Manchester United and Tottenham fans will have to break the bank to watch their beloved clubs if they reach the Europa League final on May 21.
Supporters have shared their shock on social media at the flight and accommodation prices, with the cheapest room in Bilbao for the night before priced at £848.
Both teams look set to qualify after United beat Athletic Bilbao 3-0 and Tottenham dispatched Bodo/Glimt 3-1 with convincing performances.
It is no surprise to see dynamic pricing hit where it hurts but the sheer cost risks alienating fans.
One three-star hotel, the Hotel Ilunion Bilbao, is a 10-minute walk from the San Mames stadium but its cheapest room is £2,444. The most expensive AirBnb is charing £4,514 per adult per night.
Flight prices are grim. The ‘best’ return option on SkyScanner from Manchester to Bilbao, flying out the day before and coming home the day after, costs £1,091 per person.
Manchester United and Tottenham fans will have to spend thousands to watch their teams if they reach the Europa League final
The cheapest three-star hotel in Bilbao comes in at £2,444 per night on May 21
And the cheapest room overall comes with a private renter at £848 per adult per night
The cheapest is £154, but that would involve a total of 51 hours of travelling (including changes) and then missing the match, landing more than three hours after kick-off.
Fans travelling from London have more viable options, with the ‘best’ coming in at £331 and involving a total of 13 hours of travel, but plenty of time to enjoy Bilbao before and after the game.
The cheapest return for London Gatwick flying out the day before is £117, but that would actually see fans arrive the morning after the game following almost 34 hours of travelling.
All these prices do not include any extras such as luggage, or transport to and from hotels.
There are no direct flights to the city on the day of the game that would see fans make it in time.
‘Corr flights and hotel priced for Bilbao are crazy for the Europa League final,’ said one fan on X.
‘As there are no direct flights to Bilbao from London for the final, the price for the quickest routes are between £500-£850. A week later the price is around £70. How can airlines be allowed to do this?’ another asked.
‘Just watched flights from EMA to Spain day before Europa final shoot up by £200,’ one said.
The Europa League final will be held at Bilbao’s atmospheric San Mames stadium on May 21
Manchester United have one foot in the final after beating Athletic Bilbao 3-0 in Spain
Tottenham are in the driving seat against Bodo/Glimt after beating them 3-1 on Thursday
‘Trying hard not to jump the gun but prices have sky rocketed for flights to Bilbao and surrounding city airports and still I’ve got to try and obtain not only a match ticket but accommodation at the very least,’ said another.
‘How is anyone gonna stay in Bilbao with them prices any way around it,’ one said.
The Mirror previously reported that a one-star hotel had been demanding £800 from fans, but that option appears to have been snapped up.
Mail Sport captured a photo of one fan checking the flight prices during Tottenham’s semi-final victory over Bodo/Glimt, clearly looking to steal a march on his fellow supporters.
Using a ‘Fans First’ policy, UEFA have announced that supporters of the two clubs involved in the final will be offered tickets at a frozen cost of €40 (£34), via a lottery system.
Spectators hoping to secure premium seats will have to fork out significantly more on tickets however, as the VIP category sees a sharp increase.
Category 1, 2 and 3 seats come in at €240 (£206), €160 (£137) and €65 (£55) respectively.
The Europa League presents a last chance of silverware for both Manchester United and Tottenham this campaign and their only possible route into the Champions League.
