Step-by-Step Guide for Traveling to Galapagos

Here’s our step-by-step guide for flying to the Galápagos Islands:

Step 1: Book Your Flight

1. Choose an Airline: Two airlines (Avianca and LATAM) operate flights from Quito (UIO) or Guayaquil (GYE) to Galápagos.
2. Select Your Entry Island: You can fly to either Baltra Airport (GPS) or San Cristóbal Airport (SCY). We recommend you fly into one and out of the other.
3. Book Round-Trip Tickets: It’s required to have a round-trip flight, as the Governing Council of Galápagos will check your return date when they issue your Transit Control Card.
4. Purchase Travel Insurance (Optional): While not usually enforced, travel insurance that includes medical evacuation coverage is highly recommended.

Step 2: Arrive at the Airport Early

1. Arrive Early: It is recommended to get to UIO or GYE about 3 hours before departure. At a minimum you should be at the airport 2 hours before your flight. Please note, if you are arriving on an international or domestic flight, you must collect all of your checked luggage and then complete Step 3 below. Even if you do not have checked luggage, you must leave the secure area and follow the same steps.

Step 3: Complete the Galápagos Entry Requirements

1. Transit Control Card: Just inside the airport at UIO or GYE, you will see a specially marked counter for the Consejo de Gobierno del Régimen Especial de Galápagos. This is where you will obtain your Transit Control Card (TCT). While you can complete the form online in advance, you must get in line and pay the $20 per person fee at the airport. In addition to your passport info, you’ll need your hotel name(s) and address(es) plus proof of your return flight out of Galapagos.
2. Luggage Inspection: Proceed to the SICGAL counter for mandatory luggage inspection to prevent bringing prohibited items to the islands. All of your baggage including carry-ons will be scanned and may be hand-inspected by the biosecurity team; they will seal your checked luggage. These seals cannot be removed until after you arrive in Galapagos and have been cleared by the inspection team at GPS or SCY.
3. Entrance Fee: Prepare to pay the Galápagos National Park entrance fee upon landing in the islands. It costs $200 USD for adults and $100 USD for children 12 years or younger (international visitors). While you can pay with a credit or debit card, it is best to have sufficient cash on hand as there are no ATMs in Baltra or at the San Cristobal airport and sometimes the electronic payment system is offline. There are ATMs at Quito and Guayaquil airports in the departures area before you go through security.

Step 4: Check-In and Boarding

1. Check-In with Airline: After receiving your TCT and passing the biosecurity inspection, head to your airline’s check-in counter. Note that the airline will not allow you to check in until you have your TCT in hand and your luggage has been sealed.
2. Boarding Pass: Collect your boarding pass and proceed through security to the departure gate. You will be required to show a photo ID, boarding pass, and your TCT at the security checkpoint.
3. Liquids: Unlike all other domestic flights in Ecuador, liquids are allowed through security for flights to Galápagos. This means if you purchase duty free liquor or wine prior to your inbound international flight, or at UIO or GYE on arrival, you will be allowed to carry these items onto the plane for your flight to Galápagos. Each passenger can purchase up to 5 bottles of duty free liquor.

Step 5: Flight Details

1. Layover in Guayaquil: Most flights to Galapagos stop briefly in Guayaquil to pick up additional passengers. You will not disembark during this layover unless you are booked on a different flight number with the same airline. Pay close attention to this when you book your flights! If it is one flight number from UIO to GYE and a different one from GYE to GPS or SCY, you will have to deplane, exit the secured area, and go back through regular security for your connecting flight.
2. Flight Duration: The total travel time is around 3 hours (about 30 minutes from Quito to Guayaquil, a short layover, and then around 2 hours to Galápagos).
3. Fumigation: About 20 minutes before landing in Galápagos, the flight attendants will walk through the passenger cabin and spray inside the overhead luggage bins. This is a mild insecticide approved by the World Health Organization in order to prevent insects such as mosquitoes, moths, flies or wasps travelling to Galápagos where they could become an invasive and potentially very destructive species.
4. Biosecurity Affidavit: During the flight, the flight attendants will distribute the Declaración Juramentada de Mercanciás. Every person over age 18 must complete and sign the form in which you declare under oath the provenance of any potentially prohibited items you might be bringing to Galápagos. As of December 1, 2024, the affidavit is also available to complete online.

Step 6: Arrival in the Galápagos Islands

1. Pay Entrance Fee: Upon landing, get in the Visitors line (as opposed to Residents) and proceed to the Galápagos National Park booth. Show your passport and TCT and pay the entrance fee. They will keep the top half of the TCT; you must retain the other half to show any time you travel between the populated islands and to turn in when you depart Galápagos.
2. Luggage Scan: Your carry-on luggage will be scanned and may be hand inspected for prohibited items. This is when you’ll hand over the Biosecurity Affidavit.
3. Retrieve Checked Luggage: If you only have carry-on luggage you can proceed to the exit. Everyone else must wait for all checked luggage to be sniffed by the biosecurity dog. There is a line painted on the floor in the baggage claim area. If you cross the line before all luggage has been inspected and the okay has been given, the guard will scold you!

Step 7: Transfer from the Airport

1. San Cristóbal: White truck taxis line up in front of the airport. The ride to any hotel in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno costs $2.50 per taxi (not per person) and will take about 5 minutes. They should only charge more if they have to help you with a lot of luggage. Four passengers can ride in each taxi. Note that taxi drivers and accommodation providers are not allowed to directly sell any tours. Please contact us or another locally-licensed travel agency / tour operator if you would like to book any day trips or other activities in San Cristobal or anywhere in Galápagos.
2. Baltra (Santa Cruz): Please read our step-by-step guide to traveling from Baltra to Puerto Ayora.

Welcome! You’re now ready to start exploring the Galápagos!

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Alethea first came to the islands as a budget-minded solo backpacker and is now a local resident who has been on four Galapagos cruises, has done countless day trips, and has visited all but a couple of the uninhabited islands. Contact us and tell us how we can help you plan your dream trip!