USA to Poland recommendations air transportation

If you book a flight to Warsaw from an airport near Columbus, you can book it all on one ticket. So each airline will offer tickets with at least the minimum connection time. If you miss your connection, they will put you on the next flight to Warsaw at their expense. If you are flying from the US to Amsterdam or Munich, you'll be flying overnight and arrive in the morning there - there should be a lot of flights during the day to Warsaw in case you miss the one you are scheduled on.

So I wouldn't worry about it. You'll go through immigration in Amsterdam or Munich and then security. ("Customs" is a 10 second walk exiting baggage claim, which you won't use anyway - you'll see your checked bags again in Warsaw. Most people don't declare anything when arriving in Europe so don't stop at Customs.)

I've connected in Amsterdam a few times. It's an efficient but huge airport. I like connecting there. I've flown into Munich but never connected there, but I wouldn't choose one over the other based on the airport. If one fare was cheaper, left at a more convenient time, arrived at a more convenient time, had a better type of plane - those are the things I would consider myself.

Unless you are spending the entire time in Warsaw, I'd consider an "open jaw" flight to save some time backtracking. I assume you are also going to Krakow? Gdansk? So fly into Krakow, out of saw Warsaw, or vice versa. This is called an "open jaw" or "multi-city" ticket.

Check Google Flights for example but look at a multi-city ticket, not two one-way tickets. It may be as cheap as a round-trip ticket to Warsaw; sometimes cheaper.

And try to buy your tickets directly through the airline, not from a third party booker. That will give you fewer hassles later if there is some issue to deal with - you can deal directly through the airline instead of through Expedia or something.

What are you looking for? Best price, best service, shortest travel time?

Both Amsterdam and Munich are huge airports. How about SAS via Copenhagen? Copenhagen is a much smaller airport and a transfer there doesn't involve long walks. And SAS has flights to many Polish airports if you want to book an open jaw ticket.

Does anyone have any input regarding Flyscore? Helpful or no?

I've had connecting flights in both Amsterdam and Munich, and I thought both airports were easy and efficient to navigate. Imo either would be a good choice.

LOT offers non-stop service from Chicago O'Hare to Warsaw if that would be an option for you.

As Robert said - LOT non-stop from Chicago. They also fly non-stop from JFK and Toronto. It saves hours versus a connecting flight.

I prefer as few connections as possible. A direct flight to Warsaw from the US might be better if I can get to the US connecting airport with one connection total. But otherwise, if I have only one connection, I'd prefer it to be in Europe on the way over. I'd rather fly overnight to the European connecting airport and get there in the morning - and if I arrive late, I have lots of direct flights all day on to Warsaw to get me there the same day. But if I'm late to Chicago or JFK at the beginning of the trip - what are the chances there are a lot of other direct flights on to Warsaw later? I'm probably arriving in the evening in Chicago or JFK so likely that's the last flight of the day to Warsaw. Miss it and I'm stuck.

if I have only one connection, I'd prefer it to be in Europe on the way over

I don’t know how many airports in the US have nonstop flights to Europe, maybe 35, but Columbus isn’t one of them. So the only one-stop options are the LOT ones and involve a change in Chicago, Toronto, or JFK. LOT also offers Chicago >> Krakow nonstop. For some reason these flights can only be booked 3rd party, not from an airline.

EDIT: If you are willing to drive to Indianapolis there are $575 RT one-stop fares from there via Paris, Delta and Air France. The main Paris airport is Kafka-esque so allow 2-1/2 hours to transfer.

That's why I said "If I had only one connection," Tom. I don't know if the OP must fly out of Columbus or not.

You might consider flying out of Pittsburgh on British Airways and connecting at Heathrow. My wife and I found that it was our best option for a trip to Vienna/returning from Budapest when we could not find anything really convenient from Cleveland where we live. Fares were quite reasonable, and BA flies to/from PIT 4 days a week (Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday) on a 787 Dreamliner.

The LOT flights are easily booked on the LOT website.

I have never flown with them, but have heard good things.

I had very good flights on LOT (JFK to Warsaw to Krakow on the way in, Warsaw to JFK on the way home). Two bonuses of flying LOT:

The Warsaw airport is not large and is very easy to make connections in. However, at least in 2013, when changing planes I had to go through security RIGHT after passport control. If I had known this, I would have prepared before landing (I didn't have my liquids bag handy, I had put back on my belt, etc).

You can get Premium Economy on LOT for only about $250 more, each way, than regular economy. The PE seats are much nicer - not just more legroom, but also wider and with more recline. I didn't do it (long story), but will definitely consider it for future flights.

And yes, at least in 2013 I had no problems booking these flights on LOT's website.

A single ticket starting in Columbus, that’s not bookable on the website.

Sorry, thought you meant the Chicago to Poland flights.

They do share with United, should be able to book to Chicago on United from Columbus.