Cheap Flights Madrid to Lyon

Flights from Madrid to Lyon start from around $40 one way, and with a flight time of under two hours you can leave Spain after breakfast and be eating in a Lyon bouchon by lunch. Search and book your flight to compare every Madrid–Lyon departure in a single search.

Lyon is France’s food capital, the gateway to the Alps and the Beaujolais vineyards, and far cheaper to visit than Paris. Here is how to get there without overpaying.

How to find cheap flights from Madrid to Lyon

The route is short and served by both low-cost and full-service airlines, so fares move around a lot — which is good news if you are flexible.

Book 4–7 weeks ahead. Last-minute fares on short European hops are almost always the most expensive.
Compare both airports’ airlines. Direct competition between low-cost and legacy carriers on this route keeps prices honest; never check only one airline.
Fly Tuesday or Wednesday. Midweek departures are routinely $20–35 below the Friday–Sunday average.
Look at January and February. Cold in Lyon, but this is when the lowest fares appear — and it is also when you can ski cheaply in the nearby Alps.

A flexible-date search for Madrid–Lyon shows you the cheapest days of the month in seconds.

Airports: Madrid and Lyon

Madrid Barajas Airport (MAD) is 12 km northeast of the capital. Metro line 8 runs from Nuevos Ministerios to Terminal 4 in about 20 minutes, and the Cercanías C-1 train connects Terminal 4 with Atocha and Chamartín. Low-cost carriers use Terminals 1–2; check your terminal before you leave — transferring between T4 and the older terminals is slow.

Lyon Saint-Exupéry Airport (LYS) is 25 km east of the city. The Rhônexpress tram reaches Part-Dieu station in under 30 minutes, while the cheaper public bus takes about 45. If you are heading straight to the Alps, several ski-transfer companies run direct shuttles from the airport in winter — one of the quiet advantages of flying into Lyon.

A smaller alternative: some travellers connect via Paris or Geneva. On this route it is rarely worth it — the direct flight is only 1 hour 50 minutes.

Airlines flying Madrid to Lyon

Airline	Typical route	Type	Notes
Vueling	MAD – LYS	Direct, low-cost	Regular schedules, basic fare includes small cabin bag
easyJet	MAD – LYS	Direct, low-cost	Often the cheapest headline fare; baggage paid separately
Iberia	MAD – LYS	Direct, full-service	Best for schedule changes and connections
Volotea	MAD – LYS	Direct, low-cost	Rotating frequencies by season
Air France	via CDG/ORY	Connecting	Only makes sense when the direct fares spike

Flight times were checked on public flight search engines and official airline websites.

Best time to fly Madrid to Lyon

Cheapest months: January, February, October and November — one-way fares from $40 are realistic.
Most expensive: July, August and the Christmas holidays, when Alpine summer tourism and ski season overlaps push fares to $140+ return.
Best value: late September and early June — warm weather, thin crowds and mid-range prices.

Two local events move fares sharply: the Fête des Lumières in early December and the start of the winter ski season in late December. Book three months ahead for those dates.

Money-saving tips for Madrid–Lyon flights

Price two one-ways instead of a return. Mixing an easyJet outbound with a Vueling inbound frequently beats either airline’s return fare.
Decide on bags before you pay. Adding a checked bag at the airport can cost three times the online price on low-cost carriers.
Take the public bus into Lyon. The Rhônexpress is fast but pricey for a family; the express bus is less than half the cost.
Combine Lyon with a ski trip. If you are skiing anyway, flying to Lyon is usually far cheaper than the better-known Alpine gateway airports.
Watch school calendars. French and Spanish half-term weeks in February and late October push fares up on both sides.

FAQ: Madrid to Lyon flights

How long is the flight from Madrid to Lyon? Around 1 hour 50 minutes direct.

Which airlines fly direct from Madrid to Lyon? Vueling, easyJet and Iberia operate the route, with Volotea flying in some seasons.

What is the cheapest month to fly? January and February are typically the cheapest, with one-way fares from about $40.

Do I need a passport? Spain and France are both Schengen countries, so a national ID card is enough for most EU citizens — but check your airline’s document rules.

How do I get from Lyon airport to the city centre? The Rhônexpress tram takes under 30 minutes to Part-Dieu station; cheaper public buses take about 45 minutes.

Ready for bouchon cuisine, riverside walks and Alpine day trips? Search and book your flight from Madrid to Lyon today.