San Francisco to Madrid (SFO–MAD) — Airlines, Schedules & Connections
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No nonstop flights on this route. connecting options below.
SFO–MAD is served by 1 airline with nonstop service. Iberia leads the route. The flight covers 5,798 miles in approximately 11h 15m. Beyond nonstop, 59 hubs offer 1-stop connections.
Airline Landscape
| Airline | Freq/wk | Aircraft | Duration | Dep OTP | Alliance | Codeshares |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IB Iberia Also: EI | 4 | 332 | 11h15 | Oneworld | EI |
Weekly Schedule Pattern
Connection Landscape
Travel Essentials
SFO: PDT · MAD: CEST
When it's 6:00 PM in San Francisco, it's 3:00 AM (next day) in Madrid.
US passport holders enter Spain visa-free for stays up to 90 days within any 180-day period. This falls under the Schengen area rules, so the 90-day limit is shared across all Schengen countries. No advance application is needed. Passport must be valid for at least 3 months beyond the planned departure from the Schengen area.
BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) runs from downtown San Francisco (Embarcadero, Powell St.) to the SFO station and then a free AirTrain shuttle to all terminals (30–40 min from Embarcadero, $10.45). BART also connects Oakland and Berkeley; useful for East Bay travelers. Trains run from ~4am to midnight.Taxis from downtown San Francisco cost $40–60. Ride-hails (Uber, Lyft) pick up in the designated area in the garage and are often $30–50 depending on surge pricing. SamTrans buses serve Peninsula cities. Highway 101 and I-280 are heavily congested during commute hours; BART is faster than driving at those times.
Metro Line 8 from T1/T2/T3 to Nuevos Ministerios takes 12–15 minutes (€6 with airport supplement). T4 travelers take the free inter-terminal shuttle to T2 first. Cercanías C-1 from T4 to Atocha (€2.60, 25 min) is cheaper. Taxis to the city centre have a €30 fixed tariff.
Rental car agencies are at T4. Express Aeropuerto buses run 24 hours to Avenida de América (€5, 25–40 min). Ride-hail apps (Cabify, Uber) typically cost €25–40 depending on destination.
Hot semi-arid climate at 600m altitude. Summers are hot and dry (30–38°C) with almost no rain and very low humidity. Heat rarely disrupts flights but ground crews work in extreme heat. Winters are cold for a southern European capital (1–9°C) with occasional snow. MAD handles light snow well but heavy falls can close runways.
Spring and autumn are pleasant (12–20°C) and offer the most stable weather. Dust storms from the Sahara occasionally reduce visibility in spring. No fog risk comparable to northern European airports.
SFO–MAD Quick Facts
Frequently Asked Questions
Flights from SFO to MAD
San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport (MAD) are connected by nonstop service from Iberia. With 8 weekly departures, this is a regularly served route.
SFO to MAD Flight Duration and Schedule
Nonstop flight time from SFO to MAD ranges from 11 hours 15 minutes to 11 hours 25 minutes. The route covers a distance of 5,798 miles (9,330 km). There are approximately 8 weekly flights outbound and 8 return, totaling 16 flights per week in both directions.
Connecting Options and Alternatives
59 one-stop connections are available, with the fastest taking approximately 12 hours via LGB. Two-stop connections are also available via intermediate hubs.