Air Travel

Ecuador's rugged terrain makes domestic air travel a time-saving option worth considering. (Quito–Guayaquil is a quick 35 minutes.) One-way flights between mainland destinations run about $50. Flights to the Galápagos cost upward of $400 round-trip from the mainland. Tame (pronounced tah-may), Ícaro, and AeroGal share the domestic market; all can do E-ticketing via their Web sites.

Quito's Aeropuerto Mariscal Sucre and Guayaquil's Aeropuerto José Joaquín de Olmedo both serve as international gateways to Ecuador. Flights that originate in Houston fly to Quito in six hours; those from Miami fly to either Quito or Guayaquil in 4½ hours.

Airlines in Ecuador

AeroGal. 800/237–642; 888/723–7642; www.aerogal.com.ec.

Ícaro. 800/883–567; www.icaro.aero.

Tame. 800/555–999; 800/666–9687; www.tame.com.ec.