About $500 cheaper than the next cheapest airlines on the same November dates. China Eastern and Air China have Madrid return from Sydney for $1,149, Melbourne for $1,155 and Brisbane for $1,187, all with a checked bag and one stop in China each way. The cheap dates are mostly Tuesdays in November 2026 and February 2027.
Madrid has the Prado and Reina Sofia museums, Retiro Park and the Royal Palace, and high-speed trains reach Barcelona and Seville in about 2.5 hours and Valencia in under 2.
Sydney (Kingsford Smith) to Madrid
Return fares with a checked bag start at $1,149 for travel from 9 Feb to 2 Mar 2027 on Air China. The 10 to 24 Nov fare is $1,195.
| Return Price | Travel Dates |
|---|---|
| $1,149 | 9 Feb to 2 Mar |
| $1,195 | 10 Nov to 24 Nov |
| $1,221 | 2 Feb to 23 Feb |
| $1,221 | 16 Feb to 9 Mar |
| $1,223 | 17 Nov to 8 Dec |
Melbourne (Tullamarine) to Madrid
China Eastern return fares with a checked bag start at $1,155 for travel from 9 Feb to 2 Mar 2027.
| Return Price | Travel Dates |
|---|---|
| $1,155 | 9 Feb to 2 Mar |
| $1,193 | 10 Nov to 24 Nov |
| $1,219 | 24 Feb to 16 Mar |
Brisbane to Madrid
China Eastern, $1,187 with a checked bag for travel from 10 to 24 Nov 2026. This was the only cheap Brisbane date we found.
| Return Price | Travel Dates |
|---|---|
| $1,187 | 10 Nov to 24 Nov |
Prices in AUD. On the 10 to 24 Nov dates the next cheapest airlines were Turkish at $1,679 from Sydney and Etihad at $1,738 from Melbourne, so you save about $500.
Catches
- It's a long trip. Melbourne on China Eastern leaves at noon, changes in Shanghai after 5 hours 55 minutes and lands the next morning, 30 hours in all. Coming home has a 14 hour overnight stop in Shanghai and takes 37 hours. Air China's Sydney flight is quicker, about 25 hours each way with a 2 hour change in Beijing.
- Check China's transit rules if you want to leave the airport during a long wait, and whether you need a visa. The fare doesn't include a hotel.
- The cheapest prices come from travel agencies. The tickets are non-refundable and changes cost extra, so read the rules before you book.
- Stick to the dates above. Early November, January and March were dearer.
- Adelaide was $1,508 and Perth $2,023 on 10 to 24 Nov. Adelaide's cheapest has a 1 hour connection on one leg, so check the connection time and how the ticket is issued.
More detail on the deal page.
I flew to Holland 3 days ago with ce and yes, it was a long trip.
1. It's feels budget, food at start and end, so bring snacks as it's a long time in between.
2. I opted for a free transit hotel, hotel was average but was a good break in between (*edit, free organised pickup and return)
3. Seats are good and space surprisingly also, I at 1.8m had enough space
4. Choose your days, Tuesdays seem to be near empty flights
5. The terminal is quite boring, don't expect a great shopping and rest experience in your long transit.
6. Getting a 24 hour transit via too me 20min on the spot