By Ben McKay

Some are taking the long way, with flights via other capitals, Bali or Singapore.

Some are reaching deep into their wallets to get to Melbourne direct.

And some have even begun the 3300km drive across the Nullarbor.

Whatever the way and whatever the price, Fremantle fans are beating a path to the MCG, with the club booking a historic second AFL grand final appearance next Saturday.

The Dockers won their way to the 2026 decider after a comeback defeat of Sydney on Friday night.

In the hours after the triumph, airlines added dozens of new flights between Perth and Melbourne.

For those yet to book, reaching Melbourne from Perth is likely to cost as much as a trip to Europe.

Virgin added 20 flights and almost 4000 seats to help ferry passengers east, with Qantas and Virgin also bolstering capacity on Friday evening.

Almost all of those travellers will be paying a minimum return fare of roughly $2000 and, most likely, closer to $3000.

“It’s absolutely gouging but we’re a hostage to them. We’re at their mercy,” die-hard Fremantle fan Matt Richardson told AAP.

A review on Saturday morning shows just a handful of direct flights in the days before and after the grand final costing less than $1000.

Among 65 bookable flights from Perth to Melbourne across Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, the minimum fare for 55 of those flights topped $1000.

The cheapest was a Virgin fare of $825 before add-ons, arriving at 11pm on grand final eve.

Heading home, prices are also sky-high, with the cheapest direct fare across 34 bookable flights on Sunday costing $1092, and just four flights of 43 across next Monday and Tuesday priced at less than $1000.

AFL Fans Association president Ron Issko said the prices were “a disgrace”.

“For the ordinary fans who go every week and then finally reach a grand final and want to be there, to have airlines gouge to that extent is un-Australian,” he told AAP.

“It happens unfortunately and it also happens during Gather Round.”

Mr Richardson, who lives 10 minutes from Fremantle, spent up big attending in 2013 – the Dockers’ only prior grand final outing – booking at three-quarter time of their preliminary final to beat the rush.

That mission, via Sydney, cost $2100.

This time around, he’s cutting short a family fishing trip and flying direct to Melbourne and then home via Brisbane on Sunday for $1600, booked months ago with creditable fares.

“People will pay whatever they have to pay because you just don’t know when the next grand final will be,” he said.

A Qantas spokesperson said the lowest fares available for the newly added flights were $766 but by 9am Saturday, they were nowhere to be seen.

The cost and stress of organising last-minute flights have led some to organise charter flights, which were conditional on Fremantle making the sell-out event featuring homegrown superstar Kylie Minogue as the half-time act.

Amid the euphoria, Fremantle fan groups on social media were awash with supporters asking about transport plans and chartered seats.

If 2026 is anything like 2013, Dockers fans will find creative ways to get to the G.

“I know guys that have already started driving over from Perth … you can do it in three days,” Mr Richardson said.

“I knew guys in 2013 that went via Bali and Singapore … you have to get creative if you want to do it.”

The travel considerations are separate to the challenge of snaring a ticket – which for many is guaranteed with membership.

And of course, attending is no guarantee of success, something Mr Richardson knows well.

“If you’re a Freo fan as long as I have been you learn to get your heart broken,” he said.

News all day, every day at CityNews.com.au.