Quito, Ecuador, inaugurated a new international gateway on February 20. The Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO), located about 23 miles east of the city center, is designed to handle up to 6 million passengers per year and features a range of passenger conveniences and commercial facilities.
The terminal houses a duty-free store and more than 20 retail outlets, along with a dedicated shopping center. Passenger processing is supported by 60 check-in counters, 20 immigration booths for arriving travelers and 14 counters for departures. The airport also includes a specialized departure area for passengers traveling to the Galapagos Islands and parking space for 45 aircraft.
To improve access between the city and the new airport, Quito is constructing the La Ruta Viva freeway, a $48 million project planned to open in stages through 2014. Once complete, the freeway is expected to cut travel time from downtown Quito to the airport to roughly 40 minutes, making transfers faster and more reliable for both residents and visitors.
The new airport represents a significant upgrade to the region’s air transport infrastructure, offering modern facilities and expanded commercial options while supporting tourism and connectivity for Ecuador’s capital and the Galapagos Islands.