Is Malaga worth a day trip?

Yes: 7.4 hours in Malaga, £96 for the whole day, 12 min into town each way. Enough for the main sights and a proper lunch without rushing.

How long do you actually get in Malaga?

About 7.4 hours in Malaga. Landing to take-off is 10.6 hours; the trip into town and back, passport checks and the time at the airport come off that.

How do you get from Malaga airport into town?

Train C1, 12 min, €1.80. A day ticket on local transport is No day ticket sold.

What does a day in Malaga cost, not counting the flight?

About £41 a person for the day: local transport, lunch, dinner and a drink. Paid attractions are listed separately because most people do one or none, and an average that includes them is a number nobody actually pays.

Is the flight price on this page the one I will pay?

The fare shown is the cheapest recently seen on this route, not a live quote for these exact flights. Check the airline or the booking link for the price you will actually pay.

How early do I need to be back at the airport?

Leave the city by 18:23. That allows 12 min to get back to the airport and 135 min there, including 45 min for passport checks on the way out, before the 20:50 flight home.

Will passport checks eat my day?

We allow 30 min on landing for the EU Entry/Exit System (fingerprints and a photo on your first trip) and 45 min extra on the way out. That is already taken off the 7.4 hours shown. These are estimates; queues run longer on busy days.

Day trip to Malaga.
From London Gatwick, back by 22:40.

Spain·Fri 20 Nov · 7.4 hours in the city

£96

the whole day

7.4 hours

in the city

22:40

back in London Gatwick

Day Trip Flight Details

Time in the city

7.4 hours

after transfersAfter transfers and airport time

Airport distance

8km

to the centreFrom Malaga centre (AGP)

Daylight

10.1 hours

08:01 to 18:07Sunrise 08:01, sunset 18:07

First EU trip since 2025? Allow 30 min more.

FlightAirport, immigration and transportIn the city

06:20
Leave London Gatwick
Wizz Air, direct
10:57
In the city
Lands 10:15, 30min immigration, 12min from the airport
18:23
Leave the city
12min back, 135min at the airport incl. immigration
22:40
Back in London Gatwick
Flies 20:50 with easyJet

Leave London GatwickWizz Air, direct06:20
Land in Malaga2h 55min10:15
In the city30min immigration, 12min from the airport10:57
Leave the city12min back, 135min at the airport incl. immigration18:23
Fly homeeasyJet, 2h 55min20:50
Back in London Gatwick22:40

Typical weather for this date

19°C

average high

11°C

average low

3 in 10

years it rained

This date is too far out to forecast. These are Malaga's actual figures for the same date across the last 10 years.

Things to do in MalagaShow

Museo Picasso MálagaTickets on TiqetsAffiliate link
Malaga Flamenco ShowsTickets on TiqetsAffiliate link
Malaga Bus ToursTickets on TiqetsAffiliate link

All things to do in Málaga · Tiqets, affiliate link

With kids in MalagaShow

What a day in Malaga costs

Flights and on-the-ground spend, per person.

£96/ all in, per person

Train to city centre and back£4

Lunch£11

Dinner£26

Beer calculator× 0£0

Entry fees, on top (optional)

Alcazaba de Málaga£6 (€7)

Museo Picasso Málaga£11 (€13)

Catedral de Málaga£9 (€10)

Museo Carmen Thyssen Málaga£10 (€12)

Museo Picasso Málaga is free in the last two hours on Sundays, Museo Carmen Thyssen Málaga is free on Sunday afternoons, La Malagueta city beachFree

On the ground£41

Prices checked 3 Oct 2026

Return flight from£55

Google Flights price. Checked 18 hours ago.

Getting to Gatwickfrom free

All in, per person£96

Out with Wizz Air, back with easyJet. Two separate tickets. Book both before you go.

Book on Google Flights

Compare fares on Aviasales · Affiliate link

Estimated cost. Fares last checked 6 Oct, 23:51. Prices and availability change and are set by the airline or agent when you book.

The main button opens the airline or Google Flights; Compare fares goes to Aviasales, who pay us a small commission.

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Getting to the airportShow

Getting to Gatwick

Per person. Not in the total above. Prices checked 25 Sept 2026.

Free

Free drop-offFree
Long Stay car park: free for 0-2 hours, with a free shuttle bus (10-12 min) to the terminal. Source

Train

From London (Gatwick Express, Victoria)Price not published30 min
Source
From London (Southern / Thameslink, Victoria / London Bridge / St Pancras)Price not published30-45 min
Source

Coach

National Express from LondonPrice not published
Source

Taxi

From London£100-£160 one way~30 miles
Estimate, not a quote.

Parking at the airport

Paid drop-offfrom £10
Drop-off zone: £10 for 10 min, then £1/extra minute up to 20 min, maximum daily charge £30, maximum stay 30 min, payable by midnight the next day. Source
Short Stay£70
"12-24 hours" walk-up (roll-up) rate. Source
Premium Short Stay£87.50
"12-24 hours" walk-up rate. Source
Long Stay£38
"2-24 hours" band (first 2 hours free). Source

More parking

Mid StayNo same-day price
Source
Valet ParkingNo same-day price
Source
Premium Parking / Robotic Parking (South Terminal only)No same-day price
Source

Parking nearby

No same-day price published. See multi-day prices

Cophall Parking£4.21
Multi-day price, not a same-day quote. Shuttle 10-15 min. Source
Airparks Park & Ride£4.24
Multi-day price, not a same-day quote. Shuttle 10-12 min. Source
APH Park & Ride£4.36
Multi-day price, not a same-day quote. Shuttle 15 min. Source

Costs people forgetShow

Costs people forget

Not in the total above. Worth a minute before you go.

Phone data. EE, Vodafone and Three charge about £2.75 a day to use your allowance in Europe. O2, Tesco Mobile and giffgaff include it free.
Card fees. Many cards add a foreign-exchange fee to every payment abroad. Check yours before you go, or take one that doesn't charge it.

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Comments on MalagaShow

Comments

No one has been yet, as far as we know. If you have, tell the next person what made the day.

Day trip to Malaga.From London Gatwick, back by 22:40.

Day Trip Flight Details

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Day trip to Malaga.
From London Gatwick, back by 22:40.