Smartwings


Smartwings, a.s. is a Czech airline with its head office on the property of Václav Havel Airport Prague in Ruzyně, 6th district, Prague. It is the biggest airline in the Czech Republic, and it operates scheduled and chartered flights, mainly to leisure destinations. The airline also wet and dry leases its aircraft to other airlines. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Czech Airlines and has subsidiaries in Poland, Hungary, and Slovakia.

History

Foundation and early years

Smartwings was founded in 1997 originally under the name Travel Service and focused on operating charter flights mainly for Czech tour operators. Its first airplane was a Tupolev Tu-154M. In 2000, Travel Service received its first Boeing 737-400.
In 2004, Travel Service launched its low-cost brand Smartwings. Travel Service leased two Boeing 737-500s from Lufthansa which were primary intended for Smartwings flights. Both aircraft were painted in the new Smartwings livery. Former Czech president Václav Klaus attended the opening ceremony, which was held on May 1, 2004. In 2007, the company carried 2.2 million passengers, and a year later about 2.3 million passengers. In 2014, it carried 4.3 million passengers, about 1.2 of them on regular flights under the brand name Smartwings. On 18 September 2007, the Icelandair Group acquired 50% stake in the carrier, and purchased further shares to bring its holding up to 80% by April 2008. In December 2008, it reduced its holding to 66% by selling shares to the other shareholders, Unimex. In 2009, their stake was further diluted to 50.1% through a new share issue; they also sold a portion of their stake to fellow owners, reducing their holding to 30%. In 2009, Icelandair spun its 30% stake in Travel Service into a new company, which was taken over by Icelandair's creditors. Chinese investment group CEFC China Energy then held a 49.9% stake in Travel Service.
In 2013, Travel Service cancelled its order for a Boeing 787 Dreamliner and purchased a Boeing 737 MAX 8 instead.

Development since 2017

Travel Service owned 98 percent of Czech Airlines; it bought 64% from Prisko and Korean Air in 2017. Before, it owned 34%, bought in 2014. After Czech Airlines went through business restructuring, Smartwings retained 30% of the company.
In October 2017, it was announced that Travel Service planned to transfer its branding from an airline to a holding company, and would move all of its operations under the Smartwings brand. In 2018, it was announced that the Travel Service livery would be replaced by the Smartwings livery. Also in that year, deliveries of the new Boeing 737 MAX began.
Travel Service was renamed to Smartwings, the name of its former low-cost subsidiary, in December 2018.
In March 2019, Smartwings announced plans to create a German subsidiary by late 2019, and to transition its Czech Airlines subsidiary to an all-Boeing 737 fleet. However, these plans have not materialized, and Czech Airlines maintains its Airbus fleet. In February 2021, Smartwings announced the return of their stored Boeing 737 MAX to service by the end of the month, the first European airline to resume operations following the flying ban lasting over 20 months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In February 2024, then owner CITIC – which bought its shares from CEFC – sold all of its shares in Smartwings to Czech-owned Prague City Air, which also owns the majority in Czech Airlines. In October 2024, Smartwings took over all flight operations of Czech Airlines, continuing to operate them under the Czech Airlines brand, while Czech Airlines was restructured as a holding company.
In December 2025, it was announced the Turkish low-cost airline, Pegasus Airlines has signed an agreement to acquire both Czech Airlines and Smartwings in a deal worth €154 million.

Business figures

Destinations

Smartwings serve over 40 destinations in 25 countries from their hub at Václav Havel Airport Prague. Additionally, some flights are operated from Brno and Ostrava airports. The airline primarily focuses on leisure destinations across Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East.
CountryCityAirportNotesRefs
AlbaniaTiranaTirana International Airport Nënë Tereza
AustriaKlagenfurtKlagenfurt Airport
BahrainManamaBahrain International Airport
BelgiumBrusselsBrussels Airport
BulgariaBurgasBurgas Airport
BulgariaVarnaVarna Airport
Cape VerdeBoa VistaBoa Vista International Airport
Cape VerdeSalAmílcar Cabral International Airport
CroatiaSplitSplit Airport
CyprusLarnacaLarnaca International Airport
Czech RepublicBrnoBrno-Tuřany Airport
Czech RepublicOstravaLeoš Janáček Airport Ostrava
Czech RepublicPardubicePardubice Airport
Czech RepublicPragueVáclav Havel Airport Prague
EgyptEl AlameinEl Alamein International Airport
EgyptHurghadaHurghada International Airport
EgyptMarsa AlamMarsa Alam International Airport
EgyptMersa MatruhMarsa Matruh International Airport
FranceClermont-FerrandClermont-Ferrand Auvergne Airport
FranceDoleDole–Jura Airport
FranceNiceNice Côte d'Azur Airport
FranceParisCharles de Gaulle Airport
GeorgiaKutaisiKutaisi International Airport
GermanyCologneCologne Bonn Airport
GermanyDüsseldorfDüsseldorf Airport
GreeceAthensAthens International Airport
GreeceCorfuCorfu International Airport
GreeceHeraklionHeraklion International Airport
GreeceKalamataKalamata International Airport
GreeceKarpathosKarpathos Island National Airport
GreeceKavalaKavala International Airport
GreeceKefaloniaKefalonia International Airport
GreeceKosKos International Airport
GreeceLemnosLemnos International Airport
GreeceMytileneMytilene International Airport
GreecePatrasPatras Araxos Airport
GreecePrevezaAktion National Airport
GreeceRhodesRhodes International Airport
GreeceSamosSamos International Airport
GreeceSantoriniSantorini International Airport
GreeceThessalonikiThessaloniki Airport
GreeceZakynthosZakynthos International Airport
IcelandAkureyriAkureyri Airport
IcelandEgilsstaðirEgilsstaðir Airport
IcelandReykjavíkKeflavík International Airport
IsraelTel AvivBen Gurion Airport
ItalyBrindisiBrindisi Airport
ItalyCagliariCagliari Elmas Airport
ItalyCataniaCatania–Fontanarossa Airport
ItalyComisoComiso Airport
ItalyLamezia TermeLamezia Terme International Airport
ItalyMilanMilan Malpensa Airport
ItalyNaplesNaples International Airport
ItalyOlbiaOlbia Costa Smeralda Airport
ItalyPalermoPalermo Airport
ItalyRomeRome Fiumicino Airport
LatviaRigaRiga International Airport
MontenegroTivatTivat Airport
NorwayOsloOslo Airport, Gardermoen
OmanSalalahSalalah International Airport
PolandWarsawWarsaw Chopin Airport
PortugalFunchalMadeira Airport
PortugalLisbonLisbon Airport
PortugalPonta DelgadaJoão Paulo II Airport
PortugalPortoPorto Airport
PortugalSanta MariaSanta Maria Airport
RomaniaBucharestBucharest Henri Coandă International Airport
SenegalDakarBlaise Diagne International Airport
SlovakiaBratislavaBratislava Airport
SlovakiaKošiceKošice International Airport
SpainA CoruñaA Coruña Airport
SpainAlmeríaAlmería Airport
SpainAvilésAsturias Airport
SpainBarcelonaJosep Tarradellas Barcelona–El Prat Airport
SpainBadajozBadajoz Airport
SpainBilbaoBilbao Airport
SpainFuerteventuraFuerteventura Airport
SpainGironaGirona–Costa Brava Airport
SpainIbizaIbiza Airport
SpainLanzaroteLanzarote Airport
SpainLas PalmasGran Canaria Airport
SpainMadridMadrid–Barajas Airport
SpainMálagaMálaga Airport
SpainMenorcaMenorca Airport
SpainMurciaRegión de Murcia International Airport
SpainPalma de MallorcaPalma de Mallorca Airport
SpainSanta Cruz de La PalmaLa Palma Airport
SpainTenerifeTenerife South Airport
SpainValenciaValencia Airport
SpainValladolidValladolid Airport
SwedenStockholmStockholm Arlanda Airport
TunisiaDjerbaDjerba–Zarzis International Airport
TunisiaEnfidhaEnfidha–Hammamet International Airport
TunisiaMonastirMonastir Habib Bourguiba International Airport
TurkeyAntalyaAntalya Airport
TurkeyDalamanDalaman Airport
Turkeyİzmirİzmir Adnan Menderes Airport
TurkeyMilasMilas–Bodrum Airport
United Arab EmiratesDubaiAl Maktoum International Airport
United Arab EmiratesDubaiDubai International Airport
United Arab EmiratesRas Al KhaimahRas Al Khaimah International Airport
United KingdomBirminghamBirmingham Airport