FBOs at Mariscal Sucre International Airport SEQM UIO

Airport security

Quito carries a U.S. State Department Level 2 — Exercise Increased Caution advisory, with risk indicators spanning crime, terrorism, civil unrest, and kidnapping.

The city is assessed at a critical threat level for crime and a high threat level for both terrorism and political violence directed at civilian and official interests, and Pichincha province — where Quito is located — was placed under a national state of exception in September 2026.

Civil unrest can develop rapidly and without warning, while elevated street crime, express kidnapping, and bomb threats targeting public infrastructure represent ongoing concerns for travelers in and around the capital.

Mariscal Sucre International Airport is Ecuador's primary international hub, handling scheduled commercial domestic and international services across multiple airlines and serving as the country's busiest passenger gateway.

As a major international hub operating under the oversight of Ecuador's General Directorate of Civil Aviation and in coordination with national government security authorities, the airport enforces layered access control: terminal entry is restricted to ticketed passengers presenting valid travel documents and boarding passes, with companions and visitors barred from the terminal, and all staff and vendors required to hold accredited credentials.

The facility has implemented automated boarding pass verification at security filter access points and biometric systems for immigration and select departure processes, reflecting a security standard consistent with an international hub subject to heightened national-level security measures.

Customs, immigration and regulatory

Hours: H24 (airport is a designated port of entry operating continuously; no US pre-clearance facility) Customs and immigration administered by Ecuadorian authorities under DGAC oversight; no US CBP pre-clearance at SEQM

Ground corridor

• Quito presents an elevated opportunistic crime environment driven primarily by petty theft, distraction scams, and express kidnapping — the latter most commonly associated with unauthorized ground transport at or near the airport and city-center ATM corridors
• the 45-km airport-to-city transit route via the Eastern Highway (E35) passes through Tababela and Cumbayá, areas assessed as moderate risk relative to the capital, and no active movement restrictions apply to this corridor. Pre-arranged vehicles confirmed through the airport's official transfer desks or coordinated through a ground support team are strongly advised
• approach to the terminal kerbside should be managed by a vetted professional driver, as unsolicited transport offers at arrivals present the highest risk point of the journey. Ecuador is not subject to a comprehensive US embargo
• however, the active nationwide State of Emergency and elevated military and police presence along major arteries require travelers to carry identification at all times and comply with checkpoint instructions.

City threat summary

Quito carries a U.S. State Department Level 2 — Exercise Increased Caution advisory, with risk indicators spanning crime, terrorism, civil unrest, and kidnapping.

The city is assessed at a critical threat level for crime and a high threat level for both terrorism and political violence directed at civilian and official interests, and Pichincha province — where Quito is located — was placed under a national state of exception in September 2026.

Civil unrest can develop rapidly and without warning, while elevated street crime, express kidnapping, and bomb threats targeting public infrastructure represent ongoing concerns for travelers in and around the capital.

Country overview

Ecuador operates under a sustained elevated threat environment, with the U.S. State Department maintaining a nationwide Level 2 advisory and designating multiple coastal and border sub-zones at Level 3 or Level 4, while the UK FCDO advises against all but essential travel to all seven Coastal Region provinces and within 20km of the Colombian border.

Gang-related violence linked to narcotrafficking reached a monthly high in July 2026, and joint U.S.-Ecuador operations announced in March 2026 targeting designated foreign terrorist organizations reflect the ongoing severity of organized criminal activity.

A nationwide red alert declared in late August 2026 in response to El Niño threats adds a compounding layer of operational disruption risk alongside the existing security environment.

Higher-risk locations nearby

• Guayaquil SEGU HIGH
• Baltra Island SEGS ELEVATED
• Puerto Baquerizo Moreno SEST ELEVATED
• Quito SEQM ELEVATED