Syria resumes direct flights to UAE after fall of Assad regime

Syria’s national airline, Syrian Air, will restart direct flights to Dubai and Sharjah on Sunday, marking the first commercial flights to the United Arab Emirates since opposition forces toppled former dictator Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.

The move is one of the first tangible signs of normalization between Syria’s new transitional leadership and regional powers, as the country begins to re-enter international diplomatic and economic arenas after over a decade of war.

• All flights between Syria and the UAE had been suspended in January, shortly after opposition forces took full control of Damascus.
• Syrian Air made the announcement via Facebook earlier this week. While the UAE’s civil aviation authority approved the routes, no Emirati carriers have yet announced plans to resume service to Syria.

The flight resumption comes just days after Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa made his first official visit to the UAE, where he met with President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to discuss regional cooperation and economic recovery.

Officials from the new Syrian government framed the visit as part of broader efforts to build an inclusive and representative political system, and to reassure regional partners of their commitment to long-term stability.