SJO - MAD

$428 Find Cheap Flights from San José to Madrid

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a KAYAK user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight from San José to Madrid departing on 10/15. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel. Click the price to replicate the search for this deal.
1 adult
1 adult, Economy, 0 bags

KAYAK searches hundreds of travel sites at once for deals on flights to Madrid

 
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from San José to Madrid.
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from San José to Madrid.
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Everything you should know

Cheapest round-trip
$640
Typical prices: $1,081-$762
KLM, Air France
Tue 7/14Wed 8/19
SJO - MAD • 1 stop
Cheapest non-stop
$679
Typical prices: $945-$634
Iberojet
Sat 6/6Thu 6/11
SJO - MAD • Non-stop
Advice from real travelers
AI-powered summary based on content written by travel experts. AI can make mistakes.
SJO offers free WiFi and self-check-in kiosks.
Use Madrid's metro line for a quick city center ride.
Expert advice
Expert advice
Expert advice
Expert advice
Top airlines
Cheapest • from $679 (round-trip)
Best reviews • 7.8 score
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
+1
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
Nonstop flights
You can fly direct with Iberia and Iberojet. Average duration is 10h 17m
Direct flights
Direct flights
+1
+1
Direct flights
Direct flights
+1
Avoid delays
Most punctual • 74% on-time
Best time • Fewest delays
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
Top layover airports
Cheapest • Avg $759 (round-trip)
Shortest trip • 14h 27m (one-way)
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to book
in advance
Our data shows that travelers who book at least 11 weeks in advance save around 17% compared to booking last minute.
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to travel
Cheapest • 24% price drop
Most popular
Good to know
Good to know
+1
+1
Good to know
Good to know
+1
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Flight Deals
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Expert advice
Flight Deals

Cheap Flights from San José to Madrid (SJO-MAD)

 
Here are some of the best deals found on KAYAK recently from the most popular airlines for round-trip flights from San José to Madrid that are departing in the next months. While these flights were available on KAYAK in the last 72 hours, prices and availability are subject to change and deals may expire.
Discover the best prices for you by selecting your travel dates on KAYAK.

Recent round-trip flight deals from San José to Madrid

Tue, Jul 14 - Wed, Aug 19
Multiple Airlines Logo
6:25 pm - 7:35 pm
SJO
-
MAD
17h 10m
1 stop
Multiple Airlines Logo
5:45 pm - 5:00 pm
MAD
-
SJO
31h 15m
1 stop
$640Multiple Airlines
Tue, Jul 14 - Wed, Aug 19
KLM Logo
6:25 pm - 12:10 pm
SJO
-
MAD
33h 45m
1 stop
KLM Logo
6:00 am - 5:00 pm
MAD
-
SJO
19h 00m
2 stops
$647KLM
Tue, Oct 20 - Tue, Nov 3
Iberojet Logo
7:40 pm - 1:55 pm
SJO
-
MAD
10h 15mnonstop
Iberojet Logo
2:45 pm - 7:00 pm
MAD
-
SJO
11h 15mnonstop
$676Iberojet
Sat, Jun 6 - Thu, Jun 11
Iberojet Logo
9:10 pm - 3:25 pm
SJO
-
MAD
10h 15mnonstop
Iberojet Logo
6:30 pm - 9:20 pm
MAD
-
SJO
10h 50mnonstop
$679Iberojet
Tue, Oct 20 - Tue, Nov 10
Iberojet Logo
7:40 pm - 1:55 pm
SJO
-
MAD
10h 15mnonstop
Iberojet Logo
2:45 pm - 7:00 pm
MAD
-
SJO
11h 15mnonstop
$693Iberojet
Tue, Jun 2 - Thu, Jun 11
Air France Logo
6:25 pm - 7:15 pm
SJO
-
MAD
16h 50m
2 stops
Air France Logo
6:00 am - 4:20 pm
MAD
-
SJO
18h 20m
2 stops
$701Air France
Tue, Jun 2 - Thu, Jun 11
Multiple Airlines Logo
6:25 pm - 1:40 pm
SJO
-
MAD
35h 15m
1 stop
Multiple Airlines Logo
6:00 am - 4:20 pm
MAD
-
SJO
18h 20m
2 stops
$704Multiple Airlines
Thu, Jun 4 - Thu, Jun 11
Iberojet Logo
11:20 pm - 5:35 pm
SJO
-
MAD
10h 15mnonstop
Iberojet Logo
6:30 pm - 9:20 pm
MAD
-
SJO
10h 50mnonstop
$705Iberojet
Tue, Oct 13 - Thu, Oct 22
Iberojet Logo
7:40 pm - 1:55 pm
SJO
-
MAD
10h 15mnonstop
Iberojet Logo
2:00 pm - 4:50 pm
MAD
-
SJO
10h 50mnonstop
$714Iberojet
Tue, Jul 7 - Tue, Sep 1
Iberojet Logo
7:40 pm - 1:55 pm
SJO
-
MAD
10h 15mnonstop
Iberojet Logo
2:20 pm - 5:10 pm
MAD
-
SJO
10h 50mnonstop
$715Iberojet
Booking Insights

KAYAK's insights & trends for San José to Madrid flights

Get data-powered insights and trends into flights from San José to Madrid to help you find the cheapest flights, the best time to fly and much more.

How much is a round-trip flight from San José to Madrid?

This analysis is based on the cheapest round-trip price found on KAYAK in the last 12 months by searching for a flight from San José to Madrid departing in July.

What’s the cheapest day of the week to fly from San José to Madrid?

The average price of all round-trip flights from San José to Madrid clicked on KAYAK for each day over the last 12 months.

If you are looking for a flight deal from San José to Madrid, look for departures on Tuesdays and avoid leaving on a Monday, as it's usually the priciest day. When flying back from Madrid, Saturday is the cheapest day to fly and Friday is the most expensive.

What is the cheapest month to fly from San José to Madrid?

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from San José to Madrid, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the median of all values for each month.

The cheapest month for flights from San José to Madrid is February, where tickets cost $607 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are December and July, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $1,045 and $991 respectively.

Can I save money by flying with a layover from San José to Madrid?

The average round-trip price for all non-stop flights, flights with one layover, and flights with two layovers for the route found by users searching on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks.

No, with an average price for the route of $874, prices are generally cheapest when you fly direct.

How far in advance should I book a flight from San José to Madrid?

To calculate weekly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each week before departure over the last year for round-trip flights from San José to Madrid, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the average of all the values for each week.

To get a below average price on the flight from San José to Madrid, you should book around 11 weeks before departure, which saves you about 17% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 19 weeks before departure.

Expert advice

Expert advice for your flight from San José to Madrid

 
AI-powered summary based on content written by travel experts. AI can make mistakes.
KAYAK teamed up with top travel experts to share the best tips for your journey.
Our travel experts
Ramsey Qubein

Ramsey Qubein

Expert on MAD

An avid traveler and aviation expert who has visited 173 countries, all 50 states and seven continents, Ramsey Qubein flies nearly 400,000 miles a year. As a North Carolina-based freelance journalist for publications including Conde Nast Traveler, Forbes, USA Today and Bloomberg among others, he explores the latest trends in aviation, hospitality, cruises and business.

Mark Chesnut

Mark Chesnut

Expert on SJO

Mark Chesnut is a travel writer and public speaker with more than 30 years of experience. The 2019 winner of the NLGJA Excellence in Travel Writing Award, Mark is the author of the book “Prepare for Departure” and has covered air travel for multiple top consumer and trade media outlets.

Good to know

Low seasonAugust
Cheapest flight$428
Best time to beat the crowds but there is an average 5% increase in price.
Most popular time to fly and prices are also 14% lower on average.
Flight from San José to Madrid

When to book flights from San José to Madrid

Are your dates flexible? Find out the best times to travel from San José to Madrid based on our flight data from the last year. Discover the cheapest month and even day to fly.
Estimated round-trip price
KAYAK looks at all historical flight data for each date to provide a predicted price for one-way trips or round-trips with a duration up to 40 days. While we try to provide actual minimum prices for each date, some prices are predictions and actual prices may differ.

FAQs for booking flights from San José to Madrid

  • What is the best way to get to San Jose Airport?

    Go by shuttle service, public bus, or by taxi. The bus is the cheapest at around $1.00, but expect frequent stops. Shuttle is another option, great for small groups. Prices vary. A taxi is the most direct way, the prices here also vary; expect a minimum of around $17.00.

  • What’s the best way to get from Madrid-Barajas International Airport (MAD) to town?

    The Metro (subway) system in Madrid is very popular and user-friendly. It will cost around €6-7 ($7-8.00) one-way. It may not be the quickest but the bus is a budget-friendly €2.5 ($3.00), and there are routes to a variety of destinations. Taxis are an option too but the cost varies quite a bit.

  • Is it easy to navigate Madrid-Barajas International Airport (MAD)?

    Though it’s a large facility, it’s generally easy to get around with clearly marked directions for baggage claim and immigration. If mobility assistance is required, it’s available in Barajas but you’ll need to arrange it with your airline. Claiming bags can sometimes take a while at Barajas Airport; be prepared for at least a little wait.

  • Is there anything to do at San Jose International Airport (SJO)?

    If it makes sense for you to arrive with lots of time to spare, there are a few things to keep you occupied in San Jose Airport. Get some work done in a Power Suite. With plenty of desk space, electrical outlets, and a calm vibe, it’s easy to be productive. Relax in one of the massage chairs located throughout the facility. Wonderful art is everywhere here, just take a stroll and look around.

  • Does Madrid-Barajas International Airport (MAD) have a hotel or place to freshen up?

    Rent an Air Room for an hour, up to six hours, or overnight, depending on your needs. They offer shower kits and slippers, a 24-hour catering service, comfortable and efficient rooms, even a computer room and of course Wi-Fi. Should you require any business services like a copier, fax machine, or courier, these are all available through Air Rooms, too.

  • What is the cheapest flight from San José to Madrid?

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from San José to Madrid was $429 for a one-way ticket and $679 for a round-trip.

  • Do I need a passport to fly between San José and Madrid?

    Yes, you'll most likely have to show a valid passport before boarding the plane in San José and on arrival in Madrid.

  • Which airports will I be using when flying from San José to Madrid?

    On your way to Madrid, you’ll fly out from San José Juan Santamaria Intl. You’ll be landing at Madrid Barajas.

  • Which airlines offer Wi-Fi service onboard planes from San José to Madrid?

    Iberia, KLM, Air France, British Airways, and Lufthansa offer inflight Wi-Fi service on the San José to Madrid flight route.

  • Which aircraft models fly most regularly from San José to Madrid?

    The Airbus A350-900 is the aircraft model that flies most regularly on the San José to Madrid flight route.

  • Which airline alliances offer flights from San José to Madrid?

    SkyTeam, Star Alliance, and oneworld are the airline alliances operating flights between San José and Madrid, with SkyTeam being the most commonly used for this route.

  • On which days can I fly direct from San José to Madrid?

    There are nonstop flights from San José to Madrid on a daily basis.

  • Which is the best airline for flights from San José to Madrid, KLM or Air France?

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from San José to Madrid are KLM and Air France. With an average price for the route of $816 and an overall rating of 7.8, KLM is the most popular choice. Air France is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of $714 and an overall rating of 7.4.

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights from San José to Madrid?

    KAYAK is a travel search engine. That means we look across the web to find the best prices we can find for our users. With over 2 billion flight queries processed yearly, we are able to display a variety of prices and options on flights from San José to Madrid.

  • How does KAYAK's flight Price Forecast tool help me choose the right time to buy my flight ticket from San José to Madrid?

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to Madrid from San José is likely to change within 7 days, so travelers know whether to wait or book now.

  • What is the Hacker Fare option on flights from San José to Madrid?

    Hacker Fares allow you to combine one-way tickets in order to save you money over a traditional round-trip ticket. You could then fly to Madrid with an airline and back to San José with another airline. Booking your flights between San José and MAD can sometimes prove cheaper using this method.

  • What is KAYAK's "flexible dates" feature and why should I care when looking for a flight from San José to Madrid?

    Sometimes travel dates aren't set in stone. If your preferred travel dates have some wiggle room, flexible dates will show you all the options when flying to Madrid from San José up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

KAYAK’s top tips for finding a cheap flight from San José to Madrid

  • Looking for a cheap flight? 25% of our users found flights on this route for $443 or less one-way and $787 or less round-trip.
  • The largest airport in Spain is Madrid-Barajas International Airport (MAD), so it makes sense that it also has the most traffic. Most people just call it “Barajas”. This airport is the hub for Iberia Airlines.
  • San Jose International Airport acts as a focus city for Copa Airlines, and a hub for several other airlines: Avianca, Costa Rica Green Airways, Sansa and Volaris Airlines.
  • If you need to get re-connected with folks back home, that’s no trouble at all. Madrid-Barajas International Airport (MAD) has free, unlimited Wi-Fi throughout the facility so you can log in right when you land.
  • The public bus runs between San Jose Airport (SJO) and downtown San Jose, for only about $1.00. It runs every 10min or so, or every 15min during off-peak hours.
  • Book an off-peak fare, save some cash, and utilize one of the great lounges at San Jose Airport (SJO). You can shower, surf the web, enjoy a meal, and get in the travel headspace no matter what time of day you depart.

Prefer to fly direct from San José to Madrid?

 
Direct data is based off flight results for the next 60 days. Find direct flights from all airlines flying direct from San José Juan Santamaria Intl to Madrid Barajas.
Find which airlines fly direct from San José Juan Santamaria Intl Airport to Madrid Barajas Airport, which days they fly and book direct flights.

Direct departures

San José Juan Santamaria Intl to Madrid Barajas

Monday

Iberia

Iberia

Tuesday

Iberia,Iberojet

Iberia,Iberojet

Wednesday

Iberia

Iberia

Thursday

Iberia,Iberojet

Iberia,Iberojet

Friday

Iberia

Iberia

Saturday

Iberia,Iberojet

Iberia,Iberojet

Sunday

Iberia

Iberia

See more direct flights

Direct returns

Madrid Barajas to San José Juan Santamaria Intl

Monday

Iberia

Iberia

Tuesday

Iberia,Iberojet

Iberia,Iberojet

Wednesday

Iberia

Iberia

Thursday

Iberia,Iberojet

Iberia,Iberojet

Friday

Iberia

Iberia

Saturday

Iberia,Iberojet

Iberia,Iberojet

Sunday

Iberia

Iberia

See more direct flights

Reviews of the top 5 airlines serving from San José to Madrid

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from San José to Madrid. Airline scores are aggregated from all reviews left by passengers on KAYAK after flying with an airline. KAYAK doesn’t show reviews that are older than 5 years. Learn how KAYAK collects reviews.
Need help choosing which airline to fly with from San José to Madrid? KAYAK airline reviews give an overall score for each airline based on loads of factors, including comfort, boarding, in-flight entertainment and more, to make your decision easier. See airline scores according to verified KAYAK customer reviews.
7.8
KLMOverall score based on 1511 reviews
7.2Entertainment
7.8Boarding
8.4Crew
7.3Food
7.7Comfort
Airline reviews

Outstanding even though the 330 was one of the oldest in the fleet. The difference was the attentiveness and responsiveness of a really experienced flight attendant. For airline food great variety of interesting choices and good tastes supported by a good wine selection.

10.0 ExcellentBob, May 2026
AMS - YYZ
Read more KLM reviews

Outstanding even though the 330 was one of the oldest in the fleet. The difference was the attentiveness and responsiveness of a really experienced flight attendant. For airline food great variety of interesting choices and good tastes supported by a good wine selection.

As per usual when you Hit the UK it's a slow process through customs Not as efficient at Thailand for sure

The flight was delayed. The aircraft was unclean. Promised seat was not given due to change in Aircraft. Not one crew on ground was in a position to give any response. Amsterdam Airport is AVIODABLE Over crowded. Over Expensive. Poor Services.

It was really nice experience by flying this klm flight.I personally recommend everyone to please try this klm flight

The crew were unprofessional with a racist element. I was physically abused as well from one of the crew members

Crew is not the cheerful type. very slow meal service (this is their style as have flown this many times)

Empty seats next to me - wish it had been for a longer flight!!

I’m grateful for the KLM Air France shuttle bus service to Ottawa. However due to construction and other issues related to the chaotic Uber pickup system at YUL, it’s a challenge to find the Kelios bus service to Ottawa. The signs are not clear or even available. No staff to guide passengers. It’s a stressful experience.

Terrible last row seats many seats available but no offer to move to better seat

Delay and had to run between flight to get my connection due to this delay but besides that the overall experience was ok. I arrived with just an hour of delay.

The boarding was efficient. The entertainment system was a bit unstable but Air France has a good selection of movies.

They lost my bag and I still haven’t received it yet

They lost my bag and I still have not received it

Not consistent with the food quality (I mean taste not freshness)

Safe and stable made me sleepy and I slept and dreamt 😂😂😂😂

Food was really mediocre for premium economy in comparison to other airlines… the crew was nowhere to be found… 14 hour flight…

Worst airlines either. First leg was delayed because of crew not available. My connection was missed so they booked me automatically the next day! But, impossible to get anyone on site, web site does not let me access my reservation anymore, confirmed by useless agents over the phone. My 2-leg trip with part in business class arriving at 4:10pm ends up in an awful 3-leg arriving at 9pm the next day with no way to even choose the seats and of course at the very end of the plane. I can understand problems arrive but the way Air France handle it is just unacceptable. You are on your own. Apparently getting you to your destination is the only thing they consider their duty. The customer experience and fatigue is none of their concern. And I have a status with them. I will reconsider my priorities when flying with Air France and encourage everyone to do the same.

Our flight crew were terrific. And they handle a difficult passenger with finesse.

3 hour delay but out of their control. App said I get vouchers but when I applied for them, they were nowhere to be found in my account

I bought business class tickets but the seats are exactly like economy with no comfort seats nor an empty seat next to me provided. Very poor, low quality airline.

It is what you pay for a basic economy class. No screens for entertainment was hard.

Χρεώνουν πολύ ακριβά τη βαλίτσα .Λιγότερο από 15 κιλά πλήρωσα 150 ευρώ .μόνο για την επιστροφή. Επίσης δε σε αφήνουν να κάνεις online ,πρόσθεση βαλίτσας μια μέρα νωρίτερα από την πτήση . Δε θα ξαναπεταξω με αυτή την εταιρεία

I have to compare it to the AA flight back home. AA was a little better. Perhaps it was that American English is my native tongue. My seat on AA was newer and more comfortable. The food was a little better. The entertainment was much better, more movies worth watching. The sound was lousy on both.

Excellent liked business class except wife’s luggage was lost on 10 Hours connecting flight to Miami and we were priority! 1:20 layover! Expect better From American Airlines partner

Service was good , communication and emails were in Spanish though I booked in English , end up figuring it out but also flight was partnered with air maroc and I had to call them to check on not Iberea doesn’t make sense

In general, I've had excellent experiences with Iberia flights and will continue to use them. In this last flight there were two things that didn't go right. I didn't get the kosher meal I had pre-requested when I had checked in on-line. Things worked out OK as we ended up eating the fish and vegetarian choices, which were really good. The other issue was that some movies for me and my wife started fine but after 8-12 minutes the content just switched to something else. The flight attendant reset our entertainment systems, but the problem persisted. We ended up choosing other movies/TV shows that did work fine.

Awful. They didn't even show concern that her connecting flight( Dallas to Mardrid) was gone/missing. I don't understand how that is even possible. Rudest answer from one of the crew was that American Airlines sold the tickets to somebody else. My daughter was not in the list.

Really like the idea experience on this airline I will use again

The pilot was professional and very good. The flight crew, very young and often looked flustered and overwhelmed. The seats were among the most uncomfortable in the air. The boarding somewhat chaotic. The price reasonable. Overall it was an average budget airline experience...although Iberia is not a budget airline. I fear if Iberia doesn't up it's game customers like us will go elsewhere.

It was fine, older plane with limited entertainment, otherwise fine.

the seats were so cramped you could barely move. it was difficult to eat when passengers would recline their seats. the seats were so flimsy and unstable that whenever someone got in and out of their seat, it bounced like a spring back in your face. the movies were nice. the food was terrible. even though the conditions were terrible, they tried to pressure passengers to relocate their seats to accommodate adults who were related and wanted to sit next to each other, even after the passengers expressed that they did not want to move for that purpose. on the connecting flight, the “service” consisted of items for purchase. even though the flight was only 45 minutes, once again passengers (including me) were pressured to relocate for people to sit next to each other. they couldn’t be apart for 45 minutes? this was much less compelling than being apart for an 8 hour flight.

Everything went smoothly, and we even arrived 40min earlier than scheduled, on an Orland-Madrid route.

The employees at the gate were not communicating, they preferred to give the upgrade to pilots and not to the elite passengers Every flight I more disappointing, clients shooed be priority instead of other employees even if they are pilots, there was plenty room for pilots in economy

This was my first time flying with you guys and my very last! This was the most horrible experience!!! There was not even tv in the plane! How cheap can this airline be!!! I paid so much for my suitcase!!! I would never fly with this airline again! The crew are very rude!

Horrible experience with Avianca, they delayed their flight and when we arrived to NYC, AVIANCA took 1 hr y 30 mins to park the airplane and all passenger get off the plane, it made me lost all my trains to get back home and I came back to my place at 3 am instead of 12 am. On the top of that their plane seat are so uncomfortable and is not enough space and killed my legs and knees, Avianca used to be good when it was a Colombian company, now after Brasilian company bought them, their service quality is bad and their flights are delayed and oversold.

only a bag of chips and a bottle of water in business class was served

Provide free food and drinks on an international flight. Add updated head rests

We found the chairs to be really uncomfortable. It’s also really unacceptable that no form of food or drink is included in a 6+ hour flight

Not good, tried to purchase a first class upgrade and they couldn’t get it done. Was super uncomfortable the whole time.

Deplaning was a mess, I sat in business (seats are horrible) and the front door had a problem so we had to deplane from the rear exit. The stairs were not tall enough to reach so there was a large step down from the plane to the top of the stairs.

I handed in my suitcase in perfect condition at SAL Airport. And in MIA Airport I received it with one corner broken and the wheels bent.

No free snacks nor drinks on very short 30min flight. Entertainment system is over wifi to your own phone or tablet, which is good but often a show or movie just stops and refuses to continue

Everything you need to know for your flight from San José to Madrid

Information on your arrival and departure airports