Are you planning to fly to Madrid? The quickest and generally cheapest way of reaching Madrid from most of the world is by air.
You would only choose another means of getting there if you had other places in between on your itinerary or needed your car there.
While airfare to Madrid is not particularly expensive if you come from a European country, it can get rather costly if you depart from other parts of the world. But with a little research you’ll be able to save money on your flights to Madrid.
Prices depend a lot on several factors, including airline, season, whether it’s direct flight or not, when you book the flight compared to the flight’s date. A really good idea is to start looking for flights as soon as you know the dates of your vacation.
A complete guide to fly to Madrid
Have you ever wondered…
- How can you find cheap flights to Madrid?
- How many terminals does the Madrid Airport have?
- What’s the best way to exit the Madrid Airport once you’ve landed here?
- What are the different Madrid Airport transfers and which one is best for you?
Well, to answer all these questions (and a few more) I decided to come up with a complete guide related to flying to Madrid based on my own experience. It provides all the information that you need to know to make the most out of your search for air fights to Madrid.
Here is a complete summary of all the guide:
1. How to find very cheap international flights
2. Looking for cheap air flights to Spain?
3. Getting to Madrid by plane
4. Madrid Airport guide: Aeropuerto Adolfo Suárez-Madrid Barajas
5. Guide on Madrid Airport transfers
6. Arriving at Madrid Airport: exit the airport after landing
7. Getting to Madrid Airport: go to the airport from the city center
8. Madrid Airport hotels
When is the best time to fly to Madrid?
Madrid is an exciting city that offers plenty of activities all year round, and with a nice weather. However, certain months are much better than the rest.
The best time of the year to visit Madrid is May and June when the weather is perfect and there are lots of events going on. This season is very popular, for obvious reasons, but it’s also very crowded. Alternatively, you can also visit the city in October and November, after the heat of the summer has died down.
Have a look at the best time to visit Madrid and decide accordingly.
Do you need travel insurance?
In short, yes.
Travel insurance is vital for Spain and indeed anywhere in the world. Spanish health care is excellent, but also expensive especially in the event of an illness or accident. Besides your health, you want to be protected against cancelled flights, missing baggage etc. Hopefully you’ll never have to use it, but travel insurance makes all the difference if you do.
I recommend you to get your Spain travel insurance as soon as you know your travel dates.
What documentation do you need to fly to Madrid?
Generally speaking, it will be enough to have a valid passport for at least 3 months and a return ticket to your country.
By the way, make sure that your passport is valid for the duration of your stay in Seville. If it expires while you are here, you’ll have problems.
In some cases, your passport will still have to be valid for at least 6 months.
Do you need a visa to fly to Spain?
The short answer is maybe, depending on which country your passport is from.
Spain is part of the Schengen Area and nationals from Schengen countries can move around freely without a visa. There are no border checks, but it’s important that travellers carry a national identity card or passport in case you are required to prove you’re from a Schengen country.
Spain has visa-free travel agreements with a number of non-Schengen and non-EU countries including Australia, the USA, New Zealand, Brazil, Japan and the United Kingdom. Nationals from these countries can visit Spain (or anywhere else in the Schengen zone) for 90 days within a 180-day period without a visa, as long as it’s for short-term tourism.
If you plan to travel to Spain, visa procedures will depend on your nationality. Not everybody needs a visa to enter Spain and special conditions apply to most European countries, especially to member countries of the European Union.
If you’re a non-Schengen or EU national, you’ll need to clear immigration upon arrival. Border control officers will stamp your passport and check to make sure you haven’t overstayed your time in the Schengen zone.
How much time should you spend in Madrid?
To travel smartly, your first decision must be determining how many days you should spend in Madrid, especially if you are a first-time visitor. You could visit Madrid for weeks and still not see half of what’s interesting!
No matter how much time you have in the city, have a look at my Madrid itineraries, which are designed to help you make the best of your time.