Football fans face paying thousands of pounds for Europa League final trips

Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur supporters booking last-minute trips to the Europa League final are being charged thousands of pounds.

Direct return flights from the UK to Bilbao in northern Spain cost from more than £1,000, hotel rooms are at least £1,200, while match tickets are available on resale websites from about £500.

The final kicks off at 9pm local time (8pm BST) on Wednesday.

EasyJet is charging £1,823 to fly from Gatwick to Bilbao on Wednesday morning and return on Thursday morning.

A return trip from Heathrow with British Airways – out on Wednesday morning, back on Thursday afternoon – costs £1,288.

Spanish airline Vueling is offering flights from Gatwick on Tuesday night, returning on Thursday night, for £1,179.

A return trip on the same route a week later is available from just £116.

Tickets for the match at the San Mames Stadium are being sold on marketplace Ticombo from about £500.

Some Man Utd and Spurs supporters were able to buy tickets through official channels from just £34.

The cheapest hotel rooms in central Bilbao on the night of the match are being sold on Booking.com for about £1,200.

That is compared with £78 on Thursday night.

Airline pricing is generally driven by demand, with fares rising for a flight as more seats are filled.

Booking.com, which does not control the pricing of accommodation listed on its website, previously urged providers to “act fairly”.