Warsaw to Houston (WAW–IAH) — Airlines, Schedules & Connections

Poland is part of the US Visa Waiver Program, so Polish passport holders with a biometric passport can enter the United States for up to 90 days using ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization). ESTA costs $21 and is valid for 2 years or until your passport expires. Apply at esta.cbp.dhs.gov at least 72 hours before departure. Approval is usually instant but can take up to 72 hours. ESTA covers tourism and business visits but not employment or study.

At the US port of entry (typically the first US airport you land at), a CBP officer reviews your passport, takes fingerprints and a photo, and asks about the purpose and duration of your visit. Have your return ticket, hotel address, and a general itinerary ready. The 90-day ESTA stay cannot be extended, and there is no grace period. If you overstay, future ESTA applications will be denied, and you will need a B1/B2 visa ($185) with a consular interview for all subsequent trips.

Direct flights from Warsaw to New York JFK and Newark run about 9 hours 30 minutes on LOT Polish Airlines. LOT also flies direct to Chicago O'Hare (about 10 hours), Miami, Los Angeles, and San Francisco seasonally. United operates Newark to Warsaw. The US uses the US dollar. At current rates, $1 equals roughly PLN 4.05. No mandatory vaccinations. Global Entry ($100 for 5 years) includes ESTA and provides expedited CBP processing at US airports using kiosks instead of officer queues.

SKM (Szybka Kolej Miejska) commuter rail Line S2/S3 connects Warsaw Central (Warszawa Centralna) to WAW in 25 minutes (PLN 4.40 within Zone 1, or PLN 7.00 including Zone 2). Trains depart roughly every 15–30 minutes. The platform is directly below the terminal; no bus transfer needed.Bus lines 175, 188, and N32 (night) serve the city center for PLN 4.40. Taxis cost PLN 40–60 from the center (20–30 min). Uber and Bolt (dominant ride-share in Poland) run PLN 30–50. Parking from PLN 30/day in the remote car park.

No direct rail from IAH. The METRO bus 102 (IAH Express) runs to downtown Houston's transit center (60–90 min, $1.25). Taxis to downtown Houston cost $50–70. Ride-hails pick up at the designated Rideshare zones outside baggage claim on the lower level.IAH has five terminals (A–E) connected by an underground tunnel with trams. Terminal D handles international arrivals. Rental car agencies are in a consolidated facility adjacent to Terminal C; a free IAH Connector bus runs between terminals and the rental car center. The Galleria / Uptown area costs $35–50 by ride-hail.

Humid subtropical climate. Hot, humid, and wet for much of the year. Summers are brutal (33–38°C) with high humidity and near-daily afternoon thunderstorms. Severe storms with hail and high winds regularly cause ground stops from April through September. Houston's flooding risk is significant. Heavy rain events, including tropical system remnants, have flooded airport roads, cutting off surface access even when the airport itself remains operational.

Winters are mild (5–18°C) with occasional ice storms. These are rare but highly disruptive when they occur. Hurricane season (June–November) requires monitoring for Gulf storms. October through March has the best flying weather.