The maximum cross-correlation (MCC) method was first used for Lake Ladoga in 2016. The method enables the assessment of water dynamics at meso- and synoptic scales on the surface of seas and large lakes using sequential satellite infrared images with a spatial resolution of 1×1 km. The article discusses methodological aspects of application and limitations of the MCC method for large water areas. The procedures of selecting the most favorable meteorological conditions and space data analysis proposed for Lake Ladoga have shown their effectiveness when applying the MCC method for areas from 9.7 to 422 thous. km2. The maximum cross-correlation method was used to estimate surface currents for large inland water areas of the European part of the Russian Federation, including Lake Ladoga, Lake Onego, the White, Baltic, Black and Caspian Seas for specific wind situations during the open water period. The period in the seasonal aspect, for which the MCC method for these water areas is the most effective, is revealed, and its prospects in the absence of in situ measurements of currents are shown.