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ESM to DRK: distance & flight time
Esmeraldas (General Rivadeneira Airport) → Puntarenas (Drake Bay Airport)
602 mi
969 km · 523 nm
1h 47m
estimated nonstop flight time
-1h
time difference · heading northwest
See live ESM→DRK fares Phone-only fares on this route — call free
Flight time details
602 miles nonstop takes roughly 1h 47m gate to gate, flying northwest. Add 45–90 minutes per connection if there's no nonstop service. Remember to factor the 1-hour time set-back when reading arrival times on your ticket.
The two airports
- ESM — General Rivadeneira Airport · Esmeraldas, Ecuador
- DRK — Drake Bay Airport · Puntarenas, Costa Rica
Distances are great-circle ("as the crow flies") — the same basis airlines use for frequent-flyer miles.
Alternate airports can cut this fare
Flying from or into a nearby airport is the #1 trick our agents use to beat online prices. Call and we'll compare every combination on one call.
Near ESM
- TCO · La Florida Airport84 mi away
- UIO · Mariscal Sucre International Airport116 mi away
- TUA · Teniente Coronel Luis a Mantilla Airport133 mi away
- IPI · San Luis Airport135 mi away
Near DRK
- PMZ · Palmar Sur Airport20 mi away
- PJM · Puerto Jimenez Airport27 mi away
- GLF · Golfito Airport32 mi away
- BAI · Buenos Aires Airport37 mi away
Frequently asked questions
How far is ESM from DRK?
The flight distance from Esmeraldas (ESM) to Puntarenas (DRK) is 602 miles (969 km, 523 nautical miles), measured along the great-circle route airlines actually fly.
How long is the flight from ESM to DRK?
A nonstop flight takes about 1h 47m gate to gate. Actual time varies with winds, routing and season — eastbound transatlantic flights, for example, are usually faster than the return.
Are there nonstop flights from ESM to DRK?
Nonstop service on ESM–DRK depends on the season and the day of week. Run the fare search on this page with the nonstop filter applied to see current direct options; when there is no nonstop, a single connection through a carrier hub adds roughly 2–4 hours to the 1h 47m nonstop estimate.
What is the time difference between Esmeraldas and Puntarenas?
Puntarenas is 1 hour behind Esmeraldas.
What is the cheapest way to fly from ESM to DRK?
Compare live fares online, then call CheapoTrav — our agents have unpublished consolidator fares on ESM–DRK that never appear on search engines, with no booking fees.
Why are some ESM to DRK fares phone-only?
Consolidator contracts let us sell certain ESM–DRK tickets below the price airlines permit us to publish online, so those fares can only be quoted over the phone. Call the travel desk and an agent will check phone-only inventory for your dates.