Use Prefect when you need a flexible platform that can handle dynamic workflows and requires less boilerplate code than Airflow. For example, if you're running a data pipeline where new tasks are generated based on the output of previous tasks, Prefect allows you to easily manage and schedule these dynamic workflows without complex configurations.
Airflow is often used in organizations where robustness and support for complex workflows are critical. It’s particularly advantageous when you need to leverage existing integrations or when your team is already familiar with Airflow’s DAG-based architecture. For example, in a large company that has been using Airflow for years and relies on various community-contributed plugins for connecting to their specific data sources, it would make sense to continue using Airflow rather than switching to Prefect.