Arriving at Mariscal Sucre International Airport? Pre-arrange your Quito secure transfer before you land.
Mariscal Sucre International Airport is the primary gateway for international arrivals in Quito and the starting point for what has become an increasingly demanding security management operation as Ecuador’s urban crime environment has deteriorated since 2022. The combination of documented express kidnapping associated with informal transport use, armed robbery, and carjacking makes the airport arrival window one of the highest-risk moments of any Quito visit. Pre-arranged licensed collection inside the UIO arrivals hall and operations controller tracking convert the transfer from an unmanaged exposure into a managed and documented security operation.
The UIO arrival environment
Mariscal Sucre International Airport, located northeast of Quito on a plateau, serves all international flights into the Ecuadorian capital. The FCDO and US State Department both note the significant deterioration in Ecuador’s security environment since 2022, with kidnapping and armed robbery increasing substantially. The US State Department Ecuador advisory is Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution). Source: FCDO Ecuador travel advice (2026); US State Department Ecuador advisory Level 2 (2026).
What a Quito secure transfer covers
Licensed inside-terminal collection; armed driver option for elevated-risk principals; kidnap-aware routing; operations controller tracking throughout; civil unrest contingency planning; night transfer protocol uplift; and the departure transfer to UIO on the same terms. For broader services in Quito, see our Quito city page and close protection officers in Quito.
What does this cover in Quito?
Mariscal Sucre International Airport Collection Protocol
Pre-arranged collection at Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO) begins inside the arrivals hall before the principal exits to the terminal kerb. The driver meets the principal at the arrivals gate with identification and escorts directly to the vehicle. Express kidnapping in Ecuador has been documented in connection with informal transport use from airport kerb zones. Inside-terminal collection eliminates this specific exposure from the first moment of the visit.
Licensed Drivers
All drivers providing secure transfers from UIO work for companies holding a current operating permit from the national citizen security authority. Armed options are available through the same framework for principals whose threat assessment warrants it. Operations controller oversight is maintained from UIO to the principal's accommodation in La Mariscal, Gonzalez Suarez, or Cumbaya.
Kidnapping and Express Crime Transfer Protocols
Kidnapping has increased significantly in Ecuador since 2022, including express kidnapping incidents associated with informal transport and vulnerable arrival windows. Transfer protocols directly address the kidnap risk: no predictable departure timing, route variation, armed driver option for elevated-risk principals, and operations controller tracking from landing to accommodation. Source: FCDO Ecuador travel advice (2026); US State Department Level 2 advisory Ecuador (2026).
Route to La Mariscal and Gonzalez Suarez
The primary route from Mariscal Sucre International Airport to La Mariscal and Gonzalez Suarez runs via the Av. Simón Bolívar and Av. Eloy Alfaro corridor. The route is approximately 35 to 50 minutes depending on traffic. Night transfers use an adjusted route to avoid areas with elevated after-dark crime profiles. Contingency routing is pre-confirmed for all transfers.
Night Transfer Protocol
Ecuador's crime risk increases significantly after dark across all Quito districts. Night arrivals at UIO use an uplifted protocol: armed driver option where warranted, earlier accommodation arrival notification, closed windows and locked doors throughout, and an adjusted route. Operations controller contact is maintained continuously from UIO departure to accommodation arrival.
Civil Unrest Contingency
Ecuador has experienced civil unrest events -- indigenous-led highway blockages, military operations against armed criminal organisations, and political demonstrations -- that have disrupted main Quito arteries. Transfer contingency plans include alternative routing from UIO to La Mariscal for the most common protest-related arterial blockages, and a shelter-in-place protocol for the terminal in the event of major civil disruption.
Sources for this page
Licensing, firearms and foreign-operator rules for Quito, checked : Ley Orgánica de Vigilancia y Seguridad Privada, Registro Oficial 496, 9 February 2024 (gob.ec); Ley Orgánica de Vigilancia y Seguridad Privada, full text (gob.ec). The full rules are on our Quito security overview.
Travel advice quoted on this page: FCDO travel advice: Ecuador; US State Department travel advisory: Ecuador. Advice changes; read the current version before travel.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is a pre-arranged transfer from Mariscal Sucre International Airport important in Quito?
How long does the UIO to La Mariscal transfer take?
Is an armed driver available for UIO transfers?
What is the express kidnapping risk from Quito airport informal transport?
Is the departure transfer to UIO provided on the same terms?
This page is published by CloseProtectionHire.com and written to editorial standards overseen by James Calloway, Senior Security Consultant (regulation, licensing, vetting and risk frameworks) and Marcus Webb, Security Operations Adviser (operational close protection, secure transport and city-specific safety).
Threat, regulatory and emergency information is sourced to named, dated authorities such as the FCDO, the US State Department and national licensing bodies. Last updated . See how we verify.