2 popular destinations across Poland — compare prices from 500+ airlines and OTAs, find the cheapest fares from any UK airport.
Poland has the second-densest UK→Eastern Europe network after Romania. Wizz Air is dominant with Luton as its UK hub, serving 6+ Polish cities daily. Ryanair runs from Stansted and most UK regional airports. LOT and BA operate the Heathrow premium routes.
| Visa (UK passport) | No visa needed. Schengen — 90/180 days. |
|---|---|
| Currency | Polish złoty (PLN). Cards everywhere; carry cash (PLN 100–200) for markets, smaller bars and rural restaurants. |
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) — one hour ahead of UK. |
| Language | Polish. English fluent among under-40s in cities; older generation often speaks Russian or German rather than English. |
| Plug type | Type C/E/F (European). EU adaptor needed. |
| Best months | May–September for warm city breaks. December for Christmas markets (Kraków, Wrocław). January–February for low fares; some sub-zero days but the markets and pierogi-and-vodka culture handle the cold well. |
| Flight times from UK | Warsaw (WAW) 2h 30m; Kraków (KRK) 2h 25m; Gdańsk (GDN) 2h 10m; Wrocław (WRO) 2h 0m; Poznań (POZ) 1h 50m; Katowice (KTW) 2h 25m |
London Luton on Wizz Air. From Luton alone, Wizz serves Warsaw, Kraków, Gdańsk, Wrocław, Poznań, Katowice and several regional Polish airports daily. Stansted on Ryanair is second heaviest.
Usually Wizz Air, especially out of Luton. They compete most on Warsaw and Kraków from Stansted/Luton with fares routinely £20–£50 return. Ryanair sometimes wins on regional Polish destinations (Rzeszów, Bydgoszcz).
February (post-Christmas) and November. Avoid late November–early January for Christmas market premium pricing on Kraków and Wrocław (fares can double).
Helpful but not essential. Hotel and restaurant English is good in tourist areas of Kraków, Warsaw and Gdańsk. Polish pronunciation is brutal so just memorising "dziękuję" (thank you) and "proszę" (please) goes a long way.
Most UK visitors prefer Kraków — the Old Town is intact (Warsaw was rebuilt post-WWII), Auschwitz-Birkenau and Wieliczka Salt Mine day trips are nearby, and the city is more compact. Warsaw is bigger and has stronger nightlife and modern art.
Poland is among Europe's best-value city break destinations for UK travellers — short flight, cheap food and drink, and a network of well-served secondary airports.
