Emirates is poised to reinstate flights to Damascus starting from July 16, 2025. Operations had been halted to the Syrian capital in 2012, and the recommencement of services comes after a thorough assessment conducted in collaboration with the UAE GCAA, according to a statement.
Initially, the airline will operate three weekly flights on Monday, Wednesday, and Sunday, with plans to increase to four weekly flights from August 2, adding a Saturday service. Emirates will further enhance its Damascus operations to daily flights effective October 26.
Emirates’ services to Damascus will utilize a 302-seater Boeing 777-200LR, departing Dubai as EK 913 at 1200hrs and arriving at Damascus International Airport at 1410hrs local time. The return flight, EK 914, will leave Damascus at 1630hrs, reaching Dubai at 2030hrs local time.
Enhanced connectivity with codeshare
These flights will create new opportunities for travelers to conveniently connect to the airline’s extensive network of nearly 150 destinations. They will also boost the UAE’s efforts to strengthen bilateral ties and support Syria’s aspirations to rebuild and attract foreign investment across vital sectors such as energy, construction, and agriculture.
Emirates customers traveling to and from Damascus will benefit from the airline’s codeshare partnership with flydubai, enhancing the flight schedule and providing additional options and convenience for flights in and out of the Syrian capital.
His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman and chief executive, Emirates Airline and Group, stated: “Emirates is pleased to restart operations to Damascus and support Syria’s road ahead by providing better choice and connectivity, essential economic links for inward investment as well as opening new trade lanes and global market access for the country. Re-establishing air travel and connectivity is also good news for our customers that make up the expansive Syrian diaspora across the Americas, Europe, and the GCC, who are eager to fly back home and reconnect to their roots, and leverage their knowledge, skills, expertise, and resources in ongoing development efforts.
We would like to thank the Syrian authorities for their support in strengthening connectivity between Dubai and Damascus and look forward to boosting links to and from the country through our regularly scheduled operations.”
Growing UAE-Syria trade volumes
The UAE and Syria’s trade volumes reached $680.7 million (AED2.5 billion) in 2024, a 23 percent increase over the previous year, and the new flights will further stimulate essential trade ties. The UAE’s vibrant Syrian community of over 350,000 nationals has played a crucial role in the UAE’s prosperity, contributing through entrepreneurial ventures and skilled expertise while enriching the country’s diverse cultural landscape.
The Boeing 777-200LR aircraft operating to and from Damascus features 38 Business Class seats alongside 264 seats in Economy Class. Emirates Business Class on the Damascus service will offer a 2-2-2 configuration. Travelers flying to and from Damascus with Emirates can enjoy an exceptional in-flight experience, including a culinary selection of Levantine-inspired dishes complemented by a wide array of premium beverages. Customers can also unwind with access to up to 6,500 channels of carefully curated entertainment, including close to 650 channels of Arabic content, featuring movies, TV shows, music, podcasts, games, audiobooks, and more through ice, Emirates’ award-winning inflight entertainment system.
Emirates commenced services to Damascus in 1988, and prior to suspending operations in 2012, the airline transported over 2.1 million passengers in and out of Syria.
The airline currently operates flights to 13 cities in the Middle East/GCC, serving the region with a total of 191 weekly flights.
