Cheap Flights Madrid to Nice
Cheap flights from Madrid to Nice start from around $40 one way, and the flight takes barely two hours — you leave Spain after breakfast and can be walking the Promenade des Anglais by lunch. Search and book your flight to compare every Madrid–Nice departure in one place before fares move.
Nice is the gateway to the French Riviera: Cannes, Monaco, Antibes and Èze are all under 40 minutes away by train or bus. Here is how to pay the lowest realistic fare on the MAD–NCE route.
How to find cheap flights from Madrid to Nice
Madrid–Nice is served by low-cost carriers year-round, so fares stay reasonable if you time it right.
- Book 4–8 weeks ahead. Riviera demand spikes in summer; late bookings in July and August can triple.
- Fly midweek. Tuesday and Wednesday departures are usually $15–30 cheaper than weekend flights.
- Avoid event weeks. The Monaco Grand Prix (May), Cannes Film Festival (May) and Nice Carnival (February) push fares and hotel prices up sharply. If your dates are flexible, skip those weeks — or book very early if they are the whole point of your trip.
- Use a flexible-date search. Shifting by one day often saves more than any other trick.
Run a flexible-date search for Madrid–Nice and see the whole month at a glance.
Airports: Madrid and Nice
Madrid Barajas Airport (MAD) is 12 km northeast of the city. Metro line 8 reaches Terminal 4 in about 20 minutes from Nuevos Ministerios, and the Cercanías C-1 train connects Terminal 4 with Atocha and Chamartín. Low-cost carriers such as easyJet, Vueling and Ryanair mostly use Terminals 1–2 — check your terminal before you travel, because transfers between T4 and the older terminals are slow.
Nice Côte d’Azur Airport (NCE) is one of the most convenient airports in France: 6 km from the city centre, with trams 2 and 3 reaching the centre in about 15–20 minutes for under €2. Both terminals sit right on the sea, so the approach over the Baie des Anges is spectacular — grab a window seat on the left side when flying in.
Airlines flying Madrid to Nice
| Airline | Typical route | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vueling | MAD – NCE | Direct, low-cost | Daily flights; included small cabin bag |
| easyJet | MAD – NCE | Direct, low-cost | Several weekly flights, strong summer schedule |
| Iberia / ITA Airways | Via hub | Connecting | Via Rome or Paris; useful when direct fares spike |
Direct flights take about 1h 55m. Connections via Rome (ITA) or Paris (Air France) add 2–4 hours but occasionally undercut the direct fare in high season — always compare both.
Sample fares (indicative): Madrid–Nice one-way from $40 with Vueling or easyJet; return fares from $80–90 off-season and $150+ in summer. Prices verified on public flight search engines and official airline sites and change constantly — treat them as a floor, not a promise.
Best time to fly Madrid–Nice
- Cheapest months: January, February, October and November — return fares can dip below $80.
- Shoulder sweet spot: April–June and September — great weather on the Côte d’Azur without peak fares.
- Most expensive: July and August, plus the May event weeks. Mediterranean summer draws everyone to the coast.
If you can only travel in summer, target late June or the last week of August, when families head home and fares soften before dropping fully in September.
Money-saving tips
- Fly into Nice, out of Marseille (or vice versa). An open-jaw ticket lets you road-trip the coast one way.
- Take the train alternative seriously for long stays. The direct overnight or daytime trains via Barcelona take 9–10 hours but can be part of the adventure.
- Pack light. Low-cost carriers charge for hold bags; a cabin bag saves $30–60 per return.
- Book beach-season trips in winter. Riviera fares for June are often cheapest in January.
FAQ
How long is the flight from Madrid to Nice? Around 1 hour 55 minutes direct. Connecting itineraries take 4 hours or more.
Which airlines fly direct from Madrid to Nice? Vueling and easyJet operate the route non-stop year-round, with extra frequencies in summer.
What is the cheapest month to fly? January and February, followed by October and November. Avoid May event weeks and midsummer.
How do I get from Nice Airport to the city centre? Trams 2 and 3 run to the centre in under 20 minutes; a taxi costs around €25–35.
Do I need a passport? Spain and France are both Schengen countries, so a national ID card is enough for EU citizens; other nationalities should carry a passport.
Book your Madrid–Nice flight
Two hours in the air and you are on the Riviera. Search and book your Madrid–Nice flight today and put the Côte d’Azur on the calendar. Flying from Barcelona instead? See our guide to cheap flights Barcelona to Nice or browse more cheap routes from Madrid.