SmartWings: The Largest Czech Airline, Between Charter and the Move to Pegasus

From charter operator to regional group

SmartWings grew by launching dedicated subsidiaries over time — SmartWings Poland, Hungary and Slovakia — to serve charter across Central Europe under the same brand. In October 2024 it moved under the Czech Airlines holding, and in December 2025 Turkey's Pegasus signed an agreement to acquire both entities for €154 million, a move that could change its structure in the coming years.

A mixed Boeing and Airbus fleet

The fleet counts 19 Boeing 737-800s, 14 Boeing 737 MAX 8s, 4 Airbus A220-300s, 2 Airbus A320-200s and 2 Boeing 737-900ERs: a mix that reflects the airline's dual nature, charter on one side and scheduled on the other, with the MAX 8 increasingly central to growth plans.

A network built for leisure tourism

Most routes link Central Europe with beach destinations in the Mediterranean, North Africa and the Red Sea, often on direct commission from tour operators who sell the flight as part of a vacation package. The local subsidiaries in Poland, Hungary and Slovakia make it possible to replicate the same model in other Central European markets without having to certify a separate airline from scratch.

Baggage and fares of a charter carrier

As is typical of the charter model, the price of the flight is often not bought directly by the passenger but included in the tour operator's vacation package, with baggage and booking-change rules that can vary depending on who sold the ticket. For those booking directly, checked baggage is almost always a paid extra separate from the base fare.

What passengers say

Among the recurring positive comments:

• Direct seasonal links to beach destinations poorly served by scheduled carriers.
• A relatively modern fleet, especially the new-generation MAX 8s.

Among the most common criticisms:

• Delays in peak summer periods, tied to charter slot saturation.
• Less direct communication when the flight was booked through a third-party tour operator.

SmartWings suits those who buy a vacation package to the Mediterranean or the Red Sea through a Central European tour operator, less so those looking for last-minute change flexibility on a ticket bought directly.

If you book the flight on your own and not as part of a package, always check the baggage rules on the SmartWings website before arriving at the airport: they differ from those applied when the same flight is sold by a tour operator.