Soccer fans looking to travel to Copenhagen for the Republic of Ireland’s World Cup play-off against Denmark could be paying up to €458 for return flights.
Martin O’Neill’s side secured Denmark in the play-off draw at Fifa headquarters in Zurich on Tuesday afternoon.
The away leg will take place on Saturday, November 11th at 8.40pm with the second leg in Ireland on Tuesday, November 14th at the Aviva Stadium. Denmark play their home games at the Parken Stadium in Copenhagen.
Ryanair is currently offering flights from €103.99 (one way) to Copenhagen on Saturday, November 11th. However, fans are likely to miss the beginning of the game as the flight is due to arrive at 7.40pm (just an hour before the game kicks off).
The airline has no flights available on Friday, November 10th but is offering a flight at 4.30pm on Thursday, November 9th from €203.99.
There are also no return flights available from Copenhagen to Dublin with the airline for Sunday, November 12th but there is a flight scheduled on Monday, November 13th (8.30pm) for €253.99.
A spokesman for Ryanair said it offers “Europe’s lowest air fares, which are sold on a first come, first served basis, and rise only as quickly as the lowest fare class is sold”.
Flights are also available from Scandinavian Airlines and Norwegian Air, but fans will have to endure stopovers and lengthy delays.
A direct (one-way) flight from Dublin to Copenhagen on Friday, November 10th with Norwegian Air currently costs €408.41 (only ‘flex’ fares available as oppose to low fares).
Return flights with Scandinavian Airlines, with a stopover in Oslo on the way over and another in London on the way back, currently costs €385.
Travel journalist and writer Eoghan Corry has said there are “lots of options” with some fans choosing to fly from London or Amsterdam instead.
"Flights will always pop up very high, they'll spike a bit when there's a big sporting event," he told RTÉ's Morning Ireland.
“You’ve got loads of alternative ways because obviously around the date of the match the direct flights will have all filled so you’re left with the most expensive seats if any seats at all.
“People will be going through London, Amsterdam, it’s a €30 train fare up from Hamburg so there’s lots of options and the Irish fans from my experience are really inventive about it.”
Pre-sale tickets for the second leg at the Aviva Stadium on November 14th were snapped up on Wednesday morning.
The FAI said season ticket holders, Club Ireland members and Jack Charlton Lounge patrons could avail of the pre-sale period. General public sale of tickets will begin at 11am on Friday.
Applications for the away leg can be submitted via the Away Ticketing System on Thursday at noon.
