Cooperativa Aeropuerto Mariscal Sucre

Late-night arrivals from the US hit UIO after 22:00? Use this taxi.

Cooperativa Aeropuerto Mariscal Sucre runs the official 24/7 taxi service from UIO, with typical fares of $25–45 to Quito depending on neighborhood, time of day, and passengers. Rides to central areas like La Floresta or Centro Histórico usually clock in at 35–50 minutes off-peak, but locals warn that rush hour can stretch that to 60–90 minutes.

The stand sits just inside the terminal exit near arrivals, and World Travel Guide notes that you prepay at a desk by stating your destination. Staff print a slip with the agreed fare, so a ride to La Floresta that one traveler reported at $25 around 23:00 gets written down before you see the car.

Drivers line up at the official rank, and the cooperative is one of the few options that is genuinely 24 hours a day without advance booking. Alternative Airlines flags this as the default for people landing on the midnight bank of flights from the US and Europe, when buses and most hotel shuttles wind down.

How to use Cooperativa Aeropuerto Mariscal Sucre step by step

• 1. Walk to the official desk. After baggage claim, follow “Taxi Oficial” signs to the kiosk near the terminal exit; do not follow drivers calling out in the hall.
• 2. Give your exact address. Tell the clerk the neighborhood and street (for example, “La Floresta, Calle Madrid y Coruña”); they quote a fixed fare, usually between $25 and $45 for Quito.
• 3. Confirm the slip. Check that your destination and price match what you heard, then keep the printed paper with you until drop-off.
• 4. Join the official queue. Hand the slip to the dispatcher at the taxi rank; during late-night banks, expect a 10–20 minute wait even though cars keep rolling in.
• 5. Reconfirm before the car moves. Say the fare out loud to the driver (for example, “treinta dólares hasta La Floresta”) so there is no discussion later.
• 6. Watch the route loosely. In normal traffic, arrival to central Quito takes under an hour; Reddit users complain that some drivers suggest paid “shortcuts” that add time and cost.
• 7. Pay only the agreed amount. At the destination, hand over the printed fare in cash; if the driver pushes for more, locals on r/Quito say to stick to the slip.

Regulars often split a taxi with one or two other passengers from their flight to keep costs near shuttle prices of around $10–15 per person, and many expats still have their hotel prebook a driver at the same $25–45 range to skip any desk or queue drama. One last tip: screenshot your hotel’s address and a Google Maps pin while on airport Wi‑Fi so you can show it offline in the cab.