- Syrian Airlines resumed direct flights between Damascus and Moscow on August sixteenth, twenty twenty-six, ending an eighteen-month halt.
- Weekly Sunday services operate using Airbus A320 aircraft with economy fares starting at approximately three hundred fifty dollars.
- The resumption follows a military and diplomatic memorandum signed between Syria and Russia on August ninth, twenty twenty-six.
Syrian Airlines resumed direct passenger service between Damascus and Moscow on Sunday, August 16, 2026, ending an 18-month halt that began in December 2024. Economy fares started at about $350, giving travelers a direct alternative to connections through third countries.
The first flight left Damascus at 2:14 a.m. local time and arrived at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport at 6:44 a.m. The return service was scheduled to leave Moscow at 8:10 a.m. and reach Damascus at 1:00 p.m.
Free toolB1/B2 Tourist Visa Stay Calculator online
The Damascus–Moscow route will operate once each week, on Sundays. Nearly all seats on the inaugural flight sold, and tickets were available through the airline’s website and mobile app for travel booked through October 18.
The carrier plans to consider adding service if demand remains high. Omar Hosari, director general of Syria’s Civil Aviation Authority, said the restart formed part of efforts to rebuild the airline’s regional and international network.
A passenger described the difference for people who previously faced multiple airport transfers.
"The difficulties have been greatly reduced. I no longer have to struggle moving from one place to another, from one airport to another, and waiting there."
Mahmoud Mustafa Niq, a passenger on the first flight to Damascus, made the comment after traveling on the restored service.
The Sunday schedule links Damascus and Moscow with an Airbus A320
The outbound flight carried the designation RB441, while the return service used RB442. Both were scheduled with Airbus A320 aircraft.
| Flight | Route and schedule | Aircraft | Published duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| RB441 | Damascus to Moscow, departed 2:14 a.m.; arrived 6:44 a.m. | Airbus A320 | About 4 hours and 40 minutes |
| RB442 | Moscow to Damascus, departed 8:10 a.m.; arrived 1:00 p.m. | Airbus A320 | Approximately 4 hours and 50 minutes |
The airline’s sales information showed more than one fare level. Economy tickets started at approximately $350, while another listing priced economy at about $491 and business class at about $871.
Those prices reflect the fare information published for the route. Online sales continued after the inaugural flight.
The suspension began during instability in Syria in December 2024. The return now restores a scheduled air link that passengers had lost for more than a year and a half.
The service cuts connections for Syrians living in Russia
The route serves a Syrian community in Russia that includes thousands of students and expatriate workers. During the interruption, some travelers used hubs in Beirut or Istanbul, adding expense, transfers and long waits between flights.
The direct service also gives Syria’s national carrier a source of foreign-currency revenue. The airline remains under operational constraints but is gradually regaining access to international airspace.
Sameh Orabi, assistant head of Syria’s General Authority of Civil Aviation, said the restored service would particularly benefit the Syrian community in Russia. He described it as part of the carrier’s wider effort to expand its network.
Zaur Guseinov, charge d’affaires of the Russian Embassy in Damascus, called the restart a "significant development that could help strengthen bilateral cooperation." He said it opened "new opportunities for exchanges of delegations and closer contacts."
SANA said the arrival marked the return of the carrier’s air services between Syria and Russia. The state media agency described the move as an initial practical step toward developing relations.
The flight restart follows talks over Russia’s role in Syria
The route returned as Syria’s transitional government worked to rebuild relations with Moscow after the collapse of the Bashar al-Assad regime in December 2024. That political upheaval coincided with the start of the flight suspension.
Ahmed al-Sharaa, Syria’s interim president, visited Russian President Vladimir Putin twice. One of those meetings took place on October 15, 2025, as the two sides discussed the "reformatting" of Russia’s presence in Syria.
The aviation restart followed a Memorandum of Understanding signed on August 9, 2026. Under the agreement, Russia would change its military bases at Khmeimim and Tartus into "joint training and rehabilitation centers" administered by Syria and Russia.
The arrangement would end Russia’s exclusive 49-year lease on the facilities. The memorandum came one week before the first restored passenger flight.
Syria has also sought to balance its longstanding relationship with Moscow while negotiating with the United States and Europe over long-standing sanctions. In July 2025, the United States removed its "terrorist organization" designation from Syria’s dominant political faction to support those diplomatic shifts.
The flight therefore carries both a passenger function and a diplomatic signal. The immediate commercial test is whether weekly demand continues after the nearly full inaugural departure.
More flights could follow if bookings stay strong
The airline is evaluating whether to raise the Moscow frequency to twice weekly if demand remains high through the October 2026 booking period. The first flight was almost sold out by August 15.
A second weekly schedule would build on a wider return of international aviation to Syria. Emirates resumed service on July 16, 2026, and flynas resumed flights on June 12, 2026.
The route’s expansion would occur alongside continuing travel warnings. The United States, United Kingdom and Germany continue to advise against all travel to Syria, citing residual risks of terrorism and kidnapping.
Tickets remain available through October 18. The carrier’s booking results through that date will shape whether the Sunday service becomes a larger connection between the two countries.
