Damascus international airport set for major expansion with Turkish involvement

Damascus international airport set for major expansion with Turkish involvement
Anadolu Agency

Turkish construction giants Kalyon Insaat and Cengiz Insaat will take part in the modernisation and expansion of Damascus International Airport, a project also involving Qatari firm UCC, US-based Assets Investments, the Syrian Finance Ministry, and the Syrian Civil Aviation General Authority.

The four-phase programme aims to increase the airport’s annual passenger capacity to 31 million within a decade, with a total investment of approximately $4 billion. The project includes rehabilitation of existing terminals, construction of new facilities, and enhancements to the airport’s international operations.

Upon completion of Terminals 1 and 2, the airport is expected to handle six million passengers by the end of 2026, with Terminal 3 raising the capacity to 13 million. Once all phases are completed, total passenger capacity will reach 31 million. The initiative is projected to create more than 90,000 direct and indirect jobs and strengthen the region’s trade, tourism, and logistics sectors.

Murathan Kalyoncu, chair of Kalyon Insaat, said the firm is now moving forward with international projects after completing significant works in Turkey. “This project will make a substantial contribution to Syria’s economy, regional development, and stability,” he added. Kalyoncu highlighted the firm’s previous success with the IGA Istanbul Airport, which was completed in record time, and said the company is ready to apply that expertise to Syria.

Asim Cengiz, deputy chair of Cengiz Insaat, described the project as a key step in bringing Syria’s aviation infrastructure up to international standards. “We will deliver a safe, modern, and high-capacity airport — this investment will revive regional trade and transport networks while supporting the normalisation of life in Syria and its long-term development goals,” he said.

Cengiz added: “Our aim is to create a resilient, modern, and sustainable aviation infrastructure capable of meeting Syria’s future needs.”

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