2026 layover guide
Madrid (MAD) connection time
At Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport, plan on at least 1 h 10 min for a same-terminal connection, 1 h 30 min if you change terminals outside security. Here's why, step by step.
Verified Oct 17, 2026By Steven MoHow we check Report a correction
Comfortable: 1 h 45 min
By airside train (T4–T4S) or bus (T1–T3), with another security check
Some changes mean security again
Quick answer
Plan on at least 1 h 10 min for a same-terminal connection at MAD, 1 h 30 min if you change terminals. Some terminal changes mean going through security again.
- Same terminal
- 1 h 10 min (comfortable: 1 h 45 min)
- Changing terminals
- 1 h 30 min by airside train (T4–T4S) or bus (T1–T3)
- Hub airlines
- Iberia
How long a layover do I need?
- Get off the plane and walk to your next gate20 min
- Transfer security screening20 min
- Be at the gate before boarding closes15 min
- Buffer for a small delay15 min
Our estimate, rounded up, not the airline's official minimum connection time. If both flights are on one ticket, the airline will rebook you if a delay makes you miss the second one. How we calculate this
Recommended layovers at MAD
Our estimates for common connections, rounded up. Comfortable times leave room for a late arrival.
| Connection | MinimumRecommended minimum |
|---|---|
Same terminal, no passport control Transfer security where required | 1 h 10 min Comfortable: 1 h 45 min |
Changing terminals, inside security By airside train (T4–T4S) or bus (T1–T3) | 1 h 30 min Comfortable: 2 h |
Changing terminals, outside security Includes another security check | 1 h 30 min Comfortable: 2 h |
Crossing passport control For example a U.S. flight to a Schengen flight | 1 h 45 min Comfortable: 2 h 30 min |
Separate tickets with checked bags No protection if you miss it | 2 h 10 min Comfortable: 3 h |
Airlines' official minimum connection times can be shorter: if you booked both flights on one ticket, the airline has already checked that the connection is legal and will rebook you if a delay makes you miss it.
Getting around MAD
Terminals
Terminals 1, 2 and 3, plus Terminal 4 and its satellite 4S (Iberia and oneworld).
Changing terminals
Terminals 4 and 4S are linked by an airside train. Terminals 1–3 are a bus ride away, outside security.
Passport control and transfers
Iberia's long-haul flights use Terminal 4S; connecting to a Schengen flight in Terminal 4 means passport control and a train ride.
Tips for connecting at MAD
- •Allow extra time for connections between Terminal 4S and Terminal 4.
Plan your trip through MAD
The airport guide, and the bag rules for the airlines you're likely to connect on here.
MAD connection FAQ
Airlines set their own official minimums at MAD and only sell connections that meet them, so a one-ticket itinerary is always "legal". In practice we recommend at least 1 h 10 min for a same-terminal connection and 1 h 30 min when you change terminals.
Other airports
Sources
Last verified Oct 17, 2026. Terminals and connection rules change, so check your airline's connection instructions before a tight layover.
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