If you're after air rooms at Madrid airport to rest between flights, Barajas gives you four real choices: the Air Rooms / Aerotel rooms in T4 (before security), a private capsule inside the departures zone, a lounge with a recline chair and shower, or the gate seating. Each solves a different problem. Here's the straight comparison, no fluff.
The factor that decides everything: where are you?
Before you choose, ask one question: have you already cleared passport control, or not yet? That invisible line splits the airport in two and dictates what you can use.
Before security (landside). You're in the public departures or arrivals area of T4. This is where Air Rooms / Aerotel rooms sit: enclosed rooms with a bed and bathroom, run by premium-lounge operators. Useful if you arrive hours early and haven't checked in yet, or if you land and need to sleep before heading into the city.
After security, in transit (airside). Your boarding pass is in hand and you're in the international departures zone. This is where GettSleep is: the Terminal 4 Satellite (T4S), reached from T4 on the automated APM shuttle train in a few minutes. It's the only private capsule rest airside in T4, past passport control.
Rule of thumb: if you're connecting and don't want to re-clear security or collect bags, you need something airside. If you haven't entered the airport yet, any landside option works.
Private capsule in T4S (GettSleep)
It's a capsule rest salon inside the transit terminal — not a star-rated hotel, but a recreation salon. You book by the hour, in blocks from 3 h, and the entry prices per format are:
- Upper Pod — from 45 € / 3 h
- Lower Pod — from 50 € / 3 h
- Upper Cabin Pod — from 54 € / 3 h
- Lower Cabin Pod — from 59 € / 3 h
- Upper Cabin Suite — from 65 € / 3 h
- Accessible Cabin Suite — from 71 € / 3 h (adapted, step-free)
The pods are single-occupancy: one guest per capsule. Each has a comfortable bed, adjustable A/C, blanket, reading light, mirror, a device-charging shelf and a lockable compartment for carry-on. There are showers with a clean towel and toiletries (soap, shampoo, conditioner), a coworking area with high-speed Wi-Fi and universal power outlets, and a Coffee Corner with coffee. If you need to stay overnight, longer blocks are available.
For families, the honest setup is adjacent single pods (a parent next to a child): there is no family room.
Air Rooms / Aerotel in T4 (landside)
These are enclosed rooms before security. The upside: real privacy, a proper bed and a private bathroom without having cleared security. The catch for connecting passengers is that they sit outside the transit zone, so to use them you'd have to leave airside, re-clear security and, depending on your itinerary, collect bags. If your flight departs from T4S itself, you'd lose the advantage of staying past control.
Lounges
A lounge is a different product. You pay to enter a shared space with recline chairs, food, drink and, in some, a shower. It's good for a couple of hours' wait or for working and eating. What it doesn't give you is a flat bed in an enclosed space: you sleep sitting up, surrounded by people. If you actually want to lie down and sleep, it isn't the same thing.
Gate seating (free)
The zero option. Free and always available. Also the worst for sleeping: light, announcements, cold and no privacy at all. For a short daytime wait, fine. For an overnight, you'll pay for it in tiredness.
When each one makes sense
- Long connection and you want to sleep lying down without re-entering security: capsule in T4S.
- You arrive in Madrid hours early and haven't checked in: Air Rooms / Aerotel landside.
- 1-3 h wait, you want to eat and work: lounge.
- Very short wait and zero budget: gate seating.
FAQ
Can you sleep at Barajas past security?
Yes. In T4S, in the transit zone after passport control, GettSleep offers private capsules by the hour from 45 € / 3 h. It's the only airside bed option in T4.
Are the capsules before or after security?
After. You access them only with a boarding pass, past security and passport control, in T4S (reached from T4 on the APM train). It's not the arrivals hall or a public area.
How much is it versus a lounge?
A capsule starts at 45 € for a 3 h block with a bed, shower and locker. A lounge charges per entry and gives you a chair, food and drink, but not an enclosed bed. They're different uses.
Does your flight depart from T4S and you want to actually sleep between connections? Book your capsule at GettSleep T4S. Still unsure where to rest? Read the full guide to sleeping at Barajas and our take on the hotel inside Madrid airport.