Soccer-Argentine fans snap up flights to US for World Cup final against Spain

BUENOS AIRES, July 16 (Reuters) – Argentina fans snapped up flights to the United States within hours after the national carrier put on special services for Sunday’s World Cup final against Spain in New Jersey, underscoring the country’s readiness to pay almost any price to follow the defending champions. 

State-run Aerolineas Argentinas said two special Buenos Aires-New York flights released late on Wednesday sold out by Thursday morning, filling 540 seats. The flights were priced at about $5,000 in economy and $10,000 in business class, far above typical fares.

The rush came after Argentina beat England 2-1 in Atlanta on Wednesday to reach the July 19 final, while Spain advanced with a 2-0 win over France on Tuesday. The title match will be played at the New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford. 

Aerolineas’ website showed no seats available on its New York services through July 21, while the carrier’s flights to Miami were also sold out, the spokesperson said, with South Florida serving as a stop-over for fans hoping to reach the final. 

Seats were still being marketed on Thursday by other airlines, though mostly via connections rather than special non-stop fan charters. American Airlines was advertising Buenos Aires-New York fares for July travel on its website, while Copa and LATAM were also listing Buenos Aires-New York or Buenos Aires-Miami options. 

Travel company Despegar said searches for flights to New York jumped 6,000% in the hours after the final whistle, a sign of the extraordinary demand unleashed by Argentina’s bid to retain the title. 

For Argentines, whose passion for the national team has repeatedly translated into big-spending pilgrimages, the chance to see Lionel Messi’s side face Spain for the World Cup appears to have outweighed the soaring cost of getting there. 

(Reporting by Eliana Raszewski and Nicolas Misculin in Buenos Aires; Writing by Kylie MadryEditing by Christian Radnedge)