Warsaw (WAW) is the gateway to Poland and Eastern Europe. LOT Polish Airlines operates the only direct US service to Warsaw, on the 787 from JFK, EWR, ORD, and LAX. As a Star Alliance member, LOT is bookable on partner programs. Connecting routes via Munich, Frankfurt, or Vienna also work. Hotel-points value in Warsaw is exceptional — Hyatt, Marriott, and Hilton properties at meaningfully lower rates than Western European equivalents.
Direct US-Warsaw service in 2026
| Route | Carrier | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| JFK-WAW | LOT Polish Airlines | Daily on the 787 |
| EWR-WAW | LOT Polish Airlines | Daily |
| ORD-WAW | LOT Polish Airlines | 5x weekly |
| LAX-WAW | LOT Polish Airlines | 3x weekly |
| YYZ-WAW | LOT Polish Airlines | Daily |
Award routings: cheapest paths in 2026
| Routing | Mile cost (each way business) | Cash YQ |
|---|---|---|
| LOT direct via Aeroplan | 70,000 Aeroplan | ~$80-$150 (LOT YQ moderate) |
| LOT direct via Avianca LifeMiles | 63,000 LifeMiles | ~$25 (LifeMiles waives YQ) |
| LOT direct via United MileagePlus | ~50,000-77,000 (dynamic) | ~$5.60 |
| Lufthansa via FRA-WAW on LifeMiles | 63,000 LifeMiles + ~$25 | ~$25 |
| Austrian via VIE-WAW on Aeroplan | 70,000 Aeroplan + ~$280 Austrian YQ | ~$280 |
The LOT direct sweet spot
LOT Polish Airlines' 787 business class is genuinely competitive — full-flat seats, modern cabin, and LOT's YQ pass-through is moderate (~$80-$150 each way) compared to Lufthansa or BA. For travelers anchored on Capital One/Citi/Bilt (all transfer 1:1 to LifeMiles) or Chase (transfers 1:1 to MileagePlus), this is the cleanest direct path.
Hotels in Warsaw on points
- The Westin Warsaw: Category 5, ~30,000-50,000 Bonvoy points/night.
- The Bristol Hotel Warsaw (Marriott Luxury Collection): Category 7, ~70,000 Bonvoy points/night, historic luxury.
- InterContinental Warsaw: ~40,000-55,000 IHG points/night.
- Hilton Warsaw City: ~40,000-60,000 Hilton points/night.
- Hyatt Regency Warsaw (when category placed): Cat 4-5, 15,000-20,000 World of Hyatt points/night — exceptional value.
- Sofitel Warsaw Victoria: Cash-only.
The Krakow onward by train
From Warsaw, Krakow is reached by 2.5-hour PKP Intercity train (~€20-€40 in 1st class). For travelers visiting both cities:
Get points tips in your inbox
Fare alerts, points strategy guides, and exclusive sweet spots. No spam.
By subscribing you agree to receive emails from Pointify. Unsubscribe anytime.
Free · No card required
Never miss a mistake fare or price drop
Create a free Pointify account to track your routes and get price-drop & mistake-fare alerts by email.
Get free alerts →
- Fly into Warsaw on LOT direct
- Spend 2-3 nights in Warsaw
- Take PKP Intercity to Krakow (~€30, 2.5h)
- Spend 3-4 nights in Krakow
- Fly out of Warsaw via WAW on the return (or take train back to WAW)
The combined Warsaw + Krakow trip is one of the best-value Eastern European itineraries on points.
Bottom line
For most points travelers, Avianca LifeMiles direct on LOT (63,000 miles + ~$25 cash) is the cheapest path to Warsaw. For Chase-anchored stacks, MileagePlus on LOT direct works at 50,000-77,000 dynamic. The Hyatt Regency Warsaw at 15,000 World of Hyatt points/night (when category-placed) is the cleanest hotel-points value. Combine with a Krakow onward via PKP train for the full Polish points-trip experience.
Pointify Pro
Stop guessing — see every award and cash option in one search
Unlimited award search across 80+ programs, fare prediction (book or wait), hidden-city & self-connect routing, and 25 price alerts.
See Pro plans →
Search Warsaw award flights on Pointify →
Last verified by the Pointify research team on May 1, 2026, against current Avianca LifeMiles, Aeroplan, and MileagePlus award rates. LOT partner saver inventory varies; verify before transferring miles.
Search this deal on Pointify
Live availability, cash + points side by side, book in 2 clicks.
