Airports / Ecuador / TUA
Lieutenant Colonel Luis A. Mantilla International Airport.
Tulcán, Ecuador · 9,649 ft elevation. A private-aviation gateway on the Bravo register.
4.2/5
Google rating
64 ratings
0
Operators based
9,649
Elevation ft
Google rating
Google reviews
Field elevation
Nearest alternate
Field standing
4 nm
To the nearest alternate
San Luis Airport (IPI), 2 fields within 50 nm.
Overview
Lieutenant Colonel Luis A. Mantilla International Airport (SETU / TUA) sits in Tulcán, Ecuador, where it functions as a mid-sized airport. The airport sits 9,649 feet above sea level. Alongside scheduled airline service, the airport handles a steady flow of private and charter traffic.
No charter operator is headquartered on the field, but operators routinely position aircraft into TUA for departures. When weather or ramp space demands it, nearby options are San Luis Airport (IPI, 4 nm), Antonio Nariño Airport (PSO, 43 nm), and Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO, 68 nm). With a single 8,071-foot paved runway, TUA can typically accommodate aircraft as large as VIP airliners.
Charter pricing from TUA depends on aircraft category, positioning distance, and trip timing. In directories and search listings it also appears under Teniente Coronel Luis A. Mantilla. Compare rated operators or run a route through the cost estimator to gauge pricing from Tulcán.
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Field capability
ICAO
SETU
IATA
TUA
FAA / Local
SETU
Elevation
9,649 ft
Coordinates
0.8095° N · 77.7081° W
Airspace
G · GolfClass G, GolfUncontrolled field, no tower. Pilots self-announce and sequence themselves on the common traffic advisory frequency.Source: FAA NASR class airspace
Size
Medium
Scheduled svc
Yes
Elevation vs Ecuador fields
state range 18–9,649 ft
At 9,649 ft, TUA sits higher than 94% of the 17 Ecuador fields on the register, a high-elevation field where density altitude can trim aircraft performance on warm days.
Runways & aircraft access
1 runway
longest 8,071 ft
- 05/238,071 ft × 98 ftAsphaltUnlit
Which aircraft can operate here
vs longest paved runway 8,071 ft
TUA's 8,071 ft paved runway typically supports charter aircraft up to VIP airliners.
- Turboprop3,000 ft
- Light Jet3,500 ft
- Midsize Jet4,500 ft
- Super-Midsize Jet5,000 ft
- Heavy Jet5,500 ft
- VIP Airliner6,000 ft
Class minimums are sea-level planning rules of thumb. A specific aircraft's balanced-field length varies with weight, temperature, and field elevation, and at 9,649 ft this field's density altitude can extend the runway a jet actually needs on warm days. Confirm performance with the operator.
Access & alternates
Closest alternate fields by great-circle distance, every listing links to its own field brief.
- 4nmIPISan Luis AirportIpiales
- 43nmPSOAntonio Nariño AirportChachagüí
- 68nmUIOMariscal Sucre International AirportQuito
- 75nmPUUTres De Mayo AirportPuerto Asís
- 87nmTCOLa Florida AirportTumaco
- 88nmOCCFrancisco De Orellana AirportCoca
Location
Open the full mapSETU · Lieutenant Colonel Luis A. Mantilla International Airport · Tulcán, Ecuador
Flight times from here
Approximate nonstop block times from TUA on a typical midsize charter jet. Faster classes trim these; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.
| Destination | Distance | Block time |
|---|---|---|
| Miami (MIA) | 1,507 nm | 3h 54m |
| Palm Beach (PBI) | 1,560 nm | 4h 2m |
| Houston (HOU) | 2,001 nm | 5h 3m |
| Austin (AUS) | 2,100 nm | 5h 17m |
| Nashville (BNA) | 2,178 nm | 5h 28m |
| Dallas (DAL) | 2,206 nm | 5h 32m |
| Washington DC (IAD) | 2,290 nm | 5h 44m |
| New York (TEB) | 2,412 nm | 6h 1m |
Common questions
- What size private jets can use TUA?
- Lieutenant Colonel Luis A. Mantilla International Airport's longest paved runway is 8,071 ft, which typically supports charter aircraft up to VIP airliners. Lighter classes (turboprops, light and midsize jets) operate comfortably; confirm exact performance for a specific tail with the operator, since balanced-field length shifts with weight, temperature, and elevation.
- What is the longest runway at TUA?
- Lieutenant Colonel Luis A. Mantilla International Airport has one runway; the longest measures 8,071 ft on a paved surface.
- What is the nearest major airport to TUA?
- The closest alternate is San Luis Airport (IPI), about 4 nm away, followed by Antonio Nariño Airport (PSO) at 43 nm. Operators often position aircraft between these fields depending on ramp space and availability.
- How long is a flight from TUA to major cities?
- Typical block times on a midsize jet: Miami about 3h 54m (1,507 nm), Palm Beach about 4h 2m (1,560 nm), Houston about 5h 3m (2,001 nm). Faster classes trim these times; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.