CAIRO — Egypt and Syria are preparing to restore direct commercial flights between Cairo and Damascus for the first time since services were suspended in 2011, underscoring a broader improvement in bilateral relations and Syria’s gradual reintegration into regional transport networks. While no official launch date has been announced, services could resume within two months, according to informed sources cited by Al Arabiya.
According to the report, the route could reopen sooner if the remaining technical, regulatory and operational arrangements are completed. Egyptian and Syrian authorities have yet to confirm an operational timetable or announce which carrier will operate the service. Neither EgyptAir nor Syrian Airlines has publicly confirmed plans for the route.
Momentum toward restoring the air link has accelerated in recent months. On 3 May 2026, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani visited Cairo for talks with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, where the two sides discussed Syria’s political transition, regional security and expanding bilateral cooperation. Earlier in July, Omar Al-Hosari, head of Syria’s General Authority of Civil Aviation and Air Transport, met Egypt’s chargé d’affaires in Damascus, Mohamed El-Fiqi, to discuss reopening direct air services and facilitating passenger travel. Syria also dispatched a senior diplomatic delegation to Cairo later that month, reflecting growing official engagement between the two governments.
Direct flights between Egypt and Syria were suspended following the outbreak of the Syrian conflict in 2011, forcing travelers to rely on indirect connections through regional hubs for more than 15 years.
The planned reopening would coincide with the gradual recovery of Syria’s aviation sector as the country re-establishes regional diplomatic and transport links. Damascus International Airport has steadily rebuilt its network, with regional and international airlines including Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines, Etihad Airways, Royal Jordanian, Kuwait Airways, flydubai, Air Arabia, Flynas, Flyadeal and Jazeera Airways operating scheduled services alongside national carriers Syrian Airlines and Fly Cham, according to the airport’s published airline listings. Several additional regional operators have also resumed services, although some international airlines continue to evaluate security, insurance and regulatory conditions before returning to the market.
Restoring the Cairo–Damascus route would strengthen family and commercial ties between the two countries. Egypt hosts one of the region’s largest Syrian expatriate communities, with estimates exceeding 1.5 million Syrians, while more than 15,000 Syrian-owned businesses operate across the country. Direct flights are expected to reduce travel times and costs for business travelers, investors and families, while supporting trade, tourism and broader economic exchanges between the two markets.
While Egyptian and Syrian authorities have yet to announce a formal launch date, restoring direct Cairo–Damascus flights would represent one of the clearest commercial outcomes of the recent improvement in bilateral relations. Beyond reconnecting two major Arab capitals after more than a decade, the route would mark another step in Syria’s gradual reintegration into regional transport and commercial networks while strengthening business, investment and people-to-people connectivity between Egypt and Syria.
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