- Pegasus Airlines completed its €142.3 million acquisition of Smartwings Group and Czech Airlines on October 1, 2026.
- The combined group serves 80 destinations across 20 countries and operates more than 175 aircraft.
- Smartwings and the Czech brand will retain their existing names, while Pegasus transfers some seasonal Prague–Antalya route slots.
Pegasus Airlines completed its acquisition of Smartwings Group and Czech Airlines on October 1, 2026, after receiving regulatory approvals and meeting the closing conditions. The transaction joins the Turkish carrier with an airline group rooted in the Czech market.
Pegasus first agreed to buy the group in December 2025 for €154 million. The final consideration came to €142.3 million after a closing adjustment.
Free toolB1/B2 Tourist Visa Stay Calculator online
The buyer used its wholly owned Dutch subsidiary, Pegasus Europe B.V., to complete the deal. That vehicle now controls all of České aerolinie a.s., with 70% held directly and the other 30% indirectly through Smartwings.
The Czech carrier no longer operates as an independent certificated airline. It remains a brand within the wider group.
Güliz Öztürk, CEO of Pegasus Airlines, described the purchase as an opportunity to broaden passenger choice.
“Together we can grow further and offer our guests more choice than any of us could alone.”
The expanded company pairs Pegasus’s low-cost model with Smartwings’ established leisure-market presence in the Czech Republic and surrounding region. The deal gives Pegasus a larger Central European footprint.
The combined operation spans 20 countries
| Network and fleet measure | Combined group |
|---|---|
| Fleet | More than 175 aircraft |
| Firm aircraft orders | 140 |
| Destinations | 80 |
| Countries served | 20 |
The fleet and order figures put the group’s immediate scale in view. Its network reaches 80 destinations across 20 countries, while the additional aircraft orders provide a separate measure of its planned capacity.
Competition approval came with a route condition
Czech competition authorities approved the transaction in September 2026, subject to a remedy addressing competition concerns. Pegasus agreed to transfer some summer-season slots on the Prague Václav Havel to Antalya route to another airline.
That condition accompanied the approvals needed to close the deal. It applies to the specified seasonal slots, rather than changing the acquisition’s ownership structure.
Existing brands remain in place after the closing
Smartwings and the Czech brand are set to retain their existing names. The company said day-to-day operations, passenger relationships and service delivery would remain unchanged, while the new ownership could create room for innovation and development.
Smartwings spokesperson Vladimíra Dufková described the intended continuity this way:
“Smartwings will continue to operate under its established brand, while maintaining its day-to-day operational activities, customer relationships and service delivery.”
Jiří Šimáně, Smartwings co-founder, credited employees and passengers with building the company and backed the new partnership.
“Smartwings has been built over many years by dedicated people and by the loyalty of passengers and partners, to whom I am deeply grateful.”
The completed transaction follows an agreement announced in December 2025. Öztürk said the companies would work together on the next stage of growth, while Šimáně said he viewed Pegasus as the right partner to build on Smartwings’ strengths.
