what is the best route for air travel

There are flights from Madrid to Pamplona, however it will likely be cheaper and sometimes more time efficient to take the train or the bus. The train is faster and more comfortable than the bus. There are more frequent buses from Madrid T4 to Pamplona.

On the way home there are flights from Santiago to London. You'll have to do your own time/cost analysis ... there are too many variables.

If you're starting from London I would look into discount airline flights to Bilbao and perhaps even Biarritz. The travel time by bus or train from either to Pamplona is much shorter as travel from Madrid.

See the airports for airlines and destinations.

AENA manages airports in Spain
http://www.aena-aeropuertos.es/csee/Satellite/HomeAenaAeropuertos/en/Home.html

Biarritz Airport (BIQ)
http://en.biarritz.aeroport.fr/

This section describes travel from Madrid to Pamplona.

Executive Summary

There are at least 3 options for travel from Madrid to Pamplona.

a. Travel by plane from Madrid to Pamplona.
b. Travel by Renfe train from Madrid to Pamplona.
c. Travel by bus from Madrid to Pamplona.

Madrid to Pamplona by train

The Renfe train route from Madrid to Pamplona goes via Zaragoza. Transfers may be required so check the itenerary.

Renfe
http://www.renfe.com/index.html

2054 Madrid to Pamplona by bus

ALSA operates buses to Pamplona from Barajas Airport T4, and Estacion (or Intercambiador) de Avenida de America. Note there is usually a transfer at Soria or Zaragoza.

ALSA
https://www.alsa.es/

Pamplona

Pamplona Airport (PNA)
http://www.aena-aeropuertos.es/csee/Satellite/Aeropuerto-Pamplona/en/Home.html

Estacion de Autobuses de Pamplona
http://estaciondeautobusesdepamplona.com/Inicio.aspx

Pamplona Renfe Station
http://www.adif.es/es_ES/infraestructuras/estaciones/80100/informacion_000111.shtml

1904 Santiago

Santiago Renfe Station
http://www.adif.es/es_ES/infraestructuras/estaciones/31400/informacion_000050.shtml

Estacion de Autobuses Santiago
http://www.tussa.org/web/interior.php?txt=arbore_web5&lg=cas

Santiago Airport (SCQ) Labacolla (with flights to London, Frankfurt, et al)
http://www.aena-aeropuertos.es/csee/Satellite/Aeropuerto-Santiago/en/Santiago.html

whariwharangi's list is very complete, nothing to add, except one general information that might be of interest to some:
SWISS Air has announced that it is adding SdC to their routes from Zurich as of Summer 2015. At that time, it will also include Bilbao to its seasonal destinations.
Pamplona has been a destination of VUELING.com (from Barcelona) in 2013, but taken off in the current year; might be worthwhile to check out next year's schedule.

One last word, the airport in Santiago is not exactly a throbbing center of international transportation. It is small, very user friendly, but there are not lines and lines of planes waiting to take you ack home or stacked up to land. Plan well and get your dates right. The train to Madrid is comfortable the timetable reliable just takes time. There are sadly no longer open dated airline tickets, so plan and when in Spain keep track of reality, it is very easy to lose all contact with the calendar - days of the week, dates, all fuse two you should keep some awareness if you don't want to miss a plane.

yes, your travel plan makes the most sense.

lowcost ryanir or easyjet to madrid, then alsa bus or renfe train to pamplona. you may want to check a 'real' airline as lowcost flights charge for checked in luggage.

ryanair to madrid should be cheaper and much faster if bought in advance (like today). the train to madrid can be painfully slow and more expensive.

so 10 minutes on renfe/alsa/ryanair/easyjet/skyscanner should sort you out

buen camino!

Hi have you considered flying to Barcelona then bus or train to Pamplona, the service is supposed to be very frequent and you travel through some wonderful countryside

I did the flight to Barcelona, got on a bus to the trainstation and caught a bus to Pamplona. The busride to Pamplona was 6 hours but the bus was very comfortable. I arrived in Pamlona early evening and spend the night in a hotel close to the busstation and the next morning my walk began. Later I realised I was only 10 min from the auberge in Pamplona and could have spend the night there.

Buen Camino...now the real journey begins.

Hello,

Maybe you have thought of this, but do you have to start in Pamplona? Flying Stansted to Biarritz might be a good option if you wanted to start in SJPdP. Have done twice for fairly cheap. Was able to get flight SQC-MAD in July for less than 40euro this summer.

Just recently, I flew form Stansted to Zaragoza with Ryanair for £37 . Zaragoza is a lovely city, closer than Madrid and you can get to Pamplona by bus or train.
Just a thought....!

Mid March 2013, I flew from London to Biarritz then train to Hendaye, Euskatrain to Donostia/San Sebastion then bus to Pamplona. On that basis I would say that fly to Madrid then bus train or plane to Pamplona has to be a walk in the park no matter which you choose. Plane however would be my choice to get the initial travelling behind me as quick as possible