How to get to Bilbao for Europa League final

Despite a torrid domestic campaign Manchester United could finish the season with a major trophy

Tens of thousands of Manchester United supporters are in the scramble to reach the Europa League final in Bilbao.

The Red Devils booked their place after overcoming Athletic Club 5-1 on aggregate in their semi-final second leg at Old Trafford late on Thursday.

Travel companies are preparing for a surge in demand for trips to the northern Spanish city - ironically the home of Athletic - for the final on 21 May.

Here is how fans can make the trip to see United take on fellow Premier League strugglers Spurs in an all-English final.

Direct flights

Flying is the obvious choice for travelling from the UK to Spain, but airline seats are already in high demand.

Direct two-hour and 10 minute easyJet flights from Manchester are priced from £812 on 20 May, and £609 on 21 May.

A spokesperson for the carrier said its pricing is "demand-led".

Indirect flights

Supporters on tighter budgets can save significant sums by booking a route that involves changing planes.

Airline TAP Air Portugal has a £324 option departing Gatwick at 10.35 BST on 20 May, arriving in Lisbon at 13.25, boarding another plane at 15.20 before finally landing in Bilbao at 18:00.

Taking into account the time difference, this is a total travel time of six hours and 25 minutes.

Car

Some supporters may consider driving.

This could involve taking their car across the Channel from Dover, Kent, to Calais, northern France, by ferry or Eurotunnel.

From there, the driving time across France and over the Spanish border to Bilbao is around 12 hours.

Coach

FlixBus has a departure from London Victoria at 07:00 on 20 May arriving in Bilbao 23 hours and 45 minutes later at 07.45 on 21 May.

This costs £154 and involves crossing the Channel by ferry and changing coaches in Paris.

Several coach companies are likely to run charter services to the final from Manchester and London.

Train

International train travel website seat61.com describes the journey from London to Bilbao as "a fast and comfortable option".

It suggests passengers could depart London St Pancras on the morning on 20 May on a Eurostar train to Paris.

They would then take a train to Hendaye and change onto another to San Sebastian.

After an overnight stay in San Sebastian, fans would take a train to Bilbao, arriving on 21 May.

Ferry

Some supporters without time pressure may consider travelling by ferry.

Brittany Ferries has a sailing from Portsmouth to Bilbao departing at 22:00 on 18 May and arriving 33 hours later at 08:00 on 20 May.

Fares are available from £201.

Brittany Ferries said it experienced an increase in bookings even before Thursday's semi-final second legs, with cabins sold out.

The company also has sailings from Portsmouth to Santander, which is around a one-hour car journey from Bilbao.