Sleeping in Airports

Galapagos Islands (Baltra) Airport Guide

Whether you have a layover, overnight sleepover or you are just quickly passing through, our Baltra Airport Guide is a great place to start planning your visit.  Here, you’ll find information on services and facilities available inside the airport – including details about airport lounges, WiFi, mobile charging points, lockers, 24-hour food options, nearby hotels, and everything in between.

Claiming luggage on arrival was a free for all. They lay the luggage out under a pavillion and then open the gates and the crowd rushes in to get their luggage! It was crazy! – snkrsalab

GPS Airport Overview

To help you plan your layover or overnight sleepover, here is a quick run-down about what to expect during your time at Baltra Seymour Airport.

What to Expect

Baltra Airport (code: GPS) has a tiny, environmentally-friendly terminal with flights to and from nearby San Cristobal Island and mainland Ecuador. Facilities are limited to a cafe and a few souvenir shops. WiFi is available in the airport lounge, which economy class passengers can pay to enter. See Airport Lounges in the guide below for its location and rates.

Sleeping in Baltra Airport

The airport is open from 8:00 AM until the day’s last flight, so sleeping overnight is impossible. For uninterrupted sleep, the closest hotels are about 75 minutes away. See the Airport Hotels section below for more info, or read some traveller airport reviews for more tips.

To help us keep this guide up-to-date, you can add or update information or write a review to submit airport tips and photos. You can also visit the airport’s website for current information. For more airport information, continue scrolling down to explore more in our Baltra Airport Guide.

In this guide we may refer to locations as “landside” and “airside”. Landside is the public area of the terminal located in the non-secure zone, before security. Airside is the secure area of the terminal that you must reach by going through security.   

Airport Hours

The airport is open from 8:00 AM until the last scheduled flight of the day. Overnight stays are not permitted at this airport.

Rest & Relaxation Zones

There are no dedicated sleeping areas, quiet areas or rest zones. If this information has changed, click here to update this guide.

Airport Hotels

There are no hotels at Baltra airport, and it is highly unlikely that the military will allow you to sleep here. You will have to take the ferry back to Santa Cruz Island and then board the bus back to Puerto Ayora. Here are a few hotel options based on Tripadvisor reviews:

  • Hotel Ninfa –  Transfer to/from Ithabaca Channel is available upon request. Approx. cost is $65.00 each way for up to 4 people. » Check Rates
  • Casa Natura – Transfer to/from Ithabaca Channel is available upon request. Approx. cost is $35.00 each way for up to 3 people. » Check Rates
  • Hotel Pelican Bay – No airport shuttle. » Check Rates

For more options, visit Tripadvisor to see a list of hotels near Baltra Airport that can be sorted by price, distance, traveller rating and popularity.

Airport Lounges

Pay-per-use, Single Visit Passes & Lounge Memberships

Regardless of what class of service you are flying, there is a lounge that you can enter by paying at the door or through a lounge membership program. Visit the individual lounge page for more details about the lounge itself and learn how to gain access with just an economy class ticket!

  • Aeropuertos VIP Club – Some deluxe category boats and Santa Cruz hotels use this for their guests. Location: Airside. Lounge Access: Pay at the Door • Lounge membership programs.

Related Pages: Baltra Airport Lounges

Drinking Water

Information is unavailable. Does the airport have water fountains or water bottle refill stations? Click here to update this guide.

Food & Drinks

There is a cafe located landside.

Luggage Storage & Lockers

Unavailable. If this is incorrect, click here to update this guide.

Mobile Charging

At the time of this update, we had no information about mobile charging availability. If you know, click here to update this airport guide.

More Airport Information

More Services, Facilities & Things To Do On A Layover

Duty-Free & Shopping – Duty-Free is not available. You will find a selection of souvenir shops to buy your `I love boobies’ t-shirt.

Information Desk – Not available.

SIM Cards – A reader has asked us to include where to buy SIM Cards. If you know, click here to update this airport guide.

Travel Agencies – Information not available.

Airlines
Galapagos Islands Airport is served by the following airlines: Avianca • Copa Airlines • LATAM • TAME.
Airport Transportation: Getting To/From The Airport

Barge

From the airport, a shuttle bus will transport you to the dock, where you will board a barge to Santa Cruz Island. The trip across the Itabaca Canal takes approximately 10 minutes. Fare: US$1 one way. Tickets are purchased at the airport.

Bus

From Santa Cruz Island, a bus connects you to Puerto Ayora. Fare: US$2.50 one way. Tickets are purchased at the airport simultaneously as you purchase the fare for the channel crossing.

Hotel Shuttles

See also Airport Hotels above.

Taxi

If you prefer to take a taxi from the dock to Puerto Ayora, taxis are available once you reach Santa Cruz Island. The ride between the pier and the capital costs approximately $25.00 USD and takes about an hour.

Showers

Unavailable. If this is incorrect, click here to update this guide.

WiFi/Internet

WiFi is available in the VIP Lounge.

Last updated: 2024-08-26

This guide is for informational purposes only to assist with your planning.  All information, including rates and hours, is subject to change at any time without notice.   The information in this airport guide is based on information collected and/or received from the airports, lounges, hotels, transportation providers, and their websites. We are not representatives of any of the above-mentioned service providers. To report errors or to add/update any items mentioned in the guide: update the airport guide or  write a review.