The first Syrian passenger flight departed Damascus International Airport for the United Arab Emirates on Sunday. This marked the official resumption of air travel between the two countries after a long suspension.
The UAE announced its decision to restore flights with Syria last Monday. They noted that joint coordination was underway to finalize the required procedures. The announcement followed Syrian President Ahmad Al-Sharaa’s official visit to Abu Dhabi the previous day.
Syrian Airlines confirmed on Thursday that direct flights to both Dubai and Sharjah would resume starting Sunday. This is part of an initial trial phase. The airline also announced that four weekly flights will now operate between Damascus and Dubai—on Saturdays, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. There are plans to expand to daily service. Flights to Sharjah are scheduled for Sundays, Tuesdays, and Fridays. Routes to Abu Dhabi will operate on Tuesdays and Fridays.
This resumption comes after a temporary reactivation in January. At that time, the first commercial flight in over a decade took off from Damascus to Sharjah. That earlier service, however, was short-lived and later suspended.
The resumption of flights signals renewed civil aviation ties between Syria and the Gulf. This is a significant move following years of diplomatic isolation after the 2011 uprising and the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime. Most airlines halted operations to and from Damascus in 2012 amid regional backlash against Assad’s violent crackdown on protests.
At last week’s meeting in Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan affirmed the UAE’s commitment to supporting Syria during its transitional phase and reconstruction efforts. This was according to the official WAM news agency.
Earlier this year, the Syrian Civil Aviation and Air Transport Authority declared Damascus Airport ready to receive international flights. This prompted a gradual return of regional carriers to Syrian airspace.
