Pegasus Airlines vs Ryanair

Overview

Pegasus Airlines (Pegasus Hava Taşımacılığı A.Ş.) is a Turkish low-cost carrier. According to Wikipedia, it was founded on 12 January 1991 and is owned by ESAS Holding. Its shares trade on Borsa Istanbul (PGSUS). It is not a member of a major alliance. Its IATA code is PC, its ICAO code is PGT and its call sign is SUNTURK.

In October 2026, FlightGlobal reported that Pegasus had completed its acquisition of Czech Airlines and Smartwings. The airlines are expected to keep separate brands, and the combined fleet is more than 175 aircraft.

Network and hubs

Wikipedia lists operating bases at Istanbul, Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen, Ankara, Antalya, Bodrum, Dalaman, Ercan, İzmir, Adana/Mersin, Kayseri, Samsun and Trabzon. The airline serves about 156 destinations across Europe, Asia and North Africa, as well as a large Turkish domestic network.

Fleet

Pegasus operates about 130 aircraft (Wikipedia, 2026), mostly from the Airbus A320neo family. The Smartwings and Czech Airlines aircraft are not included in this figure.

On board

Pegasus sells seats through fare bundles rather than a single all-inclusive fare. The flight bundles page says the Saver Plus bundle includes seat selection (excluding extra legroom seats), 20 kg of checked baggage, a sandwich and Fly & Watch in-flight entertainment. Other meals can be ordered. Details of cabin classes and seat pitch were not confirmed in the sources used.

Good to know

• Baggage: the Saver bundle includes 15 kg on domestic flights and 20 kg on international and Cyprus flights. Cabin Zero reports that since February 2024 international bundles have set separate limits for a cabin bag and an under-seat bag, so check the rules for the bundle you buy.
• Changes: Pegasus Flex (unlimited changes) can be added to a ticket, according to the airline FAQ.
• Loyalty: the programme is Pegasus BolBol. BolPoints can pay for seat selection, extra baggage, Flex and meals on flypgs.com and the app.
• Punctuality: Statista reported 75.07% of flights departing within 15 minutes of schedule in 2022. This figure is old, so it is not given as a current rating.

Overview

Ryanair is an Irish ultra-low-cost airline headquartered in Swords, County Dublin. According to Wikipedia, it was founded in 1984 by Christopher Ryan and Tony Ryan, and began flying on 8 July 1985 between Waterford and London Gatwick. It is the largest airline in Europe by scheduled passengers carried, fleet size and number of flights. The parent company, Ryanair Holdings plc, is listed on Euronext Dublin and Nasdaq. Its airline subsidiaries are Ryanair DAC, Buzz, Malta Air, Lauda Europe and Ryanair UK. Michael O'Leary is group chief executive. Ryanair does not belong to any airline alliance.

Network and hubs

The group serves around 230 airports in 36 countries and operates more than 3,500 short-haul flights a day. Its main bases are Dublin, London Stansted (the largest base) and Milan Bergamo. It also has bases across the UK, Spain, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Greece, Morocco and many other countries. Wikipedia lists Berlin as ending on 24 October 2026 and Thessaloniki on 25 October 2026. The network is point-to-point and focuses on Europe, North Africa and nearby regions. There are no long-haul services.

Fleet

As of April 2026, Wikipedia lists a group fleet of 651 aircraft:

• 410 Boeing 737-800
• 210 Boeing 737 MAX 8-200 (197 seats)
• 26 Airbus A320-200, operated by Lauda Europe
• 1 Boeing 737-700, operated by Buzz
• 4 Bombardier Challenger 3500 business jets for engineering and crew transport

There are 150 Boeing 737 MAX 10 on order, with deliveries scheduled from 2027 to 2033. An earlier snapshot from Flightradar24 counted 611 aircraft in February 2026, so totals vary by source and date.

On board

Ryanair operates a single economy cabin. Seat pitch, in-flight entertainment, Wi-Fi and meal details were not confirmed in the sources reviewed. Food and drink are generally sold on board rather than included, but check the airline's website for current offerings.

Good to know

• Baggage: since August 2018, passengers must buy Priority Boarding to carry both a large and a small cabin bag, according to Wikipedia. Current bag sizes, weights and checked-bag fees should be checked on ryanair.com before travel.
• Punctuality: Ryanair lost landing slots at Eindhoven in November 2025 after repeated delays, according to Wikipedia. No on-time figure is quoted here because none was verified.
• Lounges and upgrades: none were identified in the sources reviewed.
• Group operators: some flights are operated by Buzz, Malta Air, Lauda Europe or Ryanair UK under the Ryanair brand.