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Smartwings flight delay and cancellation compensation

Up to €600 compensation per passenger. Was your Smartwings flight delayed or cancelled, or were you denied boarding? Smartwings is licensed in the EU, so EU Regulation 261/2004 applies to all its flights. Here is what to expect and what to do.

By the EU261 Flight Delay editorial team Last reviewed: Reading time: 8 min How we write our guides

Check compensation or start a claim with AirHelp straight away

In short: On Smartwings flights on every route you are entitled to €250–600 compensation for an arrival delay of more than 3 hours, a cancellation notified less than 14 days before departure, or involuntary denied boarding – unless the airline proves extraordinary circumstances. You can usually claim for flights up to 3 years back.

IATA code
QS
Headquarters
Prague
Hub
Prague Václav Havel (PRG)
Type
Charter
EU261 scope
all flights

Smartwings flight delay: when is compensation due?

If your Smartwings flight reached its final destination at least 3 hours late (counting from when the doors opened), and the cause was within the airline's control – a technical fault, staff shortage, a delay on the previous flight, a strike by its own staff – you are entitled to compensation. It is not due if the airline proves extraordinary circumstances (weather, an air traffic control strike, an airport closure). Read the full conditions here.

Typical Smartwings routes: Prague–Málaga, Prague–Barcelona, Prague–Brussels, Prague–Rome, Prague–Valencia, Prague–Porto.

Smartwings flight cancellation: what are you entitled to?

If your flight is cancelled, Smartwings must offer you a refund of the ticket price (within 7 days) or re-routing on the earliest available flight – including another airline's, if that is quicker. If you were told about the cancellation less than 14 days before departure and the re-routing offered differed significantly from the original flight, you are also entitled to compensation. More on the 14-day rule.

How much compensation for a Smartwings flight?

Flight distanceDelay on arrivalCompensation per passenger
Up to 1,500 km
e.g. London–Paris, Berlin–Rome, Dublin–Amsterdamover 3 hours€250UK261: £220
1,500–3,500 km, and every flight within the EU over 1,500 km
e.g. London–Athens, Frankfurt–Tenerife, Rome–Tel Avivover 3 hours€400UK261: £350
Over 3,500 km, to or from outside the EU
e.g. London–New York, Frankfurt–Dubai, Paris–Bangkokbetween 3 and 4 hours€300UK261: £260 (reduced by 50%)
Over 3,500 km, to or from outside the EUover 4 hours€600UK261: £520

Check your Smartwings flight

Two minutes, free, no sign-up.

What happened?Step 1 of 4

What happened to your flight?
Where did you fly from and to?

With a connection, enter your first departure and your final destination – compensation is based on the total distance.

How late did you arrive at your final destination?

What counts is when the aircraft doors opened at your destination – not the departure delay.

When were you told about the cancellation?
When did you arrive on the replacement flight?
Which airline operated the flight?
When was the flight?

How many passengers were on the booking?

1 passenger

Every passenger gets their own compensation, children too. Infants under 2 without their own seat do not count.

  • Free, no sign-up
  • Fee only if successful (35%)
  • AirHelp: Trustpilot 4.5/5

Rather skip the questions? Start a claim with AirHelp straight away

What to know when claiming from Smartwings

  • Use Smartwings' online contact form (smartwings.com → contact form) for compensation claims. For flights operated by Smartwings Hungary (flight numbers 7O), the Hungarian subsidiary has its own form and claims e-mail address.
  • Smartwings also runs an online claim application (claim.smartwingsgroup.com), which the Czech Civil Aviation Authority links to in its passenger-compensation guidance; we could not confirm whether it handles delay compensation as well as baggage claims.
  • Prague–Málaga is over 2,000 km, so a delay of 3 hours or more on arrival gives €400 per passenger.
  • Smartwings is not in a CAA-approved ADR scheme. For flights from the Czech Republic, the enforcement body is the Czech Civil Aviation Authority.

About Smartwings

Smartwings was founded in September 1997 as Travel Service and took the Smartwings name on 10 December 2018. Based at Prague airport, it is the largest Czech airline, flying both scheduled routes and holiday charters for tour operators. It bought Czech Airlines in 2017; Czech Airlines later became a holding company, with Smartwings as the operating airline and Czech Airlines continuing as a brand.

The fleet is mostly Boeing 737 (737-800 and 737 MAX 8), plus Airbus A220-300s in Czech Airlines colours. Ownership changed in 2026: Pegasus Airlines completed its purchase of Czech Airlines and the Smartwings Group in October 2026 and said Smartwings would continue to operate under its two brands, Smartwings and Czech Airlines.

Smartwings is a Czech-licensed EU airline, so EU261 covers every flight it operates – including charter flights booked as part of a package holiday, where the fixed compensation is owed by the operating airline rather than the tour operator.

How to claim directly from Smartwings

  • Official online form: smartwings.com
  • Postal address: SMARTWINGS, Customer Relations Department, 160 08 Praha 6, Czech Republic
  • Not in a CAA-listed UK ADR scheme.
  • Our complaint letter generator writes the letter for you – filled in, as a printable PDF.

We checked these claim channels on the airline's own website (10 November 2026).

Frequently asked questions

Am I entitled to compensation if my Smartwings flight was at least 3 hours late?

Yes, if the flight departed from anywhere (it is an EU airline) and the delay was not caused by extraordinary circumstances. The amount depends on the distance: €250, €400 or €600.

How do I submit a claim to Smartwings?

Directly through the airline's customer service form (https://www.smartwings.com/en/contact-form), or through our partner AirHelp, which checks the flight data and, if the airline rejects the claim, takes the case to the enforcement body or to court – for a fee of 35% only if it succeeds.

How long do I have to claim for a Smartwings flight?

Limitation periods vary by country and are set by national law – for example 6 years in England & Wales, 5 years in Scotland and Hungary, and 3 years in Germany (from the end of the year). AirHelp typically accepts claims for flights up to 3 years old.

Smartwings offered me a voucher instead of compensation. Do I have to accept it?

No. Under the Regulation, compensation is paid in money; the airline may only give you a voucher with your written agreement. If you want money, do not accept it.

Flew with another airline?

The Smartwings name and trademark belong to their owner; EU261 Flight Delay is an independent information site with no connection to the airline. The content is for information only and is not legal advice. We receive a commission when a claim submitted through our partner links succeeds.

Sources

  1. Smartwings – official claim / complaints page – Smartwings
  2. Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 – EUR-Lex
  3. Delays and cancellations – your rights – UK Civil Aviation Authority

We check every rule against the sources above. Spotted an error? Tell us – see our editorial policy.