This piece is an extract from yesterday's The Rugby Road Gates newsletter, which is emailed out at 6pm every Wednesday. To receive our full, free Kilmarnock newsletter straight to your email inbox, click here.
I thought I’d try something a little different this week. When I say a little, I mean massively. Turning my hand to travel agency was not on my bingo card for 2024.
The Europa League draw is less than a week away now, however, as discussed last time, we pretty much know exactly the teams we could come up against with the exception of two who still need to negotiate the first qualifying round.
It’s by no means fool-proof and it’s certainly not a full list of flights available, however, I’ve tried my best to put together information on some possible routes, flight times, and roundabout costs for each of our potential nine opponents. Accommodation is not factored in. The collated research has been pulled from Skyscanner, so, for disclaimer purposes, it is obviously subject to change. I’m fully aware that there will be alternative routes to most of these destinations, including flying to further afield airports and taking public transport, but it’s just a rough guide for some of the best or easiest ways to make the trip as direct as possible around the dates most fans would be travelling.
Last week saw a spike in sign-ups, so if you’re new here, I hope you enjoy it. I’m always open to hearing what content fans would like to see, so please feel free to get in touch.
Ajax
Week 1: Thurs July 25 – Sat July 27
Flights
1 – GLA – AMS / AMS – GLA = £225… KLM both ways
2 – GLA – AMS / AMS – GLA = £204… KLM both ways
3 – GLA – AMS / AMS – GLA = £210… KLM both ways
4 – EDI – AMS / AMS – EDI = £162… KLM both ways
Flight times
1 – 9.15am – 11.45am / 3.35pm – 4.05pm
2 – 6.10am – 8.45am / 3.35pm – 4.05pm
3 – 6.10am – 8.45am / 10.40pm – 11.10pm
4 – 6am – 8.35am / 10.40pm – 11.05pm
Week 2: Wed July 31 – Fri Aug 2
Flights
1 – GLA – AMS / AMS – GLA = £192… KLM both ways
2 – GLA – AMS / AMS – GLA = £217… KLM both ways
3 – EDI – AMS / AMS – EDI = £164… easyJet both ways
Flight times
1 – 6.10am – 8.45am / 10.40pm – 11.10pm
2 – 6.10am – 8.45am / 3.35pm – 4.05pm
3 – 10.05am – 12.40pm / 1.10pm – 1.45pm
Braga
Week 1: Wed July 24 – Fri July 26
Flights (Bus journey required from Porto – Braga taking around 45 minutes at a cost of £4 - £15)
1 – GLA – AGP – OPO / OPO – GLA = £276… easyJet + Ryanair out, easyJet in
2 – EDI – LGW – OPO / OPO – EDI = £384… easyJet both ways
3 – EDI – PMI – OPO / OPO – EDI = £289… easyJet + Ryanair out, Ryanair in
Flight times
1 – 7.40am – 2.10pm / 9.45am – 12.45pm
2 – 6am – 12.20pm / 4.30pm – 7.15pm
3 – 6.25am – 2.55pm / 4.30pm – 7.15pm
Week 2: Wed July 31 – Fri Aug 2
Flights
1 – GLA – LGW – OPO / OPO – GLA = £387… easyJet both ways
2 – PIK – PMI – OPO / OPO – DUB – GLA = £201… Ryanair both ways
3 – EDI – PMI – OPO / OPO – EDI = £257… Jet 2 + Ryanair out, Ryanair in
Flight times
1 – 6.45am – 12.20pm / 9.45am – 12.45pm
2 – 4.20pm – 11.35pm / 5pm – 11.30pm
3 – 6.25am – 2.55pm / 4.30pm – 7.15pm
Molde
Week 1: Wed July 24 – Fri July 26
Flights
1 – EDI – OSL – MOL / MOL – OSL – EDI = £320… Norwegian X both ways
2 - EDI – CHP – BGO – MOL / MOL – OSL – EDI = £426… Scandinavian Airlines + Wideroe out, Norwegian X in
3 - LGW – OSL – MOL / MOL – OSL – LGW = £235… Norwegian X both ways
Flight times
1 - 8.40pm – 8.30am / 9am – 12.20pm
2 - 10.15am – 5.50pm / 9am – 12.20pm
3 - 9.20am – 4.25pm / 4.55pm – 8.10pm
Week 2: Wed July 31 – Fri Aug 2
Flights
1 – EDI – OSL – MOL / MOL – OSL – EDI = £276… Norwegian X both ways
2 – EDI – CHP – BGO – MOL / MOL – OSL – EDI = £364… Scandinavian Airlines + Wideroe out, Norwegian X in
3 – LGW – OSL – MOL / MOL – OSL – LGW = £235… Norwegian X both ways
Flight times
1 – 8.40pm – 8.30am / 9am – 12.20pm
2 – 10.15am – 5.50pm / 9am – 12.20pm
3 – 9.20am – 4.25pm / 4.55pm – 8.10pm
Trabzonspor
Week 1: Tues July 23 – Fri July 26
Flights (Need to organise transport to London for the most direct routes)
1 – LTN – IST – TZX / TZX – ESB – STN = £320… Wizz Air UK + Turkish Airlines out, AJet in
2 – LTN – IST – TZX / TZX – IST – LTN = £349… Wizz Air UK + Turkish Airlines both ways
Flight times
1 – 6.05am – 4.35pm / 9.15am – 2.50pm
2 – 6.05am – 3.35pm / 7pm – 1.20am
Week 2: Tues July 30 – Fri Aug 2
Flights
1 – LHR – IST – TZX / TZX – IST – LHR = £443… Turkish Airlines both ways
2 – STN – SAW – TZX / TZX – SAW – STN = £369… AJet both ways
Flight times
1 – 6.35am – 4.35pm / 4.20pm – 10.25pm
2 – 11.10pm – 10.15am / 2.45pm – 9.25pm
Cercle Brugge
Week 1: Wed July 24 – Fri July 26
Flights (Flights to CRL will require 1hr train journey into the city at a cost of around £10)
1 – GLA – FRA – BRU / BRU – LHR – GLA = £259… Lufthansa out, British Airways in
2 – EDI – CRL / CRL – EDI = £166… Ryanair both ways
3 – EDI – CRL / CRL – DUB – EDI = £70… Ryanair both ways
Flight times
1 – 6.10am – 12.30pm / 7.35pm – 11.25pm
2 – 7.35am – 10.20am / 12.35am – 1.20pm
3 - 7.35am – 10.20am / 9.25am – 3.50pm
Week 2: Wed July 31 – Fri Aug 2
Flights
1 – GLA – LHR – BRU / BRU – LHR – GLA = £257… British Airways both ways
2 – GLA – AMS – BRU / CRL – GLA = £152… KLM out, Ryanair in
3 – EDI – CRL / CRL – EDI = £71… Ryanair both ways
4 – EDI – BRU / CRL – EDI = £257… Brussels Airlines out, Ryanair in
Flight times
1 – 9.30am – 2.20pm / 7.35pm – 10.20pm
2 – 4.50pm – 10.15pm / 6.40am – 7.25am
3 – 7.35am – 10.20pm / 12.35pm – 1.20pm
4 – 12.20pm – 3pm / 12.35pm – 1.20pm
HNK Rijeka
Week 1: Wed July 24 – Fri July 26
Flights (Bus journey required from Zagreb – Rijeka taking around 2hrs 15 mins at a cost of £22-27)
1 – GLA – FRA – ZAG / ZAG – FRA – GLA = £363… Lufthansa both ways
2 - GLA – AMS – ZAG / ZAG – AMS – GLA = £286… KLM both ways
3 – EDI – FRA – ZAG / ZAG – MUC – EDI = 376… Lufthansa both ways
Flight times
1 – 6.10am – 11.35am / 5.55pm – 11.05pm
2 – 4.50pm – 10.35pm / 4.50pm – 11.10pm
3 – 5.55am – 11.35am / 6.50am – 10.10am
Week 2: Wed July 31 – Fri Aug 2
Flights
1 – GLA – FRA – ZAG / ZAG – FRA – GLA = £369… Lufthansa both ways
2 – GLA – AMS – ZAG / ZAG – AMS – GLA = £283… KLM both ways
3 – EDI – AMS – ZAG / ZAG – AMS – EDI = £288… KLM both ways
Flight times
1 – 6.10am – 11.35am / 5.55pm – 11.05pm
2 – 4.50pm – 10.35pm / 4.50pm – 11.10pm
3 – 5.25pm – 10.35pm / 4.50pm – 11.05pm
Rapid Wien
Week 1: Wed July 24 – Fri July 26
Flights
1 – GLA – AMS – VIE / VIE – AMS – GLA = £288… KLM both ways
2 – GLA – FRA – VIE / VIE – FRA – GLA = £333… Lufthansa both ways
3 – EDI – VIE / VIE – FRA – EDI = £240… Ryanair out, Lufthansa in
Flight times
1 – 6.10am – 1.35pm / 7.55pm – 11.10pm
2 – 6.10am – 11.45am / 7.30pm – 11.05am
3 – 8.40am – 12.20pm / 7.30pm – 10.50pm
Week 2: Wed July 31 – Fri Aug 2
Flights
1 – GLA – FRA – VIE / VIE – AMS – GLA = £282… Lufthansa both ways
2 – GLA – FRA – VIE / VIE – FRA – GLA = £340… Lufthansa both ways
3 – EDI – VIE / VIE – FRA – EDI = £247… Ryanair out, Lufthansa in
Flight times
1 – 6.10am – 11.45am / 7.55pm – 11.10pm
2 – 6.10am – 11.45am / 7.30pm – 11.05pm
3 – 8.40am – 12.20pm / 7.55pm – 11.05pm
Sheriff Tiraspol (assuming they qualify)
Week 1: Wed July 24 – Fri July 26
Flights
1 - GLA – CDG – RMO / RMO – LTN – GLA = £425… easyJet + FLYONE out, Wizz Air UK + easyJet in
2 - GLA – LTN – RMO / RMO – LTN – GLA = £481… easyJet + FLYONE out, Wizz Air UK + easyJet in
3 - EDI – IST – RMO / RMO – IST – RMO = £405… Turkish Airlines both ways
4 - EDI – AMS – RMO / RMO – LTN – EDI = £371… easyJet + FLYONE out, Wizz Air UK + easyJet in
Flight times
1 - 10.40am – 7.15pm / 1pm – 8.15pm
2 - 7.05am – 3.50pm / 1pm – 8.15pm
3 – 10.40am – 8.25pm / 3.45am – 9.40am
4 – 10.05am – 7.30pm / 1pm – 5.40pm
Week 2: Wed July 31 – Fri Aug 2
Flights
1 - GLA – CDG – RMO / RMO – LTN – GLA = £438… easyJet + FLYONE out, Wizz Air UK + easyJet in
2 – GLA – LTN – RMO / RMO – LTN – GLA = £474… easyJet + FLYONE out, Wizz Air UK + easyJet in
3 - EDI – LTN – RMO / RMO – LTN – EDI = £406… easyJet + FLYONE out, Wizz Air UK + easyJet in
4 - EDI – LTN – RMO / RMO – STN – EDI = £462… easyJet + FLYONE out, Wizz Air UK + easyJet in
Flight times
1 – 7.05am – 3.50pm / 1pm – 8.15pm
2 – 7.05am – 3.50pm / 8.10am – 3.10pm
3 – 7.05am – 3.50pm / 1pm – 5.40pm
4 – 7.05am – 3.50pm / 5.00pm – 9.40pm
Maribor (assuming they qualify)
Week 1: Wed July 24 – Fri July 26
Flights (Train journey required from Graz – Maribor or Zagreb – Mairbor taking around 2hrs 25 mins at a cost of £7-27 or 3hrs at a cost of £28)
1 – GLA – FRA – GRZ / GRZ – FRA – GLA = £355… Lufthansa both ways
2 - GLA – FRA – GRZ / GRZ – FRA – GLA = £355… Lufthansa both ways
3 – EDI – FRA – GRZ / GRZ – FRA – GLA = £366… Lufthansa both ways
Flight times
1 – 6.10am – 2.15pm / 6.40pm – 11.05pm
2 – 12.50pm – 6pm / 6.40pm – 11.05pm
3 – 5.55am – 2.15pm / 6.40pm – 10.40pm
Week 2: Wed July 31 – Fri Aug 2
Flights
1 – GLA – FRA – ZAG / ZAG – FRA – GLA = £369… Lufthansa both ways
2 – GLA – AMS – ZAG / ZAG – AMS – GLA = £283… KLM both ways
3 – EDI – AMS – ZAG / ZAG – AMS – EDI = £288… KLM both ways
Flight times
1 – 6.10am – 11.35am / 5.55pm – 11.05pm
2 – 4.50pm – 10.35pm / 4.50pm – 11.10pm
3 – 5.25pm – 10.35pm / 4.50pm – 11.05pm
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