Sleeping in Quito Airport

Whether your situation calls for a short nap or an overnight slumber, this sleep guide will give you the essential information needed to prepare you for sleeping in Quito Airport.

Our guide is updated with the help of airport sleepers who tell us about their experiences at Quito Airport. If you have a tip to share, write a review to help us keep this sleep guide up-to-date!

Read the latest traveller reviews.

Sleeping in Quito Airport

Locations & Seating

Seating is plentiful, but there’s a hitch: most seats are metal and come with armrests, so they aren’t exactly sleep-friendly. Try contorting yourself into a sleep position or opt for the floor like other travellers – a sleep mat or blanket will provide some much-needed cushion. Depending on your spot, look for areas of carpeting.

A few travellers have reported putting chairs together for a makeshift bed in the food court, only for security staff to let them know it’s not allowed.

Rest Zones

At the time of this update, there are no designated rest zones within the airport.

Temperature

Day or night, plan for chilly temperatures in the terminal. Arrive prepared with a blanket or even a sleeping bag. A hoodie provides extra warmth if the terminal gets even colder.

Lighting

The lights stay on around the clock. Come prepared with eyeshades or something else to cover your eyes, such as a shirt or towel.

Noise

By day, nappers should expect the regular airport hum of announcements and music over the loudspeakers and nearby travellers and workers chatting. By night, the airport is considerably quieter. Still, it’s best to be prepared with earplugs or noise-cancelling headphones.

Showers

Freshen up (and loosen those stiff muscles) with a shower before your flight. Shower facilities are located in two pay-to-use lounges: the Salon VIP (International) and Layover Stay. See our Quito Airport Guide for details.

Food & Drink

When you get the midnight munchies or give up trying to sleep and need a coffee to stay awake, 24-hour food concessions are available. Check out these vendors:

Domestic Departures: Amazonia Cafe
Domestic Arrivals: Amazonia Cafe and De Volada (To Go)
International Departures: Amazonia Cafe, De Volada (On the Fly), Famous Famiglia, Johnny Rockets, and Outback Steakhouse
International Departures, pre-Security: Johnny Rockets

Hotels

If you prefer the privacy and comfort of your own hotel room, you’ll have to leave the airport behind. Luckily, a Wyndham hotel is located on airport property. Several more hotels are located within a 12-minute drive of the airport, and some offer complimentary shuttle service. See the hotel section in our Airport Guide for locations or visit Tripadvisor to find hotels deals at Quito Airport.

Lounges

If you are looking for a private place to nap for a few hours in between flights, check out the Layover Stay lounge. In addition to offering a comfortable place to hang out, they have a few comfortable recliners perfect for napping between flights. For more information, check out our Quito Airport Guide.

Security & Safety

Airport staff seem generally tolerant of sleepers, even overnight campers. Depending on your location, they may ask for boarding passes and IDs or let you know that seats cannot be moved around for napping.

At the time of this update, we have no reports from travellers commenting on safety issues at Quito Airport. As a precaution, here are a few tips to ensure you have a safe airport sleeping experience:

Know Where Security is Located. Whether you are sleeping in the airport by yourself or with friends, it is good to know where security is. Know where their office is located and look for video cameras in the spot you decide to stay the night. Ask security where it is safe to spend the night. They’ve probably seen many airport sleepers before you and they will direct you to a safe spot.
Don’t Seclude Yourself. If you are travelling alone we recommend that you sleep near other travellers or close to security.
Hide Your Valuables. Don’t leave all your mobile devices out in plain view. We have received reports from people who woke up with earphones and no ipod and a laptop bag strap and no laptop bag (or laptop). Same goes with important documents and money. Keep these secure on your body, so that no one can get them without waking you up.
Secure Your Bags. If you are a deep sleeper, you may want to padlock your bag to something. If your bags have zippers turn the bag upside down (zippers to the floor) or sleep with your bag up against the wall, so that it would be hard for someone to access.
Choose to Stay Alert. If you don’t feel safe, drink coffee and stay awake and be alert. You can always sleep on the plane!

Pro-tip: If you are sleeping in the public zone, don’t be surprised if you receive an early morning wake-up call. Security is known to make the rounds waking people up as travellers begin to arrive for morning flights.