San Francisco to Warsaw (SFO–WAW) — Airlines, Schedules & Connections
No flights match your filters.
No scheduled airline flights on this route — it's flown by charter / private operators (). No nonstop flights on this route. connecting options below.
Most recently operated nonstop flights — the month shown is when each was last scheduled. Most destinations remain reachable with a connection.
No discontinued nonstop flights on record for this route.
SFO–WAW is served by 1 airline with nonstop service. LOT Polish Airlines leads the route. The flight covers 5,853 miles in approximately 11h 4m. Beyond nonstop, 1-stop connecting options are also available.
Airline Landscape
| Airline | Freq/wk | Aircraft | Duration | Dep OTP | Alliance | Codeshares |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LO LOT Polish Airlines | 4 | 788, 789 | 10h43-11h25 | Star Alliance | – |
Weekly Schedule Pattern
Connection Landscape
On-Time Performance
Other ways to reach Warsaw from San Francisco
| Metric | SFO→WAW | SJC→WAW |
|---|---|---|
| Distance from SFO | – | 30 mi |
| Nonstop airlines | 1 | 1 |
| Weekly flights | 4 | 1 |
| Flight time | 11h 4m | 10h 57m |
| Departure OTP | 33% | – |
Travel Essentials
SFO: PDT · WAW: CEST
When it's 6:00 PM in San Francisco, it's 3:00 AM (next day) in Warsaw.
US passport holders enter Poland visa-free for up to 90 days within any 180-day period across the entire Schengen area. No advance application is needed. Poland is an EU member and Schengen member. Passport must be valid for at least 3 months beyond the planned departure from the Schengen area. At Warsaw Chopin Airport (WAW), Krakow Balice (KRK), or any Polish airport, immigration stamps your passport at the non-EU line.
The 90-day Schengen clock runs across all 29 Schengen countries. Days spent in Germany, Czech Republic, or any other Schengen state count toward the same 90-day limit. Krakow's Old Town and Wawel Castle are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Wieliczka Salt Mine (13km from Krakow) descends 135m underground through chambers carved from salt over 700 years. Warsaw's Old Town was rebuilt from rubble after WWII and is also a UNESCO site. PKP Intercity trains connect Warsaw to Krakow in 2 hours 20 minutes on the Pendolino, Warsaw to Gdansk in 2 hours 40 minutes, and Warsaw to Wroclaw in 3 hours 30 minutes.
Direct flights from New York JFK and Newark to Warsaw run about 8 hours 30 minutes on LOT Polish Airlines. Chicago (ORD) to WAW runs about 9 hours on LOT (Chicago has the largest Polish diaspora outside Poland). Direct service also operates from Los Angeles, Miami, and Toronto. Poland uses the Polish zloty (PLN), trading at roughly 4.15 PLN per $1. Card payments and contactless tap work everywhere, including market stalls and street food vendors. The train from WAW airport to Warsaw Centralna takes 20 minutes for PLN 4.50 ($1.10). A single tram or bus ticket in Krakow or Warsaw costs PLN 4.60 ($1.10). A full Polish dinner (zurek, pierogi, and a beer) runs PLN 50 to PLN 80 ($12 to $19).
BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) runs from downtown San Francisco (Embarcadero, Powell St.) to the SFO station and then a free AirTrain shuttle to all terminals (30–40 min from Embarcadero, $10.45). BART also connects Oakland and Berkeley; useful for East Bay travelers. Trains run from ~4am to midnight.Taxis from downtown San Francisco cost $40–60. Ride-hails (Uber, Lyft) pick up in the designated area in the garage and are often $30–50 depending on surge pricing. SamTrans buses serve Peninsula cities. Highway 101 and I-280 are heavily congested during commute hours; BART is faster than driving at those times.
The SKM commuter train (PLN 4.40–7.00) from platform level in the terminal to Warszawa Centralna takes 25 minutes; easiest and most affordable. Trains run every 15–30 minutes from around 04:30 to midnight. Night bus N32 covers late arrivals.Taxi from the official rank: PLN 40–60 to city center. Uber and Bolt: PLN 30–50, pickup from the designated zone outside arrivals. Rental cars from several major brands are in the arrivals hall. Solidarity Airport (Chopin's formal name) is 10km south of the center via Aleje Jerozolimskie.
Humid continental climate with cold winters and warm summers. January averages −3–2°C. Snow and freezing rain are common from December through February and cause routine de-icing delays and occasional cancellations. Snowfall can be heavy. WAW has robust de-icing capability, but significant events still cause disruption.
Summers (June–August) are warm at 22–28°C with frequent thunderstorms in July. Spring and autumn offer the most operationally stable weather. Pack a proper winter coat from November through March. Wind chill on the tarmac is significant.
SFO–WAW Quick Facts
Frequently Asked Questions
Flights from SFO to WAW
San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and Warsaw Chopin Airport (WAW) are connected by nonstop service from LOT Polish Airlines. With 4 weekly departures, this is a regularly served route.
SFO to WAW Flight Duration and Schedule
Nonstop flight time from SFO to WAW is about 11 hours 4 minutes gate to gate. The route covers a distance of 5,853 miles (9,418 km). There are approximately 4 weekly flights outbound and 4 return, totaling 8 flights per week in both directions.
Connecting Options and Alternatives
1-stop connecting options are also available, commonly via Copenhagen Kastrup, Frankfurt Main and Amsterdam. Two-stop connections are also available via intermediate hubs. Nearby alternative airports include San Jose (SJC).