Flights to Warsaw — What to Expect
Warsaw Chopin Airport (WAW) is the main gateway, sitting about 10km southwest of the city centre — close enough that you're not losing half a day to the transfer. A second option, Warsaw Modlin Airport (WMI), is roughly 40km north and used almost exclusively by Ryanair. If your flight lands at Modlin, budget an extra hour and around 30–40 PLN (€7–9) for the shuttle bus into town. Chopin handles the bulk of traffic, with direct connections from most major European cities and a growing number of transatlantic routes via carriers like LOT Polish Airlines, which uses Warsaw as its main hub.
Flights to Warsaw from Western Europe are genuinely affordable by European standards. London to Warsaw on Wizz Air or Ryanair regularly comes in under €50 return if you book six to eight weeks out and travel outside peak summer. From Amsterdam, Brussels, or Paris, expect €60–120 return on LOT, easyJet, or Wizz Air depending on timing. Flights from further afield — Frankfurt, Vienna, Zurich — are well-served by LOT and Lufthansa with short connections. Warsaw flight deals tend to surface in January for spring travel and again in August for autumn departures, so set a price alert and move fast when something drops.
Best Time to Visit Warsaw
May and June are the sweet spot. Temperatures sit around 18–21°C (64–70°F), the city's parks and riverside are at their greenest, and the crowds haven't yet hit summer peak. June is technically Warsaw's wettest month, so carry a light rain jacket, but showers here are usually brief rather than all-day affairs. The city also comes alive with outdoor events — the Chopin in the Park concert series starts in May and runs through summer.
July and August bring genuine warmth — highs around 23–25°C (73–77°F) — and the full summer programme of outdoor cinema, open-air bars along the Vistula, and street festivals. This is high season, so hotel prices rise and the Old Town gets noticeably busier. Still very manageable compared to Prague or Krakow in August. September and October are arguably the best-kept secret: fewer tourists, comfortable temperatures dropping from 17°C to around 13°C (63–55°F), and the city's chestnut-lined boulevards turning golden. For cheap flights to Warsaw combined with pleasant weather, September is hard to beat. Winter (December–February) is cold, grey, and frequently below freezing, but Warsaw's Christmas markets and the relative emptiness of the museums make it worthwhile if you dress properly. Pack thermal layers and waterproof boots — the wind off the plains is no joke.
Getting Around Warsaw
From Chopin Airport, the SKM commuter rail takes you to Warsaw Central (Warszawa Centralna) in about 20 minutes and costs around 4.40 PLN (under €1.20) — one of the best airport-to-city rail deals in Europe. Taxis from the airport to the centre run €10–15 with approved companies (look for the official taxi rank, not touts). Bolt and Uber both operate in Warsaw and are reliable and cheap. Within the city, the metro, trams, and buses form an integrated network with flat-fare tickets at around 3.40 PLN (€0.80) per ride or a 24-hour pass for 15 PLN (€3.50). The metro has two lines and covers the main areas tourists want, though trams often get you closer to specific neighbourhoods. Cycling is increasingly viable — the Veturilo bike-share scheme has hundreds of docking stations across the city.
Where to Stay in Warsaw
The Old Town (Stare Miasto) is beautifully reconstructed and atmospheric, but staying here means paying a premium for convenience and putting up with some tourist-trap restaurants. Good for first-timers. Śródmieście (the city centre around Nowy Świat and the Palace of Culture) is the most practical base — excellent transport links, a mix of budget hostels, mid-range hotels like Ibis Styles or Hampton by Hilton, and higher-end options like the Raffles Europejski. Praga, on the east bank of the Vistula, is Warsaw's up-and-coming creative neighbourhood — grittier, cheaper, genuinely interesting, and only one metro stop from the centre. Budget travellers should look here for well-reviewed hostels at €15–25 per night. For mid-range comfort in a central location, expect €60–100 per night. Luxury properties like the Hotel Bristol or Sofitel Victoria run €180–300+.
Top Things to Do in Warsaw
- Warsaw Rising Museum: One of the most powerful and well-produced history museums in Europe. Allow at least three hours. Don't skip this even if museums aren't usually your thing.
- Royal Castle and Old Town: The castle was demolished by the Nazis and rebuilt brick by brick by the Poles — knowing that history makes walking through it genuinely moving. The surrounding Old Town square is lovely in the evenings.
- Łazienki Park: A vast, beautiful park with a palace on an island, resident peacocks, and open-air Chopin piano concerts every Sunday from May to September. Free entry to the park.
- Palace of Culture and Science: Love it or hate it (Varsovians are divided), the Soviet-era skyscraper has a viewing terrace with the best panoramic view of the city. Worth the small entry fee.
- Neon Museum and Praga neighbourhood: A collection of rescued communist-era neon signs that is far more interesting than it sounds. Combine it with a walk through Praga's street art and independent cafe scene.
- Vistula Riverbank: In summer, the boulevard fills with beach bars, hammocks, and food trucks. Locals come here after work. It's the most relaxed, un-touristy side of Warsaw.
Practical Travel Tips
Visa: EU and EEA citizens need only a valid ID card. UK passport holders can visit Poland visa-free for up to 90 days within any 180-day period under the standard Schengen rules (note: Poland is in Schengen). US and Canadian visitors are also visa-free for 90 days. Currency: Poland uses the Polish Złoty (PLN), not the Euro. Cards are widely accepted almost everywhere, but carry some cash for markets, smaller cafes, and taxis. ATMs are plentiful — use bank ATMs rather than standalone machines to avoid poor exchange rates. Tipping: Not mandatory but appreciated. Round up the bill or leave 10% at sit-down restaurants. Safety: Warsaw is a safe city by any European standard. Normal urban awareness applies — watch your bags on crowded trams and in the Old Town tourist area. The city is well-lit and active at night.
FAQ — Flights to Warsaw
How much do flights to Warsaw cost?
Flights to Warsaw from UK and Western European cities typically range from €40–60 return on budget carriers like Wizz Air and Ryanair when booked in advance, rising to €100–180 on full-service airlines or during summer peak. Transatlantic fares from New York to Warsaw on LOT Polish Airlines average €400–650 return depending on season and booking window.
Which airlines fly to Warsaw?
LOT Polish Airlines is the flag carrier and offers the widest network, including long-haul routes to North America and Asia. Wizz Air and Ryanair dominate cheap European routes into both Chopin and Modlin airports. easyJet, Lufthansa, KLM, Air France, and British Airways all serve Warsaw Chopin on major European routes. For connections from the Middle East and Gulf, Turkish Airlines via Istanbul and Emirates via Dubai both operate regular service.
What is the cheapest month to fly to Warsaw?
January and February are typically the cheapest months for Warsaw flight deals, with fares from London or Amsterdam sometimes dropping below €30 one-way. November is also quiet and cheap. If you want both low fares and decent weather, September offers a good compromise — post-summer prices with genuinely enjoyable conditions on the ground.
How long is the flight to Warsaw from London?
The flight from London Heathrow or Gatwick to Warsaw Chopin takes approximately 2 hours 30 minutes. From Amsterdam it's about 2 hours, from Paris roughly 2 hours 20 minutes, and from Frankfurt around 1 hour 40 minutes. Flights from New York JFK to Warsaw on LOT's direct service run approximately 9 hours 30 minutes westbound and 10 hours eastbound.