Saudi Arabia’s low-cost airline flyadeal is preparing to launch flights to Syria as early as July, its CEO Steven Greenway announced on Wednesday, signaling a major step in the normalization of regional air travel with the war-torn country.
“We got approvals last week to fly to Syria… We're getting ready to hopefully launch that in July,” Greenway said during a press briefing in Manila, where he also announced a separate agreement to lease two aircraft from Philippine budget airline Cebu Pacific.
The move makes flyadeal one of a growing list of foreign carriers resuming or launching services to Syria following a decade-long pause caused by the country’s 14-year civil war. Many international airlines suspended operations during the conflict, and flights were further disrupted after President Bashar al-Assad was briefly ousted by rebel forces in December 2024.
Since then, international air traffic to Syria has gradually resumed. Currently, Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines, Royal Jordanian, and national Syrian airlines are among those servicing the country. FlyDubai, the UAE-based carrier, has also announced plans to resume flights in June.
The reopening of air routes comes in the wake of recent geopolitical developments. Last week, U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration lifted sanctions on Syria, a move Trump said was made at the request of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Days later, European Union foreign ministers also agreed to lift economic sanctions, further easing restrictions on international engagement with Syria.
Flyadeal’s entry into the Syrian market marks a pivotal moment in regional reintegration efforts and could signal broader economic and diplomatic normalization between Syria and key Gulf states.
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