Kuwait Airways Returns to Damascus After 14-Year Hiatus

KUWAIT — On Wednesday, July 1, 2026, the Syrian Civil Aviation Authority announced that Kuwait Airways (KU) would resume flights to Damascus (DAM) after a 14-year hiatus. 

Starting on July 15, 2026, the move would connect Syria’s capital to KU’s global network. 

Syria has seen multiple routes being reopened since the change in leadership in December 2024. Another Kuwaiti airline, Jazeera Airways (J9), is set to increase its daily service to Damascus to four flights after July 14, following a full year of operations. 

History of route

Kuwait Airways last served Damascus before Syria’s civil war and the resulting regional security deterioration forced international carriers to withdraw from the country. 

By late 2012, fighting had reached the outskirts of the capital, Damascus International Airport had repeatedly suspended operations, and airlines across the region were reassessing service amid escalating security and operational risks.

Its July 15 return not only reflects the gradual reopening of Damascus to commercial aviation since the political transition in late 2024, but it also underscores how long Syria remained largely disconnected from the region’s main airline networks.