How much does it cost to travel between the Galápagos islands?

Inter-island fast boats (ferries) cost $30 per person per crossing and take 2 to 2.5 hours. Inter-island flights with Emetebe or ESAV cost roughly $140–$220 one way depending on route, season, and fare class, and take 30 to 45 minutes.

Which airlines fly between the Galápagos islands?

Only two regional airlines operate within the Galápagos: Emetebe and ESAV. They fly small 5–9 seat aircraft between Baltra (for Santa Cruz), San Cristóbal, and Isabela, with direct hops on every leg. There are no scheduled flights to Floreana.

Is there a direct ferry between Isabela and San Cristóbal?

No. Fast boats connect Isabela and San Cristóbal only via Santa Cruz — typically the 6:00 AM boat from Isabela and the 3:00 PM boat onward, taking most of a day. The only direct option between those two islands is a 40-minute inter-island flight with Emetebe or ESAV.

What is the luggage limit on Galápagos inter-island flights?

Limits are strict because the planes are small. Emetebe allows 15 to 35 lb total (checked plus carry-on) depending on fare class, with overweight charged at $1.50–$2.00 per pound. ESAV includes about 15 kg (33 lb) and sells additional weight. Ferries are far more generous: typically a 23 kg bag plus a daypack.

When is the sea calmest for the Galápagos ferry?

From December to May the sea is generally calm and crossings are easy. From June to November the Humboldt Current and trade winds bring choppier water — roughest around August and September — so seasickness-prone travelers often prefer morning boats or switch to inter-island flights in those months.

Ferry or Flight Between the Galápagos Islands?

Every traveler island-hopping the Galápagos faces the same fork in the road: the $30 fast boat or the nine-seater plane from about $140. As locals who've made both crossings often enough to know them well, here's the comparison — prices, routes, seasons, luggage, and where to book each one.

Jul 24, 2026

There are exactly two ways to travel between the inhabited Galápagos islands: by sea, on the fast boats everyone calls ferries, or by air, with the only two local airlines, Emetebe and ESAV. The practical difference is easy to sum up: the boat costs $30 and takes 2 to 2.5 hours; the plane costs from about $140 and crosses in under 45 minutes. We've made both crossings often enough to know them well and gather the details firsthand, so here's the comparison we give friends when they ask which one to book — everything you need to make the right call.

The Map First: What Connects to What

The ferry network runs with Santa Cruz as its hub. Fast boats operate daily between Santa Cruz and Isabela, Santa Cruz and San Cristóbal, and Santa Cruz and Floreana. What doesn't exist is a direct boat between Isabela and San Cristóbal: for that trip you connect through Santa Cruz — usually the 6:00 AM boat out of Isabela and the 3:00 PM boat onward, with a few hours in Puerto Ayora in between.

The flight map is a triangle. Emetebe and ESAV connect three airstrips — Baltra (the airport island for Santa Cruz), San Cristóbal, and Isabela — with direct legs between all three. Floreana has no scheduled flights: that port can only be reached by boat.

One logistical detail matters more than any timetable: where each option actually drops you. Ferries leave from the piers in the center of each town. Flights "to Santa Cruz" actually land on Baltra, and from there you still need a bus, the Itabaca Channel crossing, and another bus or taxi — about an hour to Puerto Ayora. On San Cristóbal and Isabela it's the opposite: the airports sit minutes from the town center, so there a flight really does leave you practically in town.

The Fast Boats: Prices, Schedules, and How They Work

The "ferries" are open-ocean speedboats — two or three outboard engines, room for roughly 20 to 30 passengers, and a covered cabin with comfortable seats. The essentials:

Price: $30 per person per crossing, every route.
Schedules:
- Santa Cruz ↔ Isabela: departs Santa Cruz at 7:00 AM and 3:00 PM; departs Isabela at 6:00 AM and 3:00 PM.
- Santa Cruz ↔ San Cristóbal: departs at 7:00 AM and 3:00 PM in both directions.
- Santa Cruz ↔ Floreana: departs Santa Cruz at 8:00 AM.
Duration: 2 to 2.5 hours.
Luggage: typically a checked bag of up to 23 kg (50 lb) plus a daypack — considerably more than the planes allow.
The small print: $1 water taxis at each pier (carry coins), a municipal entrance fee when you arrive on Isabela — $10 for foreigners, $5 for Ecuadorian nationals (cash), and a quick biosecurity bag check before boarding — part of the National Park rules that keep the islands pest-free. Show up 30–45 minutes early.

How the ride feels depends mostly on the season (more on that below) and on where you sit: toward the back, you notice the swell less. If seasickness is a concern, choose the morning departures, keep your eyes on the horizon, and have a light breakfast — and before your first crossing, read our inter-island ferry guide, where we've gathered our tips against seasickness along with the step-by-step of boarding.

Plenty of operators sell tickets kiosk by kiosk on the islands, but the reliable way to lock in seats online — before you even land in Ecuador — is through our friends at Turismo Paradise: book ferry tickets here and you're done in minutes.

The Inter-Island Flights: Emetebe and ESAV

Flying between islands is a two-airline market: Emetebe, which has operated for more than 30 years with nine-seat Britten-Norman Islanders, and ESAV, which flies daily with an Islander of its own plus a five-seat Piper Seneca; both also arrange charters. Flights last 30 to 45 minutes, fly low with good views — the Itabaca Channel, the caldera of Sierra Negra volcano. The essentials:

Price: roughly $140–$220 one way, depending on airline, route, season, and fare class; round trips double it. ESAV $140–$180; Emetebe runs several fare tiers, from promotional up to Flex Plus.
Routes: Baltra ↔ San Cristóbal, Baltra ↔ Isabela, San Cristóbal ↔ Isabela — all direct.
Frequency: a few departures per day, concentrated in the morning, with schedules that adjust to demand — it works more like an air taxi than a conventional airline.
Luggage: the weak point. Emetebe's allowance runs from 15 lb on Standard fares to 25 lb on Promotion and Optimal and 35 lb on Flex Plus — checked bag and carry-on weighed together — with overweight at $1.50 per pound paid in advance ($2 same-day). ESAV includes about 15 kg (33 lb) and sells extra weight, surfboards included.
The small print: check in about an hour early, hand over your carry-on at the plane door (there are no overhead bins), and it's normal to be asked your weight when booking: the airline needs it to calculate the aircraft's load.

Book directly on each airline's website; in high season, seats sell out days in advance.

Season by Season: What to Expect from the Sea

The Galápagos has two seasons, and for this decision they matter more than any price list.

December to May — the warm season. Air at 24–31°C, water at 23–25°C, brief showers, and a generally calm sea. This is the best time of year to cross by boat: rides feel stable, and even seasickness-prone travelers usually do fine. Flights, for their part, have good visibility most days. If your trip falls in these months, the boat does the job without trouble and the plane is a luxury, not a necessity.

June to November — the garúa season. The Humboldt Current and the southeast trade winds arrive together: air cools to 18–26°C, water to 20–22°C, a fine mist (the garúa) covers the highlands, and the channels between islands get choppy, especially in August and September. Morning boats usually find calmer water than the 3:00 PM departures, and from June to October humpback whales pass through the archipelago, so some crossings come with a sighting included. In these months the plane becomes the more comfortable option — above all for the long Isabela–San Cristóbal leg, where a 40-minute flight replaces a full day of boat connections through Santa Cruz.

What We'd Actually Book

Traveling on a tight budget, or in the calm December–May season? Take the boats — and put the savings toward a Los Túneles tour. Prone to seasickness, short on days, or needing to get from Isabela to San Cristóbal (or the other way)? Fly that leg, especially from June to November. Families with small kids often combine the two: boat out on a calm morning, plane back at the end of the trip. And if your itinerary includes Floreana, there's no choice to make: it's boat only.

Crossings aside, choose your base well: our guide to the four inhabited islands helps you pick your ports, and the best time to visit helps you pick your month.

Where to Book

Ferries: online, in minutes, at Turismo Paradise — one purchase, confirmed seats on every leg, local support if the weather reshuffles anything.
Flights: directly with the airlines at emetebe.com.ec and esavairlines.com — book several days ahead in high season (June–August and December–January), because each departure has only 5–9 seats.

Planning your Galápagos adventure? We can help you connect the dots: day tours with licensed naturalist guides, ferry reservations between islands, and a comfortable home base in Puerto Ayora. For more local tips, subscribe to our newsletter — we share what we learn living here, every week.