route. The route itself is safer than the route from Quitumbe Bus Terminal, because it is less mountainous, which means fewer sharp turns and less steep slopes. The total duration of the bus trip is about 9 to 11 hours.

This bus terminal has fewer frequencies to Manta than Quitumbe Bus Terminal.

If you want to travel at night, you can take the latest bus. Because of fewer stops, traveling at night is faster than traveling during the day.

By car

It takes about 6 to 8 hours to drive from Quito Airport to Manta. Car rentals are available at Quito Airport. Quito has a regulation that restricts the circulation of cars. Hoy no circula provides that a vehicle cannot circulate on all days. The available hours and days depend on the last digit of the license plate. Ask the rental company about these restrictions.

The climate in the mountains can be foggy and rainy. This means that you may have to ride in bad weather conditions. Because of landslides, it's not recommended to ride at night.

By airplane

Manta has its own airport on the edge of the city. Two airline companies connect Quito Airport with Manta Airport: Avianca and LATAM. The flight time is about 35 minutes.

International flights from North America and Europe usually arrive at Quito Airport late in the afternoon and in the evening, while flights to Manta are currently only operated during the morning. This means that you will have to spend the night near Quito Airport. See Quito Airport for hotels and other options.