SmartLynx Airlines, SIA

The privately owned company started operations in 1993 with a leased Tupolev Tu-134B. In 2001, the Tupolev fleet was replaced with the larger Yakovlev Yak-42 and in 2003, first Airbus A320-200 was inducted into the service on behalf of the airline.

In 2006, Loftleiðir, the aircraft lease arm of Icelandair Group, acquired a majority 55% shareholding in the LatCharter stock, and eventually the whole company.

In 2007, the airline expanded its fleet by adding five more A320-200s and two 767-300s. The aircraft were wet-leased to different airlines around the world. Since then, the ACMI market has been the company's primary focus, having operated for numerous carriers such as Air Malta, SBA Airlines, Finnair, Condor. In 2008, the company was renamed SmartLynx Airlines.

In 2012, the airline was bought from Icelandair in a management buy-out also forming a single aircraft subsidiary Smartlynx Airlines Estonia to serve Estonian tour operators. In 2014, SmartLynx transitioned into a paperless cockpit environment by using the Jeppesen FliteDeck Pro app as its electronic flight bag (EFB).

In 2016, the company was bought by a Netherlands-based investment fund.

In June 2016, Zygimantas Surintas was appointed as the company's CEO.

In 2019, the airline established a subsidiary in Malta (SmartLynx Malta). SmartLynx Airlines also became a part of Avia Solutions Group in 2019.

In 2020, the airline expanded into air cargo transportation. In February 2021, SmartLynx and DHL signed a partnership agreement. The partnership included two of SmartLynx Malta A321-200s transporting freight and goods on behalf of the Deutsche Post subsidiary.

As of February 2025, the SmartLynx Airlines fleet - including all subsidiaries - consists of the following aircraft:

Accidents

On 28 February 2018, a Smartlynx Airlines Airbus A320-214 made an emergency landing at Tallinn Airport, landing 150 meters from the runway during a touch-and-go landing exercise. After a successful runway approach, the aircraft was unable to regain altitude and collided with the runway. During the collision, the aircraft's engines touched the runway, and the covering flaps of the aircraft's main landing gear fell apart. The aircraft managed to regain altitude after the collision and turn back to make a landing, but after the turn both engines stopped. The pilot made an emergency landing about 150 meters from the runway, stopping at about 15 meters south of the runway. All of the aircraft's tires broke in the course of the training. The instructor and one of the students sustained mild injuries as a result of the accident.