UAE and Saudi Airlines Resume Direct Flights to Syria After 13-Year Pause
Emirates airline and Flynas are restarting direct commercial flights to Syria for the first time in over a decade, Syria’s General Authority of Civil Aviation and Air Transport announced Monday. The move marks a major step in Syria’s reentry into regional air travel networks after years of war and isolation.
According to the authority, Emirates will resume flights to Damascus International Airport beginning July 16, ending a 13-year suspension. Flynas, a Saudi Arabian budget carrier, is set to begin its own service this week, with the first flight between Riyadh and Damascus expected Thursday.
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The civil aviation authority said Emirates’ return “represents a significant step” that could encourage other airlines to follow suit. Officials say the restoration of commercial air links is expected to support Syria’s economic recovery, tourism sector, and ease travel for the large number of Syrians living in the Gulf, especially in the United Arab Emirates.
In preparation, authorities in Damascus have upgraded airport infrastructure and trained staff to meet international operational standards, the authority added.
On Sunday, Flydubai operated a commercial flight into Damascus, marking the first direct flight from Dubai since the start of Syria’s civil war. Though limited, these renewed flights signal growing regional acceptance of Syria’s post-conflict normalization.
Most international carriers suspended service to Syria following the outbreak of civil war in 2011. The resumption of Gulf airline routes marks a shift as regional governments slowly rebuild ties with Damascus after more than a decade of isolation.
