Warsaw Frederic Chopin Airport (WAW), often just “Chopin Airport,” is Poland’s largest airport, serving the capital, Warsaw.
The airport is located in the Okęcie area, about 10 km south of Warsaw city centre. It handles about 40% of Poland’s air traffic and is among the 30 busiest airports in Europe.
WAW handles both domestic, Schengen, non-Schengen, and some intercontinental flights, operated by more than 35 airlines and around 300 daily flights.
Major Airlines - LOT Polish Airlines
LOT Polish Airlines is the national carrier and the dominant airline at Chopin. It handles roughly 40% of all passengers at the airport, flying upwards of 2500 flights per month to 90+ destinations.
LOT is the only airline to provide scheduled long-haul and intercontinental connections. It also offers charter flights to smaller airports with strong tourism demand, such as Denpasar (Bali, DPS), Phuket (HKT), Krabi (KBV), Phu Quoc (PQC), Punta Cana (PUJ), Zanzibar (ZNZ), and others.
Low-cost airlines, such as Wizz Air, Ryanair, Pegasus, and SunExpress, are popular and operate many routes, especially within Europe and North Africa.
Enter Air, a Polish charter airline, is also among the carriers with the most flights at WAW. It offers many seasonal charter flights to holiday destinations in Turkey, Spain, Greece, Egypt, Albania, and the UAE.
Major foreign carriers that fly to and from Warsaw Chopin include British Airways, Emirates, Air France, Air China, KLM, Lufthansa, Qatar Airways, and Turkish Airlines. These also provide connections via their respective hubs to pretty much all destinations in the world.
See all airlines flying to and from Warsaw Chopin.
Terminal Layout and Gates of WAW
WAW has just 1 passenger terminal: Terminal A, which was formerly Terminals 1 & 2 before being merged in 2010.
Check-in is divided into halls:
Halls A and B - south side, the former Terminal 1
Halls C, D, and E - north hall, the former Terminal 2
There are 45 passenger gates in total, of which 27 have jet bridges.
The terminal has 4 levels:
Underground (lower level): Train station access.
Ground floor (arrivals): Baggage claim, ground transport, etc.
First floor (departures): Check-in, Security, Passport control, retail, restaurants, and gates.
Upper levels: Lounges, airline and airport offices.
Expansion work on the terminal started in 2025 and will continue until 2032. Plans are for 30 new gates and an increased capacity of up to 30 million more passengers.
Connecting Flights & Transit Experience
Transfers are reasonably efficient since there is just one terminal. Non-Schengen gates have the letter N after the number.
Within the Schengen Area (including domestic): No checks on arrival, just proceed to your next gate.
From Schengen to non-Schengen: You will go through a passport check at Gate 1. Then, you may proceed to your new gate.
From non-Schengen to Schengen: You will go through both a passport check and a security check. Then, you may proceed to your new gate.
Transfers between non-Schengen countries: You will go through both a passport check and a security check. Then, you may proceed to your new gate.
If you’re traveling to the USA, you have to go through an additional mandatory verification located at Gate 22N.
If you do not have your second boarding card at the time of landing at WAW, contact the LOT Transfer Center, even if you are not flying with LOT Polish Airlines:
At Gate 26 (within the Schengen area).
At gate 20 (for the non-Schengen Area).
Your luggage will be checked through to your final destination only if you fly with the same airline (usually LOT) or airlines under a codeshare agreement.
If you have extra time during a layover, you can hop over to the city and explore some of the best things to do in Warsaw.
Official Wi-Fi at the airport
Free, unlimited public WiFi throughout the terminal. The network’s SSID is “Chopin-Airport”.
A welcome splash page will be automatically displayed after you select the Wi-Fi network. Follow the instructions on the screen to connect.
No registration required. The network will reset after 2 hours, but you can just as easily reconnect.
Dining Options
There is a broad mix of cafés, fast food, restaurants, bars, and snack outlets, both landside (before security) and airside (after security).
International chains like Costa Coffee, McDonald’s, Paul, Subway, Johnny Rockets, and others are spread throughout the airport.
If you have missed trying Polish cuisine or you want to taste the local favorites one more time, here are some of the sit-down restaurant options:
Bijanka: Located in Departures (Level 1), Schengen area. Open from 04:00 am to 10:00 pm.
Misa: Located landside in Departures. Open from 5 AM to 9 PM.
Misa Bar Mleczny: Located in the non-Schengen area of Departures, Level 1. Opens 2 hours before the first flight and closes an hour after the last one.
Faster options to try Polish food are 1 Minute Smacznego (locations in landside, Schengen, and non-Schengen areas), and Bistro Okienko (locations in the non-Schengen area and near baggage reclaim.
Bars to grab a drink include Cavarious (Schengen area), Lokal +48 (non-Schengen area), and Przystan na Piwo (Schengen area near Gates 44/45), among others.
Coffee bars are ubiquitous - at least 10 cafes are open throughout the day. Some examples are So Coffee, Paul, Furore, and Illy.
Lounges at Warsaw Airport
Several lounges are available at Warsaw Chopin Airport, both in the Schengen and non-Schengen areas.
If flying within Schengen, you will have access to the following lounges:
Executive Lounge Fantazja: Located near Gates 36/37. It’s open from 5 am to 10 pm. Business Pass and Business Pass Premium holders can enter for free; everyone else is welcome at PLN 190 for a day pass. It’s the only lounge to offer a napping area.
Executive Lounge Preludium: Located near Gates 33/35. It’s open from 5 am to 10 pm. Business Pass and Business Pass Premium holders can enter for free; everyone else is welcome at PLN 190 for a day pass.
LOT Business Lounge ‘Polonez’: Located near Gates 24/26. This Lounge is managed by LOT Polish Airlines and only those flying with LOT or other Star Alliance airlines can access it.
The latter two offer shower facilities.
Flying outside of Schengen? Then these lounges are open to serve you:
Etiuda Executive Lounge: Located near Gates 1N-4N. It’s open between 6.30 AM and 10:00 PM and welcomes all passengers for a fee of PLN 190.
LOT Business Lounge ‘Mazurek’: A lounge operated by LOT Polish Airlines that is dedicated to LOT and other Star Alliance airlines' passengers. Open from 6:15 AM to 11 PM.
Transportation to and from the airport
Warsaw Chopin is well-connected to the city by public transportation and other forms of transport.
Several city bus lines link the airport to various parts of Warsaw:
Bus 175: Runs daily from Chopin Airport to the city center, the railway station, and the pl. Piłsudskiego and back.
Bus 188: Runs daily from Chopin Airport to the city center (Metro Politechnika station and Praga Południe).
Bus 148: Runs daily between Chopin Airport, Ursynów-Praga, and several main streets in the city center.
Bus 331: Runs on weekdays during peak hours between Chopin Airport and Metro Wilanowska.
Bus N32: Runs during the night between the airport and the railway station.
Chopin Airport is also directly connected by rail to Warsaw, as well as to nearby towns such as Sulejówek, Sulejówek-Miłosna, Legionowo, and Radzymin. The Warsaw Chopin Airport railway station is underground, below the Terminal.
The trains stop at Warszawa-Centralna, Warszawa-Wschodnia, Warszawa-Zachodnia, and Warszawa-Śródmieście stations, where you can transfer to intercity trains bound for destinations throughout Poland.
Taxis and rideshare providers (Uber and Bolt) are the next most popular modes of transportation at WAW. Drop-off and pick-up zones are in front of Arrivals. The taxi fare from the airport to the city centre is approximately PLN 50.
Parking at Warsaw Airport
Multiple parking zones exist, offering more than 3000 spaces in total:
Express Car Park: Just 20 meters from the Terminal, this is the most convenient place to park. Moreover, it’s the most economical when parking for 30 minutes or less (PLN 15). Parking for longer is more expensive, though: PLN 45 for the first hour, PLN 30 per hour thereafter up to PLN 350 per day.
Kiss & Fly Zone: A place with 89 spaces on the Departures Level in front of the terminal, perfect for dropping off passengers quickly. It’s free for up to 7 minutes. If you overstay, the first 15 minutes cost PLN 40, and the charge is PLN 15 per 10 minutes thereafter.
P2 multi-level car park: A car park for both hourly and multi-day parking in front of the Terminal. Not for vehicles higher than 2 meters or heavier than 1800 kg (use P4). Parking charges at P2 are PLN 20 per hour up to PLN 200 per day.
P3 surface car park: suitable for both hourly and multi-day parking. Parking charges are PLN 20 per hour, PLN 200 for the first day and PLN 80 for every day after that.
P4 surface car park: Intended for those parking for at least 1 day. Parking charges are PLN 260 for the first day and PLN 30 for every additional day after that.
P42, P44, P45, P46 parking metres: These are the cheapest options and are intended for both hourly and daily parking. The parking charges are PLN 14-18 up to PLN 180-200 for the first day and PLN 30-50 for each additional day after that, depending on the parking.
There is also a valet parking service available at the Terminal entrance, within the Kiss&Fly Zone. Your vehicle will be parked within the P2 car park, in a secure, dedicated spot.
All parking is guarded 24/7.
Hotels near Warsaw Chopin Airport
Several hotels are very close to the airport:
Courtyard by Marriott Warsaw Airport: directly at the airport, a very short walk. A 4-star property with all the expected amenities of an airport hotel.
Renaissance Warsaw Airport Hotel: Also within walking distance of the terminal, this is the ultimate luxury if staying close to WAW. A 5-star hotel with stellar amenities and flattering reviews.
Hampton by Hilton Warsaw Airport: A good compromise between price, location, and amenities. This 3-star Hilton-branded hotel is about a 6-minute drive away from the airport.
City-centre hotels are also an option, as the city center is just 10-20 minutes away, depending on transport.
Click here to see more Warsaw Chopin airport hotels and book your stay.
Warsaw, Poland
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