When Emirates Flight 913 touched down at Damascus International Airport (DAM) yesterday, it marked the airline’s return to Syria for the first time since 2012. The flight arrived at 2:30p local time and was greeted by a water cannon salute.
Emirates Returns to Syria With Service to Damascus
A large delegation from the UAE were among the 286 passengers on the first flight to the Syrian capital in over a decade. The flight was met by another large group on the ground in Damascus, celebrating Emirates’ return. Adil Al Ghaith, Emirates’ Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations, said this about the resumption of service:
“Today marks a significant milestone as we celebrate the return of Emirates to Damascus. By providing our services and connecting Damascus to the world, we are helping to reunite families, friends, and communities who have long awaited easier access to their loved ones. The UAE and Syria have historically enjoyed strong bilateral ties and the country has always been an important market for Emirates, since our first flights to the country in 1988. Through our passenger operations, we aim to serve as a vital facilitator for tourism, trade and investment and, in connecting Syria to almost 150 destinations across our network, we hope to be a valuable enabler of its recovery.”
Emirates plans to operate the 1,266 mile route 3x weekly using Boeing 777-200LR aircraft on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Sundays. The airline plans to increase service to 4x weekly on August 2, 2025, adding Saturday flights before increasing to daily service on October 26, 2025.
Traditionally, Emirates’ Boeing 777-200LRs were outfitted in a 2-3-2 configuration in Business Class however, the aircraft on this route have the upgraded 2-2-2 seating onboard. While not as nice as the new 1-2-1 seating on most of the 777 fleet, this still marks a decent upgrade in terms of passenger comfort. Flights are currently available for purchase and operate on the following schedule:
| Flight | Departs | Arrives |
|---|---|---|
| EK 913 | 12:00p | 2:10p |
| EK 914 | 4:30p | 8:30p |
With the resumption of service, Emirates becomes the second of the Middle East Three (ME3) to restart flights to Syria. Qatar Airways restarted service between Damascus and Doha in January 2025. Emirates’ subsidiary, FlyDubai, also operates the Dubai-Damascus route with 2x daily service.
Summary
Emirates has restarted service to Damascus, the capital of Syria, for the first time since 2012. They are the second of the ME3 carriers to restart service to the airport following the end of the Syrian civil war.