Cheap flights from Warsaw to Durban

November comes out cheapest on this route, and the months on either side of it hold up well too, so the price calendar is worth a look before you fix your dates. You are leaving a cold European winter while Durban heads into its warm, wet summer, and the Christmas and New Year weeks push fares up in both directions. Midweek departures tend to cost less than weekend ones, with Tuesday and Wednesday usually the calmest. If you can travel outside the December holidays and the Easter rush, you will generally find cheaper seats and easier connections.

Nobody flies this route non-stop, so every option is a connecting one, and the airline you pick decides where you change and how long you wait. The carriers on it are all full-service: Lufthansa and Lufthansa Cityline, Swiss, Finnair, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Air France, LOT Polish Airlines, Aegean Airlines, Emirates and Fly Dubai. Some route you through European hubs, others through the Gulf, which changes total travel time more than the fare does. What is included varies by fare family rather than by airline, so check whether hold baggage, seat selection and meals come with the fare you are looking at.

Durban International is the city's airport, and it sits outside the built-up area rather than beside it, so you will need a road transfer to reach the centre or the beachfront. Taxis, ride-hailing apps, hotel shuttles and car hire are the usual ways in, and the choice mostly comes down to how much luggage you have and whether you want to stop on the way. Agree the fare or confirm the app price before you get in, and keep in mind that traffic toward town is heaviest at the start and end of the working day.

Currency

ZAR (R)

Power sockets

Type C, D, G, N · 230 V

Language

South African Sign Language, Southern Ndebele, Sesotho, Tsonga, Tswana, Swazi, Northern Sotho, Venda, Afrikaans, Xhosa, Zulu, English

Emergency number

112

Calling code

+27

Internet domain

.za

Population of Durban

595 k (2011)

Time zone

UTC+02 (Africa/Johannesburg)

Country facts: Wikidata

• Decide between F. Chopin and Modlin before you book, because Warsaw's two airports are not interchangeable.
• Check what your fare includes, since hold baggage and seat selection are often sold separately.
• On separate tickets, leave plenty of time between flights and know who rebooks you if the first one is delayed.
• Look up South Africa's entry rules and passport validity requirements well before departure.
• Compare your dates against the price calendar, since November is the cheapest month on this route.
• Allow a generous connection, as a missed onward flight can cost you a whole day.