1Old Town (UNESCO) + La Compañía church
Largest + best-preserved Spanish colonial historic centre in the Americas. Plaza Grande + Jesuit La Compañía (USD 5, 7-tonnes of gold leaf). 2 hours.
Photo: Mihai Petre, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO) · Ecuador
3-Hour Layover in Quito: What To Do
By AirConnect Editorial
Photo: Atlantic Ambience on Pexels.
Quick answer
Can you leave the airport on a 3-hour layover in Quito?
Entry
Visa-free for 90 days for US, UK, EU, Canada, AU, NZ, Japan, Korea + 100+ nationalities. Yellow fever certificate required from endemic countries.
Into town
Aeroservicios bus to old town: 60 min, USD 8.
Time outside
Stay airside — 3h is too tight
Times from UIO arrivals. Check entry rules for your passport before you fly.
Top Quito: Where to Go
The sights in Quito worth leaving the airport for.
1landmark
TelefériQo cable car + Cruz Loma
4,100m cable car up Pichincha volcano — Andean panorama. USD 9. 1.5 hours. Altitude warning: 2,850m base.
3Mitad del Mundo (Equator monument)
0°0'0" monument 26km north of Quito — straddle both hemispheres. USD 5. Add Intiñan Museum for the real equator (USD 4). 1.5 hours.
Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
food
La Ronda alleyway + canelazo
Quito's most atmospheric old-town alley — colonial cafes + canelazo (hot cinnamon-aguardiente drink). USD 3-5. Best evenings.
Itinerary ideas for Quito
Pick the plan that fits the time between your flights.
3 hours
You are here3 hours in Quito
Stay airside — 3h is too tight
Insider tip
UIO is 18km from centre — but at 2,850m altitude even airport-only stops can give mild altitude headaches. For under 6-hour layovers: stay airside. For 8+ hours: Old Town + La Ronda. Aeroservicios bus (USD 8) is the budget option. Wear layers — chilly evenings.
Into Quito
Getting to Quito City Centre
| Mode | Cost | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Aeroservicios bus to old town | USD 8 | 60 min |
| Taxi (yellow, metered) | USD 25–35 | 50–70 min |
| Cabify / Uber app | USD 20–30 | 50–70 min |
Eat like a local
Eat Like a Local in Quito
Llapingachos (potato cakes). Ceviche de camarón. Locro de papa (potato-cheese soup). Hornado (roast pork). Pilsener + Pilsener Light beer.
3 hours in Quito
3-Hour Itinerary
1
0–30 min
Stay airside and find your departure area
With 3 hours, leaving Mariscal Sucre International Airport is risky: passport control, the trip into Quito and security on the way back take most of the time.
2
30–120 min
Eat, rest or use a lounge airside
Check the departures board for your gate before you settle in.
3
120–180 min
Go to your gate
Allow at least 30 minutes for security checks and the walk to the gate.
Your questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a visa for a 3-hour layover in Quito?
Visa-free for 90 days for US, UK, EU, Canada, AU, NZ, Japan, Korea + 100+ nationalities. Yellow fever certificate required from endemic countries. Check the rules for your own passport before you fly.
Is 3 hours enough to leave Mariscal Sucre International Airport?
Stay airside — 3h is too tight. Getting into Quito by Aeroservicios bus to old town takes 60 min each way.
How do I get from Mariscal Sucre International Airport to Quito centre?
Aeroservicios bus to old town: 60 min, USD 8. Taxi (yellow, metered): 50–70 min, USD 25–35. Cabify / Uber app: 50–70 min, USD 20–30.
Where can I leave my bags in Quito?
Luggage storage near Mariscal Sucre International Airport and in Quito is listed in our Quito luggage storage guide.
Getting out of Mariscal Sucre International Airport
Skip the taxi rank and lock in your fare before you land.
Pre-book a fixed-price transfer
Our pickDriver waits at arrivals with your name, tracks your flight, and the price you see is the price you pay. English-speaking, fixed price. No surge, no haggling at 2am.
Check transfer pricesRenting a car instead? Compare rentals with free cancellation.Trains & buses from Quito
Compare overland routes — often cheaper, more scenic and skip the airport queue.
Also useful for your Quito trip
Stay connected abroad — no roaming bills
Buy a travel eSIM before you fly and install it by QR code.
Airlines that fly to Quito
See each airline’s route map: where else it flies from UIO.
Aeroregional route mapAvianca Ecuador route mapLATAM Airlines Ecuador route mapAeromexico route mapAir Europa route mapAmerican Airlines route mapArajet route mapAvianca Costa Rica route mapAvianca El Salvador route mapCopa Airlines route mapDelta Air Lines route mapIberia route mapJetSmart Perú route mapKLM Royal Dutch Airlines route mapLATAM Airlines Colombia route mapLATAM Airlines Perú route mapQatar Airways route mapSKY Airline route map
Airport lounges at Mariscal Sucre Airport
Wait for your flight in a lounge — one membership covers lounges at airports across the country and worldwide.
Quito travel deals
Weekly layover, flight + hotel deals. No spam.
How a layover in Quito works
01
Check you can leave
Visa-free for 90 days for US, UK, EU, Canada, AU, NZ, Japan, Korea + 100+ nationalities. Yellow fever certificate required from endemic countries.
03
Back in time for your flight
Allow at least 30 minutes for security checks and the walk to the gate.
Ready for Quito?
Tours, tickets and day trips that fit between your flights.