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tl;dr – For the first time in 13 years, Damascus International Airport in Syria is open for international flights. Following the fall of Bashar al-Assad late last year, Syria’s main airport has now resumed international service, allowing many Syrians to return home for the first time in almost two decades.
I wanted to share some world news that Mrs. Blackbeard put me on the other day. On Tuesday (January 7th, 2025), the Damascus International Airport in Syria resumed international service, receiving its first flight from outside the country in 13 years when a Qatar Airways jet from Doha touched down on its runway. Other carriers, such as Turkish Airlines, will resume service in the coming weeks. From all reports, the scene on Tuesday was both an emotional and joyous one, as many Syrians who left before and during the prolonged war and Assad regime were, for the first time in years, able to return home and reunite with their families.Â
Much of the coverage of this historic day contains anecdotes of individuals praising the ease of the experience of traveling through the airport – as compared to life under Assad. Bribes were the norm, as passengers shared experiences about paying $200 just to get off the plane and through the airport exit. Additionally, for those travelers seeking to leave or enter Syria over the last decade-plus, crossing the border into Lebanon was one of the few available options where many Syrians were also forced to pay bribes and shaken down at the border. Thus, it’s understandable just how monumental a change this represents for individuals needing to enter and exit the country.
I don’t want to summarize all that’s transpired in Syria at the risk of minimizing the situation. Look, if you’re even remotely aware of geopolitics, you know just how present Syria has been in global conversations over the last two decades due to the prolonged civil war and the violent rule of its now ousted dictator, Bashar al-Assad. I cover luxury travel on this upstart blog, writing about news and my experiences and adventures. Developments like this are a good moment to reflect and remind ourselves exactly what travel is and can mean based on your circumstances and privilege. For many people travel can mean freedom, escape from life or death situations, reunions with loved ones not seen for a long time, or even a return to a homeland that you never thought you’d see again.Â
Syria, no doubt, has a lot to figure out for its people and the country going forward, but for at least one day, the arrival of a Qatari A330 brought a lot of hope.
