Warsaw Chopin (EPWA)

Warsaw Chopin Airport (IATA: WAW, ICAO: EPWA) is Poland's largest and busiest airport, covering 834 hectares and handling nearly 40% of the country's air passenger traffic. It operates about 300 scheduled flights daily and increasing charter operations, handling up to 34 operations per hour. The airport opened in 1934 and has been rebuilt several times. It features two crossing runways (2800m and 3690m), hangars, a cargo terminal, and a passenger terminal rebuilt between 2008 and 2015.

Originally called Warsaw-Okecie Airport, it retained the name of its Okęcie neighborhood until it was renamed after Polish composer Frédéric Chopin in 2001. Despite the name change, "Okęcie" remains widely used in air traffic and industry communications.

The airport moved from Mokotów Fields to Okęcie in 1934 due to urban growth. The new airport, costing 10 million Zloty, included modern hangars, exhibition spaces, and a terminal with concrete taxiways. By 1938, it was equipped with advanced radio systems and Lorenz beam navigation, ensuring safer landings. The airport became a hub for both domestic and international flights, connecting Warsaw with cities like Tel Aviv and Beirut.

During World War II, the airport was heavily bombed and later destroyed by retreating German forces, leaving most of the infrastructure in ruins. After the war, LOT Polish Airlines resumed operations at the airport, and reconstruction followed, including a new terminal, control tower, and aircraft stands. By the late 1940s, Warsaw’s airport re-established connections with major cities like Berlin and Brussels.

In the 1960s, the airport expanded with radar systems and a modern terminal to handle 1 million passengers annually. However, growing demand quickly exceeded this capacity. By 1969, the airport handled its first million passengers, leading to the construction of temporary facilities. In the 1980s, political and economic changes led to plans for further expansion, overseen by the State Enterprise "Polish Airports" (PPL).

After the fall of communism, a new terminal built by Hochtief increased capacity to 3.5 million passengers annually. Officially opened in 1992, it was soon overwhelmed by rising passenger numbers, reaching 4 million by 1999. Further expansions followed, including more check-in desks.

In the 2000s, the airport saw further growth with "Terminal 2," part of the largest investment in Polish civil aviation history. The terminals were later merged into "Terminal A." In 2012, a suburban rail connection opened for UEFA Euro 2012, improving access.

By 2023, Warsaw Chopin Airport had become one of Europe’s busiest, serving over 18 million passengers annually and handling nearly 40% of Poland’s air traffic.