Cheap flights from London to Quito

January is when fares on this route tend to be at their lowest, and it also sits in Ecuador's rainy season on the coast — the Andes around Quito stay cooler and wetter then, so pack for it. The months either side, from late autumn through early spring, often hold up well too. School holidays in the United Kingdom and the Christmas run push prices up, so book well ahead if you must travel then. Midweek departures usually cost less than weekend ones, and Tuesday and Wednesday flights are worth checking first. For a long connecting trip, giving yourself a flexible window of a few days either side of your target date often brings the fare down.

No airline flies London to Quito non-stop, so every itinerary here involves at least one change of plane. Easyjet and Wizz Air Malta are the low-cost names on the list; United Airlines, Air Canada, AeroMéxico, Air Europa, Iberia Express, Aer Lingus, Brussels Airlines and Austrian are full-service carriers. That mix matters when you compare: a low-cost fare and a full-service fare can look close until you add what each one includes. Checked baggage, seat selection and meals are handled differently from carrier to carrier and from fare to fare, so read the conditions attached to the price you see. Watch whether the legs are sold as one ticket or two.

Quito is served by Mariscal Sucre, the city's main airport, which sits outside the urban area rather than beside it. Plan on a road transfer into the centre, and give yourself room for it after a long connecting flight. Taxis and airport shuttles are the usual ways in; agree the fare or use a licensed counter before you leave the terminal. Allow time at immigration and baggage claim before any onward travel you have booked. If your itinerary lands you in another city first and continues on a separate ticket, leave a generous gap between the two flights, because a missed connection on separate bookings is yours to sort out.

Currency

USD ($)

Power sockets

Type A, B · 120 V

Language

Northern Quichua, Shuar, Spanish

Emergency number

101, 102, 131

Driving side

right

Calling code

+593

Internet domain

.ec

Population of Quito

1.8 M (2022)

Altitude

2,850 m · high altitude — take the first day slowly

Time zone

UTC-05 (America/Guayaquil)

Country facts: Wikidata

• Check which London airport you are leaving from — the city has several, and they are not interchangeable.
• On a low-cost fare, confirm what the bag allowance covers before you add a suitcase.
• If the legs are sold as separate tickets, leave a long gap between them in case of delay.
• Make sure your passport and any visa or entry paperwork for Ecuador are in order well before departure.
• Compare January fares with the months either side, since the lowest fares do not always fall when you need them.
• Look at the total journey time, not just the departure time, when you choose a connection.