How Man Utd and Tottenham fans can save HUNDREDS on £900 flights to Bilbao for Europa League final including boat & bus

MANCHESTER UNITED and Tottenham fans are set to be charged a small fortune for their travel to Bilbao.

The Europa League final takes place in the Spanish city on Wednesday May 21, with both Premier League clubs now in a strong position to make the final after big wins over Athletic Bilbao and Bodo/Glimt respectively.

The Europa League final in Bilbao will cost fans a small fortuneCredit: Getty

Man Utd have secured a strong aggregate lead over Athletic Bilbao ahead of the finalCredit: PA

Spurs are also in a strong position after a 3-1 win over Bodo/GlimtCredit: RexHowever, with a £100million winner-takes-all English final now expected to take place later this month, fans will be forced to contend with sky-rocketing prices.

Many places to stay in the city centre have been booked up already and very few remain under £1,000 per night, but prices to fly to the city, and back, in the first place have also gone through the roof.

According to Skyscanner, direct flights to Bilbao airport from anywhere in the UK are already completely SOLD OUT, with all flights requiring a stop in at least one other airport.. and many return journeys still costing up to £800 and rising.

So SunSport has done the digging for you, and found some more affordable alternate routes to the Estadio de San Mames….

Ferry – Portsmouth to BilbaoThe simplest and, on paper, most relaxing option for fans will be to travel to the region by boat.

As a little geography refresh, Bilbao as a city rests on the northern Spain.

And fans desperate to get out to Spain could also enjoy a 32-hour cruise from Portsmouth to Bilbao.

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Usually frequented by caravaners after a peaceful trip – this voyage will likely be anything but when 1,015 football fans climb aboard and get on the beers in the boat’s ‘Plaza Mayor’ bar.

It is a journey SunSport’s very own Dave Courtnadge will be taking as he hopes to see his beloved Red Devils lift the trophy.

SunSport’s Dave Courtnadge is taking a 34-hour ferry from Portsmouth to BilbaoCredit: Brittany FerriesJoin him on the Brittany Ferries cruise, leaving on Sunday at 10pm and arrive on Tuesday at 8am.

Prices start at £150 one way. Plus £11 if you want a seat, or £125 for a four-man cabin.

The only downside is the return journey’s not until Saturday.

An alternative route would be to go from Portsmouth or Plymouth to the neighbouring port of Santander, which is then around three hour train journey or hour and 16 minute drive to Bilbao.

The Portsmouth journey will commence on May 19 at 9:30pm before arriving at 8am on the day with a cost of £190 one way.

The Plymouth journey costs marginally less at £150, and leaves at 4:45pm on Sunday to arrive in Spain on the Monday.

Ferry to Calais – train to Bordeaux – coach to BilbaoOne of the quickest ways to get to mainland Europe would be go to Calais, with a ferry there costing around £229, according to Ferrysavers.

Once in Calais you can then travel to Bordeaux in the south of France by train, which according to Trainline can cost around £90 and take around 6 hours on the day.

The final leg of the journey would then see you needing to take a coach from Bordeaux to Bilbao which, taking around five hours but costing from £8.99 at the time of writing.

Fans could stop off for a wine in Bordeaux on the way to BilbaoCredit: AFP or licensorsEurotunnel, trains and drivingAt the time of writing the EuroStar the day before the game starts at £64, while on the day, the minimum cost is £87.

That is the first part of the journey, with the journey once leaving Paris taking anywhere between seven and 13 hours.

But if you fancy an extended drive, you can take a ferry from Dover to Calais and then drive a car all the way down for a trip which takes more than 11 hours to complete according to Rome2Rio.

Flights to Spanish citiesAs it stands, there are direct flights from Manchester to Bilbao or neighbouring cities Seville and Zaragoza, though more flights could be put on.

However, there remains some flights from London direct to Seville, with cheapest of these flights coming out to around £108 by flying out on Tuesday evening and returning on Thursday.

And there is some luck for travellers from Manchester if they are willing to fly to Barcelona.

Barcelona flights will set fans back at least £96 flying the day before and £89 on the day… while Madrid flights start at £516 the day before and £346 on the day.

London flights to Barcelona currently cost from £49 the day before and £67 on the day.

While return flights to Zaragoza from London come in at just £140 – with a £35 return bus taking a total to just £175.

From Manchester, the same journey cane be done for around £250.

Flying via nearby Zaragoza is one optionCredit: RexFlight changesMost other flights to Bilbao involve some kind of change on the way which adds a crazy amount of time on to the journey often due to layovers having long wait times.

According to Omio, one option is to fly from Manchester to Paris and then to Bilbao the day before, which costs from £307 one way.

Alternatively doing a flight transfer from London to Madrid and then Bilbao will set a fan back at least £262 one way and take more than 13 hours to complete when starting on Tuesday evening.

Elsewhere on Skyscanner, the cheapest flights to Manchester are currently from £188, while the best recommended flight currently costs £566 for a 4 hour 20 minute trip with a change at Amsterdam.

London flights cost £263 at the cheapest with that taking nearly 10 hours, while the recommended best flights cost around £514 for a 4 and a half hour flight changing at Madrid.

Fans can take the gruelling 22-hour bus journey the whole way to Bilbao from LondonCredit: FlixbusBus routes – London to BilbaoOne of the longest but cheapest journeys a fan might be able to make on the trip involves an estimated 22 hour journey by bus that will cost as little as £72.

This Flixbus journey starts in Whitehall/Trafalgar and goes to Victoria first before heading to Paris.

Paris then gives way for an 11-hour plus trip heading all the way to Bilbao for as little as £45.

*All prices are correct at the time of writing.