/https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.footballgroundguide.com%2Fmain%2F2026%2F05%2FICONSPORTxALAMY_3EE16BP.jpg)
Unai Emery's love affair with the Europa League is set to continue in Istanbul at the end of May, with his Aston Villa side set for a showdown with German outfit Freiburg in the final.
Although Villa were the favourites to win the competition before a ball was kicked this season, there will still be Villa fans pinching themselves about what has happened to the club since Emery was appointed manager in October 2022.
The chance to see your team in a European final isn't one that comes around often, so even though Istanbul can be a nightmare to get to, there will be no complaints from Villa supporters. To help these fans get to Istanbul safely and cheaply, our guide below has you covered.
How to get to Istanbul: Travel options
Take the Aston Villa chartered flight
Aston Villa have announced that they are putting on a chartered flight for the final in Istanbul on Wednesday, 20 May. The flight out to Istanbul will be from Birmingham on the morning of matchday, while the return flight will be immediately after the match. The total cost of this flight is £1,095.
🚨 Reminder to register for the chance to buy UEFA Europa League Final Tickets – All eligible supporters MUST register interest for a ticket by logging on to the Aston Villa ticket platform on the below link.⬇️https://t.co/FtKTYXqloG
— AVFC Support (@AVFCSupport) May 10, 2026
ℹ️ Supporters have until 5.00pm today to… https://t.co/ivAiSX2fe9
Fly direct to Istanbul
For supporters who want to spend a few days in Istanbul as part of the away day experience, there are some direct flights to Istanbul from the United Kingdom on both Monday, 18 and Tuesday, 19, May.
The only issue here is the prices of said flights. A return flight from Birmingham to Istanbul on the Tuesday until the Thursday is coming out at £839. You can fly from other UK airports for slightly cheaper, but the price difference is not enough to make it worthwhile.
Connect to Istanbul from elsewhere
One way to make the trip cheaper is to fly somewhere else in Europe first, before getting on another flight to Istanbul or boarding a train.
At present, the most cost-effective way to get to Istanbul is to fly to Paris (Charles de Gaulle) from Birmingham Airport at 07:00 on Monday, 18 May. There is then a connecting flight from Paris (Orly) at 12:55 to Istanbul.
The return flight on Thursday, 21 May, returns to Birmingham from Istanbul via Dalaman. The first flight leaves SAW Istanbul Sabiha at 06:55 and the second flight leaves Dalaman at 09:50, getting you back in Birmingham for lunchtime.