Flights to Madrid — What to Expect
Madrid is one of Europe's most connected capitals, and finding flights to Madrid is rarely a headache. The city's main gateway is Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD), a major hub sitting about 12km northeast of the city centre. It handles over 60 million passengers a year and is served by carriers across every price bracket. From Western Europe, you're typically looking at flight times of 2 to 3.5 hours — London to Madrid runs around 2h 20m, Paris to Madrid about 2h 10m, and Amsterdam to Madrid closer to 2h 45m. If you're coming from further afield, Barajas connects directly to North America, Latin America, and the Middle East through its T4 terminal, which is Iberia's home turf.
For cheap flights to Madrid, low-cost carriers do a lot of the heavy lifting within Europe. Vueling, Ryanair, easyJet, and Wizz Air all operate regular routes into Barajas, often from secondary airports like London Stansted, Paris Beauvais, or Brussels Charleroi. Iberia and its regional arm Iberia Express offer full-service options at competitive prices, especially when booked early. British Airways, Air France, Lufthansa, and KLM serve Madrid from their respective hubs with multiple daily departures. Madrid flight deals are easiest to find in January, February, and November — book 6 to 8 weeks out for the best prices in shoulder season, or 3 to 4 months ahead if you're aiming for May or October.
Best Time to Visit Madrid
Madrid rewards visitors almost year-round, but the sweet spots are clear. May is arguably the best single month — the city is lush from April rains, temperatures sit comfortably between 14°C and 24°C, and the San Isidro festival (mid-May) turns the streets into a proper celebration. September and October are equally strong: summer crowds have thinned, restaurants are back in full swing after August closures, and the light in the late afternoon is genuinely beautiful for walking the Retiro or the Paseo del Prado. Early June still works before the heat builds, and late October can be spectacular for foliage in Casa de Campo.
Summers (July and August) are hot — regularly hitting 34°C or above, with occasional spikes past 40°C. It's not unpleasant if you're used to heat, but sightseeing gets uncomfortable by midday and many locals simply leave in August, which means some restaurants and smaller shops close for the month. Winters are cold but sunny and dry — December and January see daytime highs around 8 to 10°C, with frost possible at night. This is the cheapest time to fly and stay, and Madrid's museum scene means you won't be short of things to do indoors. The Christmas lights on Gran Vía are genuinely impressive, and the Reyes Magos parade on January 5th is worth catching if you're there.
Getting Around Madrid
From Barajas, the Metro Line 8 (Aeropuerto line) is the easiest and most reliable option — it runs directly from all four terminals to Nuevos Ministerios in about 25 minutes, where you can connect to the rest of the network. There's a €3 airport supplement on top of the standard fare, making the total around €5 to €6. Taxis from the airport operate on a flat rate of €33 to central Madrid, which is fair if you're travelling with bags or a group. Rideshares like Uber and Cabify both operate at Barajas and are often slightly cheaper than metered taxis.
Within the city, Madrid's Metro is efficient, clean, and covers the city well — a 10-trip Metrobús card (around €12.20) is the obvious buy for any stay longer than a day or two. EMT buses fill the gaps in the Metro network and run 24 hours. For the city centre specifically, most of Sol, Lavapiés, La Latina, and Malasaña are genuinely walkable — Madrid is more compact than it looks on a map. Electric scooter rentals (Lime, Voi) and BiciMAD cycle-sharing are useful for flat stretches, though the city does have hills.
Where to Stay in Madrid
The neighbourhood you pick shapes your trip significantly. Sol and Gran Vía put you at the centre of everything — convenient, noisy, and full of tourists. Budget hostels and mid-range chain hotels (Ibis, NH) are clustered here; expect to pay €70–€130/night for a decent double. Malasaña and Chueca are the spots if you want independent restaurants, vintage shops, and a younger crowd — boutique hotels and guesthouses run €90–€160/night. La Latina is the pick for tapas culture and weekend market browsing (El Rastro on Sundays) — similarly priced. For premium stays, Salamanca is Madrid's upscale barrio: luxury hotels, designer shopping on Calle Serrano, and quieter streets — budget €200/night and up. Lavapiés is the most multicultural and affordable neighbourhood, great for food exploration, with smaller guesthouses from €60/night.
Top Things to Do in Madrid
- Museo del Prado: One of the world's great art museums — Velázquez, Goya, and El Greco under one roof. Book tickets online; free entry Tuesday to Saturday 6–8pm and Sundays 5–7pm.
- Retiro Park: Madrid's central park is 350 acres of paths, a boating lake, glass palaces, and weekend street performers. Free, always open, genuinely lovely in spring and autumn.
- Mercado de San Miguel: A covered market steps from Plaza Mayor with high-quality pintxos, jamón, oysters, and wine — best mid-morning before it gets hectic.
- Museo Reina Sofía: Home to Picasso's Guernica, plus Dalí, Miró, and rotating contemporary exhibitions. The permanent collection alone justifies a half-day.
- Flamenco at Corral de la Morería: Madrid's oldest and most respected flamenco venue — not cheap (€45–€90 with dinner), but the real thing, not a tourist trap.
- Day trip to Toledo: 33 minutes by high-speed AVE train (from €15 each way), Toledo is a UNESCO World Heritage walled city that rewards a full day — El Greco museum, the Alcázar, and the cathedral are the headline acts.
Practical Travel Tips
Visas: EU passport holders enter Spain with no visa requirements. UK citizens can visit for up to 90 days in any 180-day period under the Schengen rules — no visa needed, but ETIAS (the EU travel authorisation system) is expected to launch for UK travellers in 2025/2026, so check the current status before you book. US, Canadian, and Australian travellers also enter visa-free for 90 days under Schengen.
Currency: Spain uses the Euro (€). Card payments are widely accepted in Madrid, including on the Metro and in most restaurants. Contactless works everywhere. Keep a small amount of cash for markets, smaller bars in Lavapiés, and tipping. ATMs are plentiful — use bank-affiliated machines to avoid high fees.
Tipping: Not mandatory and not expected the way it is in the US. In restaurants, rounding up or leaving 5–10% for good service is perfectly normal. Leave small change at bars rather than a percentage. Taxi drivers appreciate rounding up to the nearest euro.
Safety: Madrid is a safe city by European standards. Pickpocketing is the main concern — Sol, the Metro, and tourist-heavy areas around the Prado and Royal Palace are where it happens. Use a front-facing bag or money belt in crowded spots. The city is very walkable at night, even in most central neighbourhoods.
FAQ — Flights to Madrid
How much do flights to Madrid cost?
Flights from major European cities typically range from €40 to €200 return depending on the origin, airline, and how far in advance you book. London to Madrid on Ryanair or easyJet can be as low as €50–€80 return if you catch a sale or travel in winter. Amsterdam, Paris, and Frankfurt routes are similarly priced. Full-service carriers like Iberia or British Airways sit higher — €120 to €250 return in economy — but include luggage and often have flexible fare options worth considering for shorter trips.
Which airlines fly to Madrid?
Madrid Barajas is served by a wide range of carriers. Low-cost options include Ryanair, easyJet, Vueling, Wizz Air, and Volotea. Full-service airlines flying to Madrid include Iberia (the Spanish national carrier and the biggest operator at Barajas), British Airways, Air France, Lufthansa, KLM, Swiss, and TAP Air Portugal. For transatlantic routes, Iberia, American Airlines (codeshare), Delta, and United all connect Madrid to the US directly.
What is the cheapest month to fly to Madrid?
January and February consistently offer the lowest fares for flights to Madrid — demand is low, the city is quieter, and airlines discount heavily to fill seats. November is also strong for deals, and mid-December (before Christmas week) can throw up some genuinely cheap fares. If you want good weather alongside reasonable prices, early June and late September are the sweet spots — not rock-bottom cheap, but meaningfully cheaper than peak July and August with far better conditions on the ground.
How long is the flight to Madrid from London?
The flight from London (Heathrow, Gatwick, or Stansted) to Madrid Barajas is typically 2 hours 15 minutes to 2 hours 30 minutes. From Amsterdam it's around 2 hours 45 minutes, from Paris 2 hours, from Frankfurt 2 hours 50 minutes, and from Dublin approximately 2 hours 20 minutes. All of these make Madrid a very manageable short-break destination from most of Western Europe — you can land at lunchtime and be eating tapas in La Latina by evening.