Amadeus data points to stronger domestic and international air bookings, rising hotel rates and a concentration of short event-led stays as Madrid prepares for the Spanish Grand Prix and Shakira’s residency.
Amadeus data points to stronger flight and hotel demand in Madrid as Formula 1 and Shakira bring major event traffic to the Spanish capital in September 2026.
- Amadeus estimates domestic air bookings to Madrid are up 28% year on year and international bookings are up 4% as the city prepares for a September calendar dominated by Formula 1 and Shakira.
- Across the broader 9 September to 4 October event window, combined air bookings are 5% higher year on year, while stays of five days or fewer now account for 37% of bookings.
- Amadeus Demand360 data shows hotel occupancy at 48% across the September study period, with average daily rate up 25% year on year to $413.
- Madrid’s Formula 1 race weekend is scheduled for 11–13 September, while Shakira’s Madrid residency begins on 18 September and is driving particularly strong domestic demand.
(NEWS) MADRID, Spain, 2026-Sep-02 — /Travel PR News/ — Madrid’s September events calendar is translating into measurable travel demand before the first cars race around the capital’s new Formula 1 circuit and Shakira begins a multi-night residency later in the month. Data released by Amadeus points to a sharp rise in domestic bookings alongside more moderate international growth, giving hotels and destination marketers an early view of how two very different major events are shaping visitor patterns.
Amadeus estimates domestic air bookings to Madrid are 28% higher year on year, while international bookings are up 4%. Looking at the broader period from 9 September to 4 October, which captures both the Spanish Grand Prix and the opening stretch of Shakira’s Madrid dates, total domestic and international air bookings combined are running 5% ahead of the same period in 2025, based on booking data measured as of 14 August.
The booking mix also suggests that many visitors are treating the events as short city breaks. Stays of five days or fewer are forecast to be 10% higher than last year and now represent 37% of bookings for the period. That concentration of shorter trips creates an obvious commercial opportunity for hotels, restaurants and attractions seeking to persuade event visitors to extend their time in the capital.
Hotel rates rise as September demand builds
Hotel data from Amadeus Demand360 shows occupancy standing at 48% for the weeks running from 6 September through 27 September. Average daily rate is 25% higher than during the comparable period last year, reaching $413.
The week beginning 13 September, when the Formula 1 weekend gives way to the opening dates of Shakira’s residency, currently shows the strongest hotel demand in the Amadeus data. Occupancy stands at 52% for that week, with an average daily rate of $411.
The figures are snapshots rather than final September performance, but they underline the extent to which major entertainment and sporting events can affect both room demand and pricing before visitors arrive. They also give hoteliers a clearer picture of when demand is concentrated and which source markets may be most responsive to targeted offers.
Shakira draws stronger domestic traffic into the capital
Shakira begins her Madrid run on 18 September as part of the Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour. Live Nation’s current schedule confirms the residency at Estadio Shakira in Iberdrola Music, with multiple performances running through the second half of September and into October.
For the 18 September to 4 October window covering the first nine nights included in Amadeus’ analysis, domestic bookings to Madrid are forecast to be 35% higher year on year, while international bookings are up 5%. Barcelona is the standout domestic feeder market, with bookings to the capital up 128% and accounting for 12% of domestic bookings during the period.
Group travel is also stronger. Bookings for parties of six or more are forecast to rise 30% and represent 7% of bookings across the Shakira window, suggesting the concert series is drawing not only individual fans but also families and groups travelling together.
Internationally, Japan shows the largest year-on-year increase in the broader event-period ranking at 80%. Canada follows at 31%, while Mexico and the Netherlands are each up 25% and Ecuador is up 23%, according to the Amadeus origin-market table.
Madrid’s Formula 1 debut adds another international demand peak
The other major draw is the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix, scheduled for 11–13 September at Madrid’s new Madring circuit. Formula 1’s official race schedule lists practice on 11 September, qualifying on 12 September and the race on 13 September, marking Madrid’s return to hosting Formula 1 after more than four decades.
For travel between 9 and 13 September around race weekend, Amadeus reports particularly strong growth from several international markets. Bookings from the United Kingdom are up 46% year on year, South Korea is up 45%, France is up 32% and Uruguay is up 31%.
Argentina remains the largest international source market for Madrid during the race period, representing 15% of international bookings. Amadeus notes that interest may be supported by fans travelling to see Argentine driver Franco Colapinto. Mexico has meanwhile gained the most share among the leading origin markets, with bookings up 16% and the country accounting for 11% of international traffic.
Race-week visitors also appear more likely to build Madrid into a longer itinerary than some concert travellers. Stays of six to 13 nights account for an estimated 39% of bookings around the Grand Prix, while stays of five days or fewer represent 34%. With a meaningful share of visitors arriving from the Americas, the pattern suggests that some fans are combining the race with a longer stay in Spain or Europe rather than making a brief event-only trip.
Event demand gives Madrid’s travel sector a wider September opportunity
Javier Campo, Amadeus Head of Europe, Middle East and Africa for Hospitality, said the combination of Formula 1 and Shakira gives hotels an opportunity to look beyond simply filling rooms, using booking data to shape packages, extend stays and anticipate when different types of guests will arrive.
For Madrid’s tourism industry, the most notable feature of the September data is not simply the volume increase but the diversity of demand. The Grand Prix is drawing international racing fans, Shakira is stimulating especially strong domestic movement, and both events are creating different stay patterns that hotels and destination organisations can address separately.
That makes September a useful test of event-led tourism strategy for the capital. If hotels and destination marketers can convert short, purpose-driven visits into longer stays, the economic impact of the race and concert residency could extend beyond tickets and accommodation into dining, retail, attractions and other parts of Madrid’s visitor economy.
