LOT Polish Airlines announced on 3 August 2026 that it will launch a new direct service between Warsaw Chopin Airport (WAW) and Nội Bài International Airport in Hanoi (HAN), adding Vietnam to its long-haul network as part of a significant expansion of Warsaw’s role as a transit hub for east–west traffic.
The Hanoi route is the headline addition in a package that also includes new LOT services to Almaty (Kazakhstan), Cairo, Riyadh, and San Francisco, positioning Warsaw as a more substantial intercontinental gateway.
Warsaw–Hanoi: What We Know
Specific start dates and frequencies for the Warsaw–Hanoi route have not yet been published as of the time of this article. LOT has confirmed the route is scheduled to enter the winter 2026/27 timetable, suggesting an operational start of late October 2026 at the earliest. The expected aircraft is the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which LOT operates on its long-haul routes to North America and Asia.
For travellers between Poland and Southeast Asia, a direct LOT service removes the need to connect through other European or Middle Eastern hubs. Existing routing from Warsaw to Hanoi typically requires a connection in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Istanbul, or Frankfurt, adding 3–6 hours to journey time depending on layover.
The Broader Warsaw Hub Strategy
The August 3 announcement is part of a deliberate effort by LOT and the Polish government to build Warsaw Chopin into a competitive eastern European long-haul hub, leveraging Poland’s geography as a natural bridge point between Central Europe and Central/East Asia.
The full package of new routes announced:
| Route | Notes |
|---|---|
| Warsaw (WAW) – Hanoi (HAN) | New; winter 2026/27 |
| Warsaw (WAW) – Almaty (ALA) | New; connects Central Asia |
| Warsaw (WAW) – Cairo (CAI) | Resumption of service |
| Warsaw (WAW) – Riyadh (RUH) | New; meets Gulf demand |
| Warsaw (WAW) – San Francisco (SFO) | New transatlantic route |
What This Means for Travellers in Poland
If you are in Warsaw now and considering onward travel to Southeast Asia, the LOT Hanoi route offers a future option that will be worth comparing against existing connections once fares go on sale. For trips planned from October 2026, it is worth monitoring the LOT website for fare releases.
In the interim, Warsaw remains very well connected to Southeast Asia via Middle Eastern carriers (Emirates, Etihad, Qatar) with convenient evening departures from Warsaw Chopin and morning arrivals in Hanoi after a single connection.
Our Warsaw guide covers the city’s logistics including the airport, transport to the centre, and the main areas to stay. If you are passing through Poland more broadly, Kraków is a 2.5-hour train connection from Warsaw and makes a natural pairing. For full information on getting to Poland by air, the flights to Poland page covers airlines, routes, and how to compare fares.