Cheap flights from Budapest to Krakow

November is the cheapest month on this route, and the price calendar covers every month from September through August, so you can see the pattern for yourself. Late autumn and the stretch after the winter holidays are usually quieter than the run-up to Christmas, when Krakow fills up and seats get scarce. Weekday departures tend to undercut Friday evenings and Sunday returns, which is when weekend city-break demand peaks. Book a few weeks ahead for spring and summer, and keep an eye on the school-holiday weeks in both countries, when the cheap seats go first.

Wizz Air and Ryanair are the low-cost names on this route, and they are the ones to look at if you want the non-stop hop and you are happy to travel with hand luggage only. The rest of the list — Air Serbia, Norwegian International, Norwegian, LOT Polish Airlines, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Eurowings, Austrian and Air Dolomiti — are network carriers, so they usually sell a connecting itinerary through their own hub, with a checked bag and a seat included in the fare. That is the trade: more time in the air, but a single ticket that covers the whole journey. With the low-cost carriers, bags and seat choice cost extra, so compare the total rather than the headline fare.

Krakow's airport is Balice, a short run from the centre by road. A train and a bus both link the terminal to the city, and taxis and ride-hailing apps wait outside arrivals — the train is the easy option if your flight lands during the day and you are staying near the old town. Late-night arrivals leave you with a taxi or a pre-booked transfer, so sort that before you fly rather than at the kerb. If you are coming in on a connecting ticket through a hub, check whether your bags are tagged through to Balice or whether you collect them at the transfer airport.

Currency

PLZ (zł)

Power sockets

Type C, E · 230 V

Language

Polish

Emergency number

112, 986, 997

Driving side

right

Calling code

+48

Internet domain

.pl

EU / Schengen

EU member, Schengen area

Population of Krakow

804 k (2023)

Time zone

UTC+01 (Europe/Warsaw)

Country facts: Wikidata

• Confirm that you are flying out of Ferihegy and check which terminal your airline uses.
• On Wizz Air and Ryanair, add a checked bag and seat selection before comparing the fare with a full-service ticket.
• If your itinerary connects through a hub, make sure both legs sit on one ticket so a delay does not leave you stranded.
• Check that your passport or identity card is valid for travel to Poland and covers the whole trip.
• Look at November dates first if you are flexible, then compare the weeks around the winter holidays.
• Book early for spring and summer weekends, when city-break demand pushes the cheap seats out.