Sevilla or Granada airports using IBERIA question

Fernandao, did you see my suggestion on your other thread to put Madrid at the end of your trip so you could fly from there? The AVE trains connecting Madrid with Cordoba and Sevilla are very fast and comfortable. I would choose returning to Madrid that way over getting up at 4:30 am to head to the airport for an early flight. And then you have extra time to wait at the Madrid airport before your homeward flight. That makes for a very long day. Transport from downtown Madrid to the airport is easy and reliable with the airport bus.

Yes Thank you Lola. I read your message and I'm happy to see that is similar to my plan. I was just trying to maximize my time by not going back to Madrid.
I'll probably be more relaxed if I go back to Madrid and not worry about something going wrong with the Sevilla or Granada flight, specially since it is a local airline. thanks for your input.

I always try to avoid stress and worry about connecting flights when I do our trip planning. Putting Madrid at the end made it very easy. We stayed a nice hotel within walking distance of Atocha train station, Husa Paseo des Artes. It is an easy walk after our train up from Cordoba, and an easy walk back to catch the airport bus for our departure flight.

Both airports are quite small,although Seville is the larger of the two. Getting in and out of Granada always seems quicker and easier than Seville but at that time of the morning both should be fine. If it were me I would choose Granada...largely as it leaves slightly later but also a smaller airport. I have flown Iberia many times, including very recently and they are fine.they have,however had a few strikes over the last 12months. .

Thank you Liz and Lola. Lola: Is there a direct train from Toledo to Sevilla or Do I have to go back to Madrid to catch the fast train to Sevilla?
Liz: Yes. i've heard about the strike.. so that makes me a bit nervous.. but my trip will be in september.. things should be resolved by then.

No, there is no direct train from Toledo to Sevilla. Toledo is on a little spur off the main route. But it is not badthe trip from Toledo to Madrid is about 30 minutes, and you end up in the AVE side of the Atocha station, from which your Sevilla train will depart. Then it is only 2.5 hours to Sevilla. Here is a map of the rail routes in Spain: http://petrabax.com/renfe/spain_map.html You can save a lot on the tickets between Barcelona and Madrid, and madrid and Sevilla (the AVE trains) by booking 2 months i nadvance on Renfe, the Spanish train site. The Web fares are 60% off, reduging th eregular 83-euro ticket from madrid to Sevilla down to 33 euro. It is a great deal. We loved the trains in Spain. Let us know if you would like suggestions on a place to stay in toledothere are some excellent choices with lots of charm, very well-priced.

Lola: Thanks . Yes if you can give me some hotel names I will research them.. I've been using tripadvisor but sometimes is confusing too many choices. You can send me a private message and tell me the places that you recomend.. Thanks so much.

A note about Granada: there are two runways, but only one is rated for instrument landings. If the connecting plane has to arrive in the early morning dark, and the wind is from the west (which is rare, but it does happen), they cannot land in Granada. My son was booked on that 7 am flight last month and this happened to him. No plane; flight was cancelled. Iberia put everyone on a mad-dash bus to Malaga and they had to run thru the Madrid airport to make the connection to the US. As you can guess, the luggage took 3 days to catch up. I don't believe Seville has the same problem. Or, you could consider flying out of Malaga-it is a larger airport with more reliable connections.

Thank you everyone for their input.. I have booked my flight out of Madrid.