Flights to Krakow — What to Expect
Krakow is one of the best-connected secondary cities in Central Europe, and flights to Krakow are genuinely affordable compared to most Western European destinations. John Paul II International Airport (KRK) sits about 15km west of the city centre in the Balice district — small enough to be painless, big enough to handle serious traffic. Ryanair and Wizz Air dominate the route map with cheap flights to Krakow from London Stansted, London Luton, Manchester, Edinburgh, Dublin, and a dozen or so other European bases. easyJet flies in from Gatwick and Bristol. LOT Polish Airlines connects Krakow to Warsaw Chopin for onward intercontinental connections, and also operates direct flights from London Heathrow if you want a more comfortable experience. Jet2 covers the UK leisure market with seasonal routes from regional airports including Leeds Bradford and Belfast.
For flights from London to Krakow, budget carriers regularly advertise return fares starting around €40–€70 if you book two to three months out and travel midweek. Realistically, most people pay €90–€160 return once you factor in luggage and timing. Flights from Germany — Frankfurt, Berlin, Munich — can dip even lower given Ryanair's dense Central European network. From Paris or Amsterdam, expect €80–€140 return on a good day. High summer and the Christmas market period (late November to mid-December) push prices up noticeably, so flexibility is your biggest asset when hunting Krakow flight deals.
Best Time to Visit Krakow
The sweet spot for most travellers is May and September. May brings genuinely pleasant weather — 12–18°C, long evenings, the Old Town in bloom — without the shoulder-to-shoulder crowds of peak summer. The city feels alive but not overwhelmed. September is arguably even better: temperatures stay comfortable around 15–22°C in the first half of the month, the summer hordes have thinned out, and accommodation prices drop. October is beautiful in a melancholy way if you like your travel atmospheric — golden light, quieter streets, and some of the best prices of the year.
June through August is when Krakow is busiest and most festive. The Wianki Midsummer Festival in June, jazz festivals, outdoor markets, and long daylight hours make summer appealing, but the Main Market Square gets genuinely packed and hostel prices spike. Book accommodation well in advance if you're visiting July or August. November through February is cold, often grey, and some smaller attractions reduce their hours — but Krakow's Christmas markets (running from late November to Christmas Eve) are legitimately magical and draw visitors specifically for that. January and February are the quietest and cheapest months; useful if budget is the priority and you don't mind the chill.
Getting Around Krakow
From the airport, the train is the smartest option. A direct rail connection runs from Krakow Airport station (right inside the terminal building) to Krakow Główny, the central train station, in about 17 minutes. Tickets cost around 10 PLN (roughly €2.30) and trains run frequently throughout the day. Trams and buses also cover the airport route if you're heading to a specific part of the city, but the train beats everything for speed and price. A taxi to the city centre costs around 60–80 PLN (€14–18) — use the official rank or pre-book through a licensed app like Bolt or FreeNow rather than accepting offers from drivers approaching you inside the terminal.
Within Krakow itself, the tram network is excellent and covers most of what tourists actually need. A single ticket costs around 4 PLN; a 24-hour pass is about 15 PLN and well worth it if you're moving around the city. The historic Old Town and Kazimierz are compact enough to walk between them in 20 minutes. Bolt and Uber both operate and are cheap by Western European standards — a crosstown ride rarely exceeds 20 PLN.
Where to Stay in Krakow
Old Town (Stare Miasto) puts you inside the UNESCO-listed centre, steps from the Main Market Square and Wawel Castle. It's the most convenient location and prices reflect that — budget on €80–€150 per night for a decent hotel, more for boutique properties. Kazimierz, the former Jewish quarter, is the neighbourhood most travellers end up loving most. It has the best independent restaurants, bars, and a bohemian energy that the more polished Old Town lacks. Accommodation here tends to be 15–25% cheaper than the equivalent in the centre. For premium stays, a handful of design hotels have opened along the Wisła riverside and within converted Old Town townhouses — expect €150–€280 per night for proper luxury. Budget travellers are very well served: Krakow has a well-established hostel scene centred on Kazimierz and the streets just south of the Old Town, with beds from €10–€18 per night in decent places.
Top Things to Do in Krakow
- Wawel Castle and Cathedral: The physical and symbolic heart of Poland — the royal residence, treasury, and the burial place of Polish kings. Don't skip the Dragon's Den underneath the hill. Book timed entry tickets online in advance during summer.
- Main Market Square (Rynek Główny): One of the largest medieval market squares in Europe. The Cloth Hall (Sukiennice) in the centre houses a craft market downstairs and a branch of the National Museum upstairs. Worth visiting at different times of day.
- Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial: About 70km west of Krakow, accessible by organised tour or by train and bus independently. A sobering and essential visit — book your free timed entry permit on the official memorial website well in advance, especially in summer.
- Kazimierz Jewish Quarter: Explore the synagogues, the Galicia Jewish Museum, the street art, and the excellent food scene. The neighbourhood was the filming location for much of Schindler's List, and Oskar Schindler's actual factory is now a superb museum covering the Nazi occupation of Krakow.
- Wieliczka Salt Mine: A UNESCO World Heritage Site 14km from the city, featuring 300km of tunnels, underground chapels carved entirely from salt, and a surprisingly good restaurant 135 metres below the surface. Touristy, yes — genuinely impressive, also yes.
- Nowa Huta: The socialist realist district built by Stalin as a workers' utopia. Guided tours bring the Cold War history to life in a way that's fascinating rather than grim. A completely different Krakow from the medieval centre.
Practical Travel Tips
Visa: EU and EEA citizens need only a valid national ID card or passport. UK citizens can visit Poland visa-free for up to 90 days within a 180-day period under post-Brexit arrangements — your passport should be valid for the duration of your stay. No visa application required for tourism.
Currency: Poland uses the Polish Złoty (PLN), not the Euro. This is important — Krakow is significantly cheaper than most Western European cities, and that advantage is real. As of 2025, roughly €1 = 4.25 PLN. Use ATMs (called bankomats) rather than airport exchange booths; Euronet machines charge high fees, so opt for bank-branded ATMs like PKO or Santander. Many restaurants and shops accept cards, but carry some cash for markets, small cafes, and tipping.
Tipping: Not obligatory but appreciated. Around 10% in restaurants is the norm if service was good — tell the server how much you want to pay rather than leaving cash on the table, as change is often assumed to be a tip regardless.
Safety: Krakow is one of the safer cities in Central Europe. Standard precautions apply around the Main Market Square at night, particularly regarding overpriced tourist bars and occasional pickpocketing in crowded areas. The city centre is well-lit and generally very walkable after dark.
FAQ — Flights to Krakow
How much do flights to Krakow cost?
Return flights to Krakow from UK airports typically range from €70 to €160 depending on when you book, which carrier you use, and whether you include checked baggage. Booking six to eight weeks ahead on Ryanair or Wizz Air from Stansted or Luton tends to yield the best Krakow flight deals. From Germany or the Netherlands, returns can drop as low as €50–€80 on sale.
Which airlines fly to Krakow?
Ryanair and Wizz Air operate the most routes to Krakow John Paul II Airport, covering a wide spread of UK, Irish, and European cities. easyJet flies from London Gatwick and Bristol. Jet2 serves several UK regional airports seasonally. LOT Polish Airlines offers flights from London Heathrow and connects Krakow to Warsaw for intercontinental connections. Lufthansa and Austrian Airlines serve Krakow via their Frankfurt and Vienna hubs respectively.
What is the cheapest month to fly to Krakow?
January and February are consistently the cheapest months for flights to Krakow — demand is low, the city is quiet, and both fares and accommodation hit their annual floor. November (excluding the Christmas market run-up) and early March also offer low fares. If you want cheap flights to Krakow without arriving in the depths of winter, late March or early October tend to offer the best balance of reasonable prices and decent weather.
How long is the flight to Krakow from London?
Direct flights from London to Krakow take approximately 2 hours 30 minutes to 2 hours 45 minutes. All four major London airports have connections — Stansted and Luton via Ryanair and Wizz Air, Gatwick via easyJet, and Heathrow via LOT Polish Airlines. There are no meaningful time zone complications: Poland is on Central European Time, one hour ahead of the UK.