Last week, JetBlue added the city of Guayaquil, Ecuador, to its growing list of South American destinations, with the arrival of the airline’s first flight at José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport. As more and more visitors from the United States flock to Ecuador’s biggest city, JetBlue’s daily flights from Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport provide a new, affordable opportunity for people to fulfill their dreams of visiting the Galapagos Islands, or simply appreciate the incredible beaches, sights and history this port city has to offer.
“We welcome JetBlue’s direct flight from the U.S., which is where we draw the greatest number of tourists,” Gloria Gallardo Zavala, president of the Guayaquil Bureau of Tourism, Civic Promotion and International Relations, explained in a statement. “Guayaquil is the gateway to the Galapagos and to Ecuador. Those who visit Guayaquil will experience the hospitality, the warmth, and the joy of our people.”
More direct service to Guayaquil offers an advantage for travelers to the Galapagos, since flights from Guayaquil are the quickest way to the islands. (Flights are also available from Quito, but they still go through Guayaquil and therefore take at least an hour longer.) From Guayaquil, several carriers offer daily service to airports on Baltra and San Cristóbal Islands, with rates beginning around $200, depending on the season. Baltra also offers a quick ferry ride to Santa Cruz, where visitors have their pick of a variety of lodgings not far from Galapagos Beach at Tortuga Bay.
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In addition to service to Guayaquil, JetBlue will add a second seasonal daily flight to Quito this summer.
