£255 Find Cheap Flights from San Francisco to Madrid – Compare and Save

The BART is far and away the easiest and most reliable option. Bay Area Rapid Transit runs directly to and from the airport on a regular schedule. The ride takes 30min one-way from the airport to downtown, and costs about $9.65.

Madrid’s Metro (subway) system is extremely popular and easy to use. It runs about €6-7 ($7-8.00) one-way. If you’re watching your euros, the bus is only €2.5 ($3.00). As with any bus, it’s not the fastest route but it’ll get you there. Hiring a taxi is an easy and direct option, but fares vary a lot.

If you are an aviation history buff, you might already know that SFO is home to the Louis A. Turpen Aviation Museum. The artistic city of San Francisco doesn’t disappoint with the SFO Museum, inside the airport, which curates a variety of permanent and rotating installations from talented artists. Listen closely and follow your ears to experience live music from locals.

Let your kids roam on both sides of the Atlantic. In SFO you’ll find play areas in terminals 1, 2, and 3. They also offer a nursery in each of the terminals, should you need more privacy. In Madrid Airport there is a play area waiting, located in the main transit area near McDonald’s. All ticketed passengers with kids are welcome to use it, and there are quieter nursery rooms here too if needed.

If you’ll be landing at an odd hour, or just want some time to find your bearings before you move on with your trip, Madrid-Barajas International Airport (MAD) offers Air Rooms. Located right in the airport, you can rent a room for part of the day or overnight. Enjoy a shower, Wi-Fi, TV, mini bar and a meal before you head out to explore Madrid.

Among airlines operating San Francisco to Madrid flights:

• Iberia: offers free seat selection
• American Airlines: offers free seat selection
• Aer Lingus: offers free seat selection
• Finnair: offers free seat selection
• Alaska Airlines: offers free seat selection

Extra legroom and free seat selection availability depends on fare class and route.

Only Iberia operates flights between San Francisco and Madrid.

Flights from San Francisco to Madrid usually depart from San Francisco (SFO) and arrive at Madrid Barajas (MAD).

Here are some options for this route, based on selected ticket types and cabin classes:

• Iberia: a cabin bag and a checked bag in Economy class
• American Airlines: a cabin bag and a checked bag in Economy class
• British Airways: a cabin bag and a checked bag in Economy class

Bag allowance can vary by ticket type, cabin class, route, and airline, so travellers should check the fare details before booking.

Only Economy class is available on flights from San Francisco to Madrid.

On this route, stopover flights are cheaper than direct options on average. Stopover fares average £475 return via Kastrup Copenhagen (CPH), compared with £715 for direct.

There is no standard. Checked bag policies vary by airline on this route. Most carriers charge £47–£74 for the first checked bag in Economy. Premium fares and elite status bookings typically include a free checked bag.

The Airbus A330-200 family is used most often on this route, operated mainly by Iberia and British Airways. Other aircraft seen on the route include Airbus A330 variants.

One-stop flights from San Francisco to Madrid most commonly connect through:

• Lisbon Humberto Delgado (LIS) – 39% of one-stop connections
• London Heathrow (LHR) – 9% of one-stop connections
• Frankfurt am Main (FRA) – 9% of one-stop connections
• Munich Franz Josef Strauss (MUC) – 8% of one-stop connections

Lisbon Humberto Delgado (LIS) handles the largest share of one-stop connections on this route.

Yes. Being flexible with your travel dates can save you up to 23% on the San Francisco to Madrid route. Monday is the cheapest departure day at £523 return on average, while Saturday is the most expensive at £679, a difference of £156. KAYAK's flexible dates feature shows options up to 3 days before and after your selected dates, making it easier to compare nearby fares.

A flight is considered delayed when it departs 15 minutes or more after its scheduled time. This is the standard used by the US Department of Transportation and most airline industry reporting. On the San Francisco to Madrid route, 18% of flights were delayed in the past 3 months, with delays averaging 2 hours 44 minutes.

Some of the most popular sights in Madrid are Madrid City Centre, Spain Building, and Puerta del Sol. These are among the most viewed places in Madrid on KAYAK.

These are the earliest and latest flight times available from San Francisco to Madrid:

• Earliest: departs at 17:55 and lands at 05:10
• Latest: departs at 17:55 and lands at 05:10.

The flight takes about 11h 15m.

Last-minute fares on this route (booked within 2 weeks of departure) run 2% below the route average of £592. Booking late can sometimes save money on this route, but inventory is limited.

A direct flight from San Francisco to Madrid takes 11h 15m, covering 5,794 miles.

Yes, a valid passport is required for this international route. Many destinations require at least six months of validity beyond your travel dates. Check your passport expiry well before booking.

One-way fares from San Francisco to Madrid are currently lower than usual. Average one-way flight prices are about £272, which is 28% below the typical average for this route.

Iberia is the only airline operating San Francisco to Madrid flights. 83% of its flights are on time.

Evening flights have the fewest delays on this route. Delays tend to pile up throughout the day as one late flight pushes the next, so earlier departures are usually more reliable.

Flying via Chicago O'Hare Intl (ORD) gives the shortest average 1-stop total travel time of 15h 28m, compared to 15h 38m via Montreal Pierre Elliott Trudeau Intl (YUL) and 15h 49m via Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG).

Madrid is 9 hours ahead of San Francisco (Central European Time vs Pacific Time). Plan for the time shift when scheduling connections or first-day activities.

Madrid Barajas Airport (MAD) hosts 5 major car hire companies, with daily rates starting from around £2 for economy cars. Top options include:
· Record go
· Goldcar Rental SP
· CLICK RENT
· Alamo
· Centauro

Return flights from San Francisco to Madrid range from £452 to £827, with an average of £592 over the past 12 months. Anything below £452 counts as a good deal.

Four airlines offer in-flight Wi-Fi on San Francisco to Madrid flights:

• • Iberia
• • American Airlines
• • British Airways
• • Aer Lingus