Cheap flights from London Stansted to Madrid Barajas from £23
Updated 2026-08-05
1302 km great-circle distance, typically flown in 2h 02m with 1 airlines operating direct service from London Stansted (STN) to Madrid Barajas (MAD). Fares on this corridor stay relatively stable across the year — booking 4–8 weeks ahead and choosing a midweek departure typically secures the best price.
Flying from London Stansted
Stansted is built around Ryanair, with over 200 routes and the airport's single Norman Foster terminal optimised for fast turnarounds. The Stansted Express runs to Liverpool Street in 47 minutes; the airport sits 34 miles northeast of central London. Fares from Stansted are typically the cheapest of the London airports, especially on Eastern European, Italian and Iberian routes — the trade-off is fewer full-service options and a longer ground transfer at both ends.
Arriving in Madrid
Madrid Barajas is the largest airport in Spain and Iberia's main hub. T4 handles long-haul and Iberia operations; T1–T3 handle most other carriers. Metro Line 8 reaches Nuevos Ministerios in 16 minutes. Fares from the UK are very competitive thanks to Iberia and Ryanair both running heavy schedules; weekday afternoons typically have the cheapest one-way slots.
Who flies STN to MAD?
| Airline | IATA | Flight time | Cabin |
| Ryanair | FR | 2h 02m | Economy |
1 carriers fly direct on this corridor. Frequencies vary by season — summer and winter holiday peaks see additional flights.
London to Madrid FAQs
Direct flights from London Stansted (STN) to Madrid Barajas (MAD) take approximately 2h 02m for the 1302 km journey, plus 30–60 minutes of taxi, climb and descent. Total airport-to-airport time depends on cruise winds and air-traffic queueing on approach.
1 carrier operates direct service from London Stansted (STN) to Madrid Barajas (MAD): Ryanair. Frequencies vary by season and carrier — Ryanair typically operates the highest weekly count on this corridor.
UK passport holders generally do not need a visa for short stays in Spain (Schengen-area members allow 90 days in any 180-day window). ETIAS pre-authorisation will apply once live for European destinations. Always check gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/spain before booking.
Madrid Barajas (MAD) is the primary international airport for Madrid. Allow 30–60 minutes for the ground transfer by train, express bus or taxi, depending on traffic and time of day. Most European hub airports sit 10–25 km from their host city centre. See the airport's official website for current train and shuttle timetables.
Anything at £38 or under sits in the cheapest quarter of recent fares on this route. The average return is £51, and the lowest we've tracked recently is £23. Fare data comes from Travelpayouts searches, refreshed on a 30-day cycle.