LOT Polish Airlines
PolandFull-service carrierStar Alliance memberSince 1929
LOT Polish Airlines (IATA LO, ICAO LOT) is Poland's national airline, flying from Warsaw Chopin Airport to Europe, North America, Asia and the Middle East. It carried a record 11.7 million passengers in 2025 with a Boeing and Embraer fleet. LOT is state-owned through Polska Grupa Lotnicza and has been a Star Alliance member since October 2003.
- Founded
- 1929
- First flight
- 1929
- Headquarters
- Warsaw, Poland
- Country
- Poland
- Main hubs
- Warsaw Chopin Airport (WAW)
- Airline type
- Full-service carrier
- Alliance
- Star Alliance
- Loyalty
- Miles & More
- Parent
- Polska Grupa Lotnicza (PGL)
- Ownership
- Part of Polska Grupa Lotnicza (Polish Aviation Group), which is 100% owned by the Polish State Treasury and supervised by the Ministry of Infrastructure.
- Callsign
- LOT
- Website
- lot.com
How travel agents book LOT Polish Airlines
GDS distribution
LOT content is sold through the GDSs; Travelport says LOT has distributed through it since 1993 and renewed the agreement before the 2026 NDC launch. We did not find an official LOT statement on a GDS surcharge, but Travelport said its NDC content includes unsurcharged fares.
NDC
LOT's NDC content went live on Travelport+ in June 2026 for agencies in all of LOT's markets, through Smartpoint and Travelport's TripServices API, including domestic Polish itineraries and ancillaries not available through traditional channels.
Direct channels
Direct channels are lot.com and the LOT app; LOT also runs a LOT for Agents portal for the trade.
On ReservationHub
ReservationHub gives agencies GDS content from Amadeus, Sabre and Travelport plus NDC and low-cost channels in one platform. See the full list on our integrations page.
History of LOT Polish Airlines
LOT traces its history to 1929, which it describes as making it one of the oldest airlines still flying. Its flying crane logo dates from the same year. LOT joined IATA in the 1930s and received the code LO, and its operations stopped when war broke out in 1939, resuming six years later. In 1946 LOT opened direct flights from Warsaw to Paris, Stockholm and Prague.
LOT's first long-haul flight, Warsaw to Singapore, came in 1988, and it entered the 1990s with three Boeing 767-300ERs. Warsaw Chopin became a hub in the winter of 2000/2001, and LOT joined Star Alliance in October 2003. Boeing 787 Dreamliners have formed its long-haul fleet since the 2010s.
In 2019 LOT carried 10 million passengers in a year for the first time, and in 2025 it set a new record of 11.7 million. In June 2025 it chose the Airbus A220 to replace its regional jets, with first deliveries in 2027, and it began taking new Boeing 737 MAX 8s in December 2025.
Milestones
- 1929LOT established; its flying crane logo dates from this year.
- 1988First long-haul flight, Warsaw to Singapore.
- 2003Joined Star Alliance in October.
- 2019Carried 10 million passengers in a year for the first time.
- 2025Ordered 40 Airbus A220s with 44 options; record 11.7 million passengers.
- 2026NDC content live on Travelport+ in June; Warsaw–Bangkok launched; Embraer E170 retired in October.
Fleet
Aircraft types in service as of 2026
LOT flies Boeing 787s on long-haul routes, Boeing 737s in Europe and Embraer regional jets; it retired its last E170 on 30 October 2026. In 2025 it signed for 40 Airbus A220-100s and -300s with options for 44 more, due from 2027 to replace the Embraer fleet. LOT expected 13 new 737 MAX 8s by mid-2026 and two more 787-8s in late 2026.
Network and hubs
Warsaw Chopin Airport is LOT's hub, linking Central and Eastern Europe with Western Europe, North America, Asia and the Middle East. Star Alliance lists about 115 airports in 60 countries for LOT, with flights also from Kraków and other Polish cities.
LOT carried 11.7 million passengers in 2025, 9.4% more than in 2024. New long-haul routes in 2026 included San Francisco from May and Bangkok from October. In 2026 LOT also launched LOT Fly&Rail, which sells air and rail travel on one booking.
LOT Polish Airlines: frequently asked questions
What are LOT Polish Airlines codes?
LOT Polish Airlines uses the IATA code LO and the ICAO code LOT, with the radio callsign LOT. LOT's own history says it received the LO code when it joined IATA in the 1930s, so the code has stayed with the airline for most of its history.
Can agents book LOT NDC fares through Travelport?
Yes. Since June 2026 LOT's NDC content has been live on Travelport+ for agencies in all of LOT's markets, through Smartpoint and the TripServices API. Travelport said it includes unsurcharged fares, domestic Polish routes and extra ancillaries.
Is LOT in Star Alliance?
Yes. LOT Polish Airlines joined Star Alliance in October 2003. It uses the Lufthansa Group's Miles & More programme, so frequent flyers can earn and redeem miles across Star Alliance airlines and Miles & More partners.
Who owns LOT Polish Airlines?
LOT is part of Polska Grupa Lotnicza (Polish Aviation Group), a holding company 100% owned by the Polish State Treasury and supervised by the Ministry of Infrastructure. LOT itself names PGL as the group it belongs to.
Sell LOT Polish Airlines alongside 700+ airlines
ReservationHub combines GDS, NDC and low-cost carrier content with hotels, B2B sub-agent sales and back office in one travel booking platform.
Book a meetingSources
- LOT — About LOT
- LOT — History of LOT
- LOT — Fleet
- LOT — Wraps up 2025, its record-breaking operational year (February 2026)
- LOT — Reports high profits and record results in 2025 (June 2026)
- LOT — Replaces its regional fleet (June 2025)
- LOT — Bids farewell to its Embraer E170 fleet (October 2026)
- LOT — 80 years of direct flights to Paris, Stockholm and Prague (July 2026)
- LOT — Launches LOT Fly&Rail (October 2026)
- Polska Grupa Lotnicza — About PGL
- Travelport — LOT Polish Airlines goes live with NDC on Travelport (June 2026)
- Star Alliance — LOT Polish Airlines member profile
- Star Alliance — History
- IATA — Airline code search (LOT)
- FAA — JO 7340.2 Contractions, ICAO aircraft operator designators