Cheap flights from San Jose to Krakow

When to fly: January is the cheapest month on this route, with fares easing once the December rush is over. September and October are the sweet spot if you want mild weather without summer crowds, and November, December, February, April and May make up the rest of the priced calendar. Fly midweek where you can — Tuesday and Wednesday departures tend to cost less — and avoid the weeks around Christmas and New Year, when Poles fly home and seats tighten. Spring and early autumn are the busiest stretches for sightseeing in Krakow, so if you travel then, book a few months ahead.

No airline flies this route nonstop, so every itinerary connects. Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and American Airlines cover the legs out of San Jose Municipal, while Scandinavian Airlines is the usual carrier for the European stretch into Poland. Alaska Airlines and Skywest Airlines show up on connecting segments rather than long-haul flying. None of them is a low-cost carrier, so baggage and seat rules come down to the fare family you pick: a basic ticket may exclude a checked bag that a higher fare includes. Compare what each price actually covers before you book, and check whether your connection sits on one ticket or two.

You land at Balice, the airport that serves Krakow in Poland. It sits outside the city, and the transfer into the centre is short enough that most people head straight to their hotel. A train and a bus both run between the terminal and town, and taxis wait outside arrivals; the train is the easiest option if your bags are light. Krakow is not the Polish capital — Warsaw is — so if your trip takes in both cities, plan a separate domestic flight rather than trying to link them overland. If you connect through another European airport, that is usually where you clear border checks, so leave room in your layover.

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

• San Jose Municipal is the only airport serving this city, so make sure that is the airport printed on your ticket.
• Every itinerary on this route connects, so check the layover length and whether both legs sit on one ticket.
• Baggage allowances differ by fare family on Delta, United, American and Alaska, so confirm what is included before paying.
• You need a valid passport for Poland and should check the current entry rules well before you fly.
• January is the cheapest month, but if you travel in December or over the holidays, book earlier.
• If Krakow is one stop on a wider Poland trip, remember Warsaw is a separate flight from here.