The Best Airlines To Fly Into Warsaw, Poland

Warsaw, Poland’s vibrant capital city, seamlessly blends its storied past with modern innovation. The city has attracted many types of travelers mainly for its history, culture, and cosmopolitan charm.

There are many aspects to the city, from the meticulously restored Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, to the sleek skyscrapers of the bustling city center. The city also has plenty of luxury hotels catering to their business travelers and leisure visitors.

We recently visited the city after our first trip on LOT Polish Airlines that originated with a flight from New York to Warsaw and then onwards from Warsaw to Istanbul.

While we only had a day in the city it was clear there were many instances of its modern luxury that preserves the Eastern European style.

While Warsaw does attract many travelers from Europe, there is very limited options for direct flights from the US. If you are originating in a city that offers service we will tell you the best option to fly into Warsaw.

Airports Near Warsaw

Warsaw is primary served by two international airports, welcoming more than 20 million travelers a year. The majority of international travelers will be arriving or transiting via Chopin Airport that serves the majority of passengers.

Chopin Airport (WAW), the largest airport in Poland, is located about 10 kilometers from the city center and make for an easy journey into Warsaw. The majority of flights arriving into Chopin arrive from Europe, Asia, and the Americas. If you are traveling on a long haul flight into Warsaw it is very likely you will arrive in Chopin.

On the other hand, Modlin Airport (WMI) was opened in 2012 to primary serve low-cost airlines. Located a bit far from the city center at 40 kilometers, there are still several options to make it into Warsaw.

Airlines Flying To Warsaw

If you are departing from the US, there are limited options if you want to fly direct. The only two airlines that offer service are LOT Polish Airlines and more recently Air Belgium. Unfortunately none of the major US airlines fly directly to Warsaw and will require a stop offer and continuation on a code share partner.

If you are flying via Europe you have several additional options to LOT and Air Belgium that include Wizz Air, Smartwings, Ryan Air, and Enter Air. The good news about these carriers is you can usually find extremely cheap tickets for your onward journey.

If you are departing from the US, the major cities served by direct flights include New York and Chicago. If you are not located in one of these cities you may need to transfer to them to fly in nonstop to Warsaw.

Airfare to Warsaw

Ticket prices to Warsaw can vary depending on season and with the rise of low cost carriers you can now find tickets as cheap as $300 – $600 roundtrip. If you are planning around major airline you can expect $600 – $800 in off peak season and $800 – $1,000 during peak season. We like using Skyscanner to find the best deal and their compare page makes it easy.

Here is a breakdown of average round trip prices by month.

There is also a tool that can run a compare of various cities if you have set dates or months in mind. All you need to do is enter a timeframe for departure and Skyscanner does the rest.

You can find all Skyscanner tools on this page here and utilize this info to find the best flight deal.

Best First Class

Unforuntaely no airline offers a true first class product from the US to Warsaw. This is a bit disappoint since some airlines first class are the best airplane seats you can buy.

However, there are business class options and getting a lay flat bed is usually good enough especially for red eye flights.

Best Business Class

Not all business class are made equal so if you are willing to pay a premium for comfort (or shell out some points) we’ll tell you what option would be best. Given the premium that comes with first class, business class cabins on this route can be almost as luxurious as first and easily stand above many other business class offerings around the world.

1. LOT Polish Airlines 787 Business Class

We flew LOT Polish Airlines Business Class from JFK to Warsaw and booked via Air Canada Aeroplan. You can expect a 2-3-2 layout on their 787 and while the seats are a little dated we still had a good experience. Many travelers feel LOT is hit or miss but on our flight we had great service, food, and a smooth trip into Warsaw. This route typically has good cash deals around $2,500 round trip and can be booked for 70,000 Aeroplan points one way in business class. LOT has recently announced an entire new retrofit of their business class but for now its still the best way to fly into Warsaw in business.

2. Air Belgium A330 Business Class

Air Belgium is the newcomer on the scene and offers a once daily direct route from Newark to Warsaw. The seats on Air Belgium are certainly a little better than LOT as the airline ha a more modern fleet. Given they only offer service to Newark and not Chicago we ranked it just behind LOT. If you are able to snag a seat on this route you can also book it via LOT as a codeshare partner.

Best Economy Class

There usually isn’t a major difference in economy class hard product but there may be items some airlines do better than others. However, on long haul routes to Warsaw both LOT and Air Belgium offer Premium Economy, which is certainly a step above a standard seat. While many premium economy seats are similar, we especially like those offering comfortable seats and reasonable food to make us pick one over the other.

1. LOT Polish Airlines Premium Economy

LOT Polish Airlines offers a premium economy cabin on their 787 in a 2-3-2 format. Elevated from economy class, you can expect a larger seat, extra recline, foot rest, and elevated food. This is certainly a better experience than an economy cabin but it does come with a reasonable up charge. Given a flight to Warsaw from the US is a redeye booking in premium economy will certainly be more comfortable.

2. Air Belgium Premium Economy

Air Belgium also offers a premium economy on their A330 and given their new planes it will certainly be a step up. A benefit to Air Belgium is the newness of their planes with updated IFE and a simply designed cabin. The footrest will make the biggest difference on this flight and while its no full bed it gives you enough space to stretch out.

3. LOT Polish Airlines Economy

When it comes to economy class there is not a major difference in airlines but we would pick going with the flag carrier of Poland on an upcoming trip to Warsaw. The 787 Dreamliner is a large plane and offers plenty of space for travelers, even those in economy class. You can usually find deals on LOT flights when booking with cash and can certainly find award rates directly or via Air Canada Aeroplan.

Award Flights to Warsaw

Airline miles and credit card points are some of the best way to get a cheap if not entirely free ticket to Warsaw. If you are unfamiliar with this process read our guide on credit card points and miles.

The fastest way to get airline miles and also the biggest benefit to credit card points is the ability to transfer them to airline partners. If you are looking to increase your balance for a flight to Warsaw see the latest offers in our guide to the best credit cards for every traveler.

There are multiple airline partners that fly to Warsaw but not all are created equal. If you are planning a trip you will want to consider booking through:

• Air Canada Aeroplan: Booking options on LOT Polish Airlines. Points can be transfered from Chase, American Express, and Capital One.

While there are many programs that offer points bookings to Warsaw you will want to be flexible on when you can find availability.

Summary & Takeaways

Warsaw as a travel destination has been growing and with that there will certainly be more options for airlines to fly into the capital. For now, the flag carrier of Poland LOT is the clear best choice and with their upcoming upgrade it will get even better.

If you are planning a trip to Warsaw or just transiting through then you can expect a direct ride from the US out of Chicago or New York.