Looking at doing 12 nights in Spain in Septermber. Right now thinking Cordoba 2 nights, Malaga 4 nights, Sevilla 3 nights and Granada 2 nights with last night at Madrid Barajas before transiting home.

Is there a particular order that one would suggest to minimize excess travel in between cities and is the time allocation for each reasonable. Can a city like Cordoba be done as day trip out of Malaga or Sevilla thus spreadig the 2 nights allocated to one of those cities and minimizing check ins / outs ?

Enjoy history, architecture, food (though not a foodie per se), religion.

Plan is to fly into Madrid from USA and immediately transit via plane / train to first destination. I have spent considerable time in Madrid in past visits to Spain. This is my first venture into southwestern Spain.

yeah I might make Seville or Cordoba a 5 nighter, trip to the other early and come back late, all very easy.

Malaga has an airport as well as a station so aim at for start or end

I think I would do 6 nights in Sevilla witih day trip to Cordoba. Three nights in Granada which give you two full days plus a part of a third. Three in Malaga which you might cut to two to add an overnight in Cordoba. Hope my math is right!

Whatever you do, stay with the four nights in Málaga ;-)
NYT's "A guide to the ancient, now thriving, city
where Picasso was born": https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/25/t...pain.html?_r=0

If you haven't already bought your ticket, then fly home from Málaga or Sevilla, saving loosing the time returning to Madrid for the last night before flying home.

If you're already purchase your ticket and have to return to Madrid, there's nothing to be gained by staying out near the airport. A taxi from central Madrid will have you at the airport in under 30 minutes, in even the worst traffic. Spend the last night in the city and enjoy what you can.

What do you want to see and do in each city? I'd spend some time sketching that out, cross-referencing opening/closing times and transportation schedules AND then decide hiow much time to spend where.