Three airlines on the same pair
Iberia, LATAM and Air Europa compete nonstop for the same passenger. The comparison is made on the same date and in the same fare class, not by each airline's shop-window price.
The house view
After Lisbon, Madrid is the most contested entry into Europe from São Paulo. It is 8,356 kilometres in a straight line, an overnight outbound, and three airlines on the same pair.
Iberia, LATAM and Air Europa fly nonstop from Guarulhos to Barajas. Three different products on the same route is the scenario in which low fare classes appear most often, and that competition is where the best fares come from.
Madrid also works as a distribution hub. Short flights leave the capital for all of Spain and southern Europe, and high-speed trains reach Barcelona, Seville and Málaga in a few hours. Travellers heading to Andalusia rarely need a second flight.
Cabins
Iberia, LATAM and Air Europa Business
Published reference
R$ 13k to R$ 21k
Below published
25% to 40%
What is included
- 8,356 km in a straight line from Guarulhos
- Three nonstop airlines on the same pair
- Stopover in Madrid under each airline's rules
- Written proposal within 24 business hours
How the price comes down
Four levers specific to this route.
These are not general techniques. They are the ones that work on this city pair, because of how the network is drawn and the published rules of the airlines that fly it.
The Madrid stopover
Iberia and Air Europa publish stopover programmes in Madrid on the way to another destination. Conditions change by fare and season, and they go into the quote when they fit the itinerary.
Madrid as the entry point
Flying to Madrid and continuing by high-speed train or a short flight often costs less than a single ticket to the final city. The maths changes with baggage and connection risk, and both go into the quote.
In through Madrid, out through Lisbon
A ticket arriving in one city and leaving from another avoids returning to the starting point. On the Peninsula, pairing with Lisbon is one of the most used, and the fare sometimes comes in below a simple round trip.
The route year
When the price rises, and when it gives.
The published fare is not the same all year, and the availability of the lower fare classes changes with it. This is the general shape of the year on this route.
PeriodWhat happensEffect on price
January and FebruaryWinter at the destination, holidays in BrazilMiddle ground, with the outbound expensive and the return cheaper
March to MaySpring, with Holy Week in the middleA good window, outside Holy Week
June to AugustEuropean summer and July holidays in BrazilThe peak, with few low fare classes open
September and OctoberEnd of high season, still warmThe best window of the year
NovemberLull between seasonsThe floor of the year
DecemberChristmas and New YearPeak, and the one period when buying early is mandatory
This is the typical pattern for the route, not a forecast. Events, holidays and schedule changes alter the picture, which is why the quote is made for your date, not for the month.
Questions
What people ask before booking.
How much is a business class ticket from São Paulo to Madrid?
The published market reference sits between R$ 13k and R$ 21k for a round trip with taxes, in high season and bought late. On this route, the best fares we usually reach are 25% to 40% below published. The exact figure comes in the written quote, for your date.
Which airlines fly business class nonstop from São Paulo to Madrid?
Iberia, LATAM and Air Europa. The aircraft on each flight changes through the year, which is why the cabin is checked on the date before issuing.
Can I stop in Madrid on the way to another destination?
Yes, within the stopover rules Iberia and Air Europa publish. The stop goes on the same ticket when the fare allows it, and the quote tells you whether it does.
Is it better to enter Europe through Madrid or Lisbon?
It depends on the final destination. For Portugal and the west of the Peninsula, Lisbon. For central and southern Spain, Madrid, because of the high-speed train. When the trip covers both, entering through one and leaving through the other is usually the best plan.
All routes
The flights page has the full table.
Twelve routes with the published reference and the range of our best fares, the six aircraft categories, and the ticket rules explained line by line.