England fans heading to Euro 2024 face travel chaos as air fares have jumped by more than 260 per cent following the draw for the group stages.
Tens of thousands of Three Lions fans are expected to travel to Germany for the opening match against Serbia in Gelsenkirchen on 16 June, but analysis by debt advice company UK Debt Expert has revealed that flights are now priced at almost £600.
Flight costs soar after Euro 2024 draw
The most direct route for many fans will be from London Heathrow to Dusseldorf International, which is 40 minutes away by train or car.
Fans who booked ahead of the draw could have saved themselves hundreds of pounds, with return flights departing the day before the match and returning the day after, costing just £159 in October.
After Saturday’s draw, the same journey now costs £577 with Eurowings.
Situated in Germany’s industrial heartland, Gelsenkirchen benefits from a good transport network, meaning England fans have other options which could save them some cash.
Ryanair flights travelling from London Stansted to Dortmund, 35km away, are currently priced at £436.
Flights to Cologne Bonn Airport, which is 70km away from Gelsenkirchen, from London Heathrow are currently priced at £409.
Looking at alternative routes could save cash
UEFA has already announced an agreement to offer a 36-hour travel pass alongside every match ticket, providing free travel on German public transport from 6am on match day until midnight the following day.
Intrepid England fans could save further by travelling to the bordering Netherlands, with flights from London Stansted to Eindhoven costing £290.
Maxine McCreadie, a personal finance expert at UK Debt Expert, commented on the analysis. She said:
“It’s sadly little surprise that the confirmation of England’s group stage schedule has seen a huge surge in air fares.
It pays to book in advance
“Many fans will already be familiar with the need to book travel well ahead. Although it may be little consolation, it’s not just football fans that are hit by this phenomenon as many gig-goers and holiday makers have seen the impact of high demand on hotel and travel prices.
“Creditfix research earlier this year revealed a 228 per cent increase in hotel prices around Coldplay’s UK tour in May.
“As one of the favourites for the competition, we know there will be huge demand from Three Lions fans to get to as many games as possible, so they will need to be creative to find solutions to get around Germany and save as much money as they can in the process.”
