Syrian Airlines adds Moscow and Medina routes as air traffic surges

Syrian Airlines is set to commence a weekly Damascus-Medina service on Aug 11 and a direct Damascus-Moscow flight on Aug 16, adding to a series of new and restored routes announced in 2026. The airline previously revived flights to Amsterdam, the first Western European destination since the civil war. Syrian airspace has experienced a dramatic rise in traffic, with over 20,000 aircraft transiting in July compared with just over 4,000 in February, following the full reopening of the skies in June 2025.

Aleppo International Airport has attracted new operators, including Turkey’s SunExpress, Germany’s LEAV Aviation and Saudi Arabia’s flynas. The surge in overflight fees and passenger services suggests a tentative revival of the nation’s aviation sector, though international bodies continue to highlight infrastructure and safety gaps, and major European, Asian and North American airlines remain absent. Ongoing regional conflicts, including occasional missile strikes, could influence the durability of this recovery.