Mariscal Sucre International Airport — Quito, Ecuador

Mariscal Sucre International Airport, coded UIO, opened at its current site in Tababela in 2013, replacing an older downtown Quito airport whose short runway and mountain-hemmed approach had long worried pilots. Named for Antonio Jose de Sucre, the independence-era marshal who fought alongside Simon Bolivar, the facility sits east of the Ecuadorian capital at an elevation exceeding two thousand meters, making it one of the higher international airports anywhere in the world. That altitude, combined with surrounding Andean peaks, affects aircraft performance and required careful runway engineering. UIO functions as Ecuador's busiest gateway alongside Guayaquil, handling flights from North and South America and a smaller number from Europe, and it serves as a major export hub for the country's cut-flower industry, particularly roses grown in nearby highland valleys. Quito's historic center, another UNESCO-listed site, lies a distinct drive from the terminal.