Is Malaga worth a day trip?

Yes: 7.4 hours in Malaga, £172 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 10.5 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 was checked 8 October against Google Flights for this exact date and these exact flights. Fares move, so it can change before you book, and the price is not held for you.

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

Leave the city by 20:23. 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 22:50 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 Manchester, back by 00:50.

Spain·Fri 9 Oct · 7.3 hours in the city

£172

the whole day

7.3 hours

in the city

00:50

back in Manchester

£84 on Mon 30 Nov, 51% less

Day Trip Flight Details

Time in the city

7.3 hours

after transfersAfter transfers and airport time

Airport distance

8km

to the centreFrom Malaga centre (AGP)

Daylight

11.5 hours

08:20 to 19:51Sunrise 08:20, sunset 19:51

First EU trip since 2025? Allow 30 min more.

FlightAirport, immigration and transportIn the city

08:15
Leave Manchester
Jet2, direct
13:02
In the city
Lands 12:20, 30min immigration, 12min from the airport
20:23
Leave the city
12min back, 135min at the airport incl. immigration
00:50
Back in Manchester
Flies 22:50 with Ryanair

Leave ManchesterJet2, direct08:15
Land in Malaga3h 5min12:20
In the city30min immigration, 12min from the airport13:02
Leave the city12min back, 135min at the airport incl. immigration20:23
Fly homeRyanair, 3h 5min22:50
Back in Manchester00:50

Weather while you are there

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20:0022°

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.

£172/ 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£131

Google Flights price. Checked 2 hours ago.

Getting to Manchesterfrom free

All in, per person£172

Out with Jet2, back with Ryanair. Two separate tickets. Book both before you go.

Book on Google Flights

Compare fares on Aviasales · Affiliate link

Estimated cost. Fares last checked 8 Oct, 21:40. 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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First 1,000 members

Become a founder

Half the price, kept for good, for the first 1,000 members.

£19a year, locked for life

Day Trips is live.

Try it for 14 days. Full refund if it's not for you.

Built by Josh and Samar

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Getting to the airportShow

Getting to Manchester

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

Free

Free drop-off areaFree
24/7 shuttle bus to the terminals. Source

Train

From Manchester Piccadilly£2.90 each way13-20 min
Advance single. last train 01:34 Source
From Leeds£6.90 each way83-96 min
Advance single Source
From Liverpool (Lime Street)£3.60 each way46-73 min
Advance single. First train 05:00, last train 00:18 Source
Last train leaves before you land.

Coach

National Express from Manchester / Leeds / Liverpool£5.90 each way
Cheapest advertised single. Runs round the clock. Source

Taxi

From Manchester city centre£25-£35 one way~10 miles
Estimate, not a quote. Uber or Bolt usually £15-£25.
From Leeds£90-£120 one way~45 miles
Estimate, not a quote. Uber or Bolt usually £60-£90.
From Liverpool£75-£100 one way~35 miles
Estimate, not a quote. Uber or Bolt usually £50-£75.

Parking at the airport

Paid drop-off, Terminal 2from £5.50
5 min £5.50, 10 min £6.50, up to 30 min £25. Source

More parking

Short StayNo same-day price
From £65 (4-day stay). Source
JetParksNo same-day price
From £54.99 (8-day stay). Source
Mid StayNo same-day price
From £79 (8-day stay). Source
Drop & GoNo same-day price
From £69.99 (8-day stay). Source
Meet & GreetNo same-day price
From £85.99 (8-day stay). Source
Multi StoreyNo same-day price
From £65 (4-day stay). Source

Parking nearby

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

Maple Parking Park & Ride (5.8 mi from airport)£49.99
Multi-day price, not a same-day quote. Shuttle 15-20 min. Source
APH Park & Ride (2.7 mi from airport)£69.95
Multi-day price, not a same-day quote. Shuttle 7-15 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

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Day trip to Malaga.From Manchester, back by 00:50.

Day Trip Flight Details

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Day trip to Malaga.
From Manchester, back by 00:50.