Cheap flights from London to Madrid

November is the cheapest month on this route, and it is also one of the quietest for Madrid's museums and tapas bars. Fares climb through the summer, when Spain fills up with holiday traffic, and again around Christmas, New Year and Easter, when both capitals empty out and fill back up. Midweek departures usually cost less than Friday and Sunday flights, and early morning or late evening slots tend to be the cheapest of the day. If your dates are flexible, check the price calendar for the whole year before you commit.

Low-cost carriers do most of the work here: EasyJet and its European arm, Ryanair and Ryanair UK, Vueling and Wizz Air Malta all fly between London and Madrid. Iberia, Iberia Express and Air Europa cover the full-service side, with a seat, a snack and a checked bag usually folded into the fare. On the budget tickets, the headline price buys you a seat and a small cabin bag, and everything else — a bigger bag, a seat choice, food — costs extra. Direct flights are common, but a few itineraries connect through a hub, so check the routing before you pay.

Madrid has one main airport, Barajas, and every flight from London lands there. It sits well outside the city, on the north-east side, so allow real time for the transfer rather than treating it as a hop. The metro and a suburban train line both run into the centre, an express bus does the same trip, and taxis wait at the ranks outside the terminals. Terminals are large and the walk to the metro can be long, so if you are meeting someone, agree on a terminal and a meeting point before you land.

Currency

EUR (€)

Power sockets

Type C, F · 230 V

Language

Spanish

Emergency number

112, 061, 091

Driving side

right

Calling code

+34

Internet domain

.es

EU / Schengen

EU member, Schengen area

Population of Madrid

3.5 M (2025)

Time zone

UTC+01 (Europe/Madrid)

Country facts: Wikidata

• Check which London airport your fare leaves from, because City, Gatwick, Heathrow, Luton and Stansted are far apart.
• Read the cabin bag rules on the low-cost fare, since the price you see may not include a bag in the overhead locker.
• If you are stitching two separate tickets together, leave a generous gap in case the first leg runs late.
• Carry a valid passport or identity card for Spain and check the entry rules that apply to you.
• Book early for November if you want the lowest fares, and steer clear of the Christmas and Easter peaks.
• Confirm the arrival terminal at Barajas before someone comes to collect you.