Flying to the Czech Republic

General Information

The Czech Republic has around half a dozen commercial airports with at least one regular route. As you’d expect, Prague’s Václav Havel Airport handles the most traffic, with 11 to 12 million passengers per year (11.15 million in 2014). Its status as the "capital airport", the hub for the national carrier CSA, and the fact that many European tourists fly into the Czech capital for weekends or short stays all contribute to this. Far behind, with well under 500,000 passengers per year, airports like Brno, Ostrava, and Karlovy Vary also have small international traffic, including for locals looking for sunny holiday destinations.

Depending on your itinerary, airports in neighbouring countries such as Vienna, Bratislava, Kraków, or even Munich and other German cities may offer an alternative for flying into the region.

Types of Flights

Local Airlines

The Czech Republic has four passenger airlines, with CSA and SmartWings being the main and best-known ones.

Czech Airlines: CSA is the national carrier and one of the oldest in the world, founded in 1923. It serves around fifty airports across Europe (including France), the Caucasus, and the former USSR. It also operates the only domestic Czech route, Prague-Ostrava.

SmartWings: This is the low-cost arm of Travel Service. Based in Prague (and Bratislava in Slovakia), it operates across Europe to several dozen cities, including many in France, on regular or seasonal routes.

Travel Service: One of the largest charter companies in Central Europe. It flies to various destinations worldwide on a seasonal basis, as well as European routes under the SmartWings brand, which it owns.

Van Air Europe: A charter airline based in Brno.

Charters, Scheduled, and Low-Cost Flights

Promotions and Special Offers

From France

From Paris

Unsurprisingly, the flight options from Paris—and the rest of France—focus on Prague, where demand for city breaks and short stays is very high (the same is true in the opposite direction). In fact, the Paris-Prague route is the busiest in the Czech Republic, with nearly 800,000 passengers per year. Expect around 1 hour 45 minutes of direct flight time between the two cities, with return fares ranging from 100 to 250 €.

Paris-Orly: Prague (Transavia)

Paris-Charles de Gaulle: Ostrava (SmartWings, seasonal), Prague (Air France + CSA + easyJet + SmartWings)

From the Regions

Prague is a more or less seasonal destination from the French regions, which often means connecting through Paris or another hub for most cities outside peak times.

Bordeaux: Prague (Volotea)

Lyon: Prague (Air France)

Marseille: Prague (Air France, seasonal)

Nantes: Prague (Volotea)

Nice: Prague (Volotea + CSA, seasonal)

Toulouse: Prague (Air France, seasonal)

Choosing Your Flight

As with most intra-European flights, it’s best to prioritise direct routes (especially low-cost ones) when they exist or depart from Paris. Some connecting flights can take a long time to reach your destination, with savings that aren’t always clear. Depending on your itinerary, airports in neighbouring countries (Vienna, Bratislava, Kraków, or even Munich and other German cities) may also offer a viable alternative for flying into the region.

From the Rest of Europe

Prague is well served from most European countries, particularly via low-cost airlines, CSA, and other national carriers. In summer, there’s also good connectivity to European "sun destinations" (Greece, etc.) for Czech travellers, departing from the capital and, to a lesser extent, other airports in the country.

Belgium & Luxembourg

Brussels: Prague (Brussels Airlines + CSA + Vueling)

Charleroi: Prague (Ryanair)

Switzerland

Geneva: Prague (CSA + Swiss)

Zurich: Prague (CSA + Swiss)