The airport that traded mountain risks for a 5-star plain

Countries & Cities · Published 16 October 2026 · Updated 21 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Quito's aviation history was defined by a dangerous paradox: a bustling international hub nestled in a mountainous city with high wind currents. To survive, the city had to move its gateway 18 kilometers away, trading a cramped, risky urban site for a massive plain capable of hosting the world's largest aircraft.

The original Mariscal Sucre International Airport served Quito for 53 years, but its geography eventually became a liability. Located in the heart of a mountainous city, the site was plagued by high wind currents and posed significant safety risks. By the end of its tenure, it could no longer be expanded to accommodate modern air traffic or larger planes, having been the scene of numerous incidents and crashes in its final years.

The solution was a massive relocation to the Oyambaro plain near the town of Tababela. Construction on the new facility began in 2006, with a pivotal financing contract re-negotiation signed on August 9, 2010. The new site is a staggering leap in scale, covering 1,500 hectares—ten times the size of the airport it replaced. This expansion was essential for Quito's economic growth, particularly its agricultural exports.

The new airport officially opened on February 20, 2013, replacing the old site overnight. Skytrax designated it the Western Hemisphere's inaugural 5-star airport, marking a significant achievement. Today, it serves as a critical artery for Ecuador's economy; in 2024, it handled approximately 364,674 metric tons of cargo. Notably, about 92 percent of the export air cargo from Quito consists of flowers, highlighting the airport's role in the nation's primary agricultural trade.

The transition was marked by a symbolic test flight on July 2, 2012, where Mayor Augusto Barrera and 100 passengers flew a Boeing 757 for nine minutes to test check-in systems. The official inauguration was eventually delayed from October 2012 to February 2013 to allow for final improvements to access routes and manage the holiday season.

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