How to get to Alhambra from Madrid
 

Spending 8-9 days in Spain this summer. Our base will be Madrid. (Have done Barcelona) Group of 4 will want to go down to Grenada to see the Alhambra. Trains seem to take a long time even from Seville.
Is there a day trip from Seville or Cordoaba?
Looking like a rental car from Cordoba is the best option.
any suggestions?

Vueling charges 30E if you wish to go directly Madrid - Granada

Vueling is an option only if you want to stay overnight - since they have only one flight a day in each direction - both in the afternoon - so there would be no time to see anything - or even leave the airport.

And driving really isn't an option - since it would be at least 5 hours in each direction.

Iberia does have flights that will work (8am out of Madrid and 8something pm out of Granada) - but don;t know what they would charge for your dates.

Thanks..yes there are flights from madrid for about $166 RT. a possibility.
I think we will take the AVE to Cordoba for a day or two so I'm really checking to see if there is an easier way to get to Granada for a day.
We may take the train to granada from Cordoba spend the night and fly back to Madrid from there.

I didn't do it , but there are day excursions to Granada from Sevilla . You could go to Sevilla in the AVE and use that as your base for 2-3 days. From there one day do Cordoba and another day do Granada. I don't think you need to overnight in Cordoba. Or transfer to Granada for one overnight and do Alhambra and then return to Madrid.