Emirates to Reinstate Flights to Damascus
Emirates is set to reintroduce flights to Damascus starting from 16 July 2025. The airline’s operations were suspended in 2012, but following a comprehensive evaluation in conjunction with the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), services will resume.
The initial schedule will feature three weekly flights on Monday, Wednesday, and Sunday. From 2 August, the airline plans to expand to four weekly flights by adding a service on Saturday. Daily operations are expected to start on 26 October.
Emirates will operate these flights using a 302-seater Boeing 777-200LR. Flight EK 913 will depart Dubai at 1200hrs and arrive in Damascus at 1410hrs local time. The return flight, EK 914, will leave Damascus at 1630hrs and arrive back in Dubai at 2030hrs local time.
This reconnection will provide vital opportunities for travelers, allowing them to connect seamlessly to Emirates’ network of nearly 150 destinations. This effort is part of the UAE’s aim to strengthen bilateral ties and assist Syria in its recovery, particularly in sectors like energy, construction, and agriculture.
Emirates customers traveling to and from Damascus will also benefit from the airline’s codeshare partnership with flydubai, offering more flexibility and options for travelers.
His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, expressed: “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.”
He added, “Re-establishing air travel and connectivity is also beneficial for our customers from the expansive Syrian diaspora across the Americas, Europe, and the GCC.” The UAE and Syria’s trade volumes reached US $680 million (AED 2.5 billion) in 2024, representing a 23% increase over the previous year. The influx of flights will help further stimulate these vital trade ties.
The Boeing 777-200LR aircraft used for these flights features 38 Business Class seats and 264 Economy Class seats, with Business Class configured in a 2-2-2 layout. Passengers can enjoy a curated culinary experience featuring Levantine-inspired dishes and a wide selection of premium beverages, complemented by up to 6,500 channels of entertainment, including substantial Arabic content.
Emirates has a long-standing history with Damascus, having commenced services in 1988. Prior to the suspension in 2012, the airline had successfully carried over 2.1 million passengers in and out of Syria.
Currently, Emirates operates flights to 13 cities in the Middle East/GCC, with a total of 191 weekly flights in the region.
