Cuenca-to-Peru Flights Being Considered — Airport Traffic Up 4.1%

The Headline

Cuenca's Mariscal Lamar Airport is getting busier. Passenger traffic is up 4.1%, and that growth has officials talking about something that would fundamentally change life for expats here: international flights.

Specifically, routes to Peru are being evaluated. No airline has been named, no timeline has been set, and no tickets are on sale — this is firmly in the "being considered" phase. But the fact that it's being discussed publicly is significant.

Why This Would Be a Game-Changer

Right now, Cuenca's airport serves exactly three domestic routes:

• Cuenca to Quito (LATAM, Avianca)
• Cuenca to Guayaquil (LATAM, Avianca)
• Cuenca to Baltra/Galápagos (LATAM — seasonal)

That's it. If you want to fly internationally from Cuenca, you have to connect through Quito or Guayaquil first. Want to visit family in the US? Fly to Quito, then Miami. Want to explore Peru? Fly to Guayaquil, then Lima. Every international trip starts with a domestic connection that adds hours, cost, and hassle.

Even a single international route — say, Cuenca to Lima — would open up enormous possibilities:

• Direct access to Peru for tourism, visa runs, or connecting to international flights through Lima's Jorge Chávez Airport (which has far more international routes than Quito)
• A potential hub connection — Lima has direct flights to dozens of US, European, and Asian cities
• Cheaper travel options — competition and direct routes generally bring prices down

A route to Piura (a city in northern Peru, relatively close to the border) has also been mentioned as a possibility, which would serve the cross-border traffic between southern Ecuador and northern Peru.

The Airport's Limitations

Before anyone gets too excited, there are real constraints. Cuenca's airport has a relatively short runway (about 1,830 meters) that limits the size of aircraft that can land here. The surrounding terrain — the city sits in a valley at 2,500 meters with mountains on all sides — makes approaches tricky, especially in bad weather.

These factors are why Cuenca has never had wide-body international service. Any Peru route would likely use narrow-body or regional aircraft — think Airbus A319/A320 or Embraer regional jets — which are perfectly fine for a 2-hour flight to Lima.

What's Realistic

Let's temper expectations:

• No airline has committed. Evaluating routes means someone is running the numbers, not that tickets go on sale next month
• Demand has to justify the route. Airlines need to see enough business and leisure traffic to fill planes consistently
• Infrastructure upgrades may be needed. International flights require customs and immigration facilities at the airport, which may need expansion
• Political will matters. Ecuador-Peru flight connections require bilateral agreements

The 4.1% traffic growth is encouraging because it shows the airport is trending in the right direction. More domestic passengers can make the case for international service — airlines see a growing market they can tap into.

What You Can Do

Honestly? Fly out of Cuenca when you can. Every ticket purchased on a Cuenca route is a data point that tells airlines this market is worth investing in. If you routinely drive to Guayaquil to catch a cheaper flight, you're saving $30 but voting against Cuenca getting better air service.

The airport's growth — even at a modest 4.1% — is a positive sign. Whether Peru flights materialize in 2026 or 2028, the trajectory is moving in the right direction.

Source: CuencaHighLife