Dubai: The inaugural Emirates flight EK913 touched down at Damascus International Airport (DAM) from Dubai International Airport (DXB) at 2:30 PM local time, marking the airline’s official return to Syria. Operated by a Boeing 777-200LR, the aircraft carried 286 passengers and was greeted with a water cannon salute and high-level officials from both the UAE and Syria.

The world’s largest international airline had suspended operations to Syria in 2012 at the height of the civil war. Now, with improving diplomatic and aviation cooperation between the two nations, Emirates is reconnecting the “City of Jasmine” with its global network, a connection that originally began in 1988.

Senior Emirati dignitaries were on board the inaugural flight, including H.E. Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, UAE Minister of Sports and Chairman of the UAE Space Agency, and Emirates’ Deputy President and COO Adel Al Redha. Syrian officials, including H.E. Hasan Ahmed Al-Shehhi, UAE Ambassador to Syria, and Anis Fallouh, Director of Damascus Airport, welcomed the delegation.

Initially, Emirates will operate three weekly flights to Damascus — on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Sundays. The airline plans to add a Saturday service from August 2, 2025, expanding to four weekly flights, and scale up to daily service by October 26, 2025, pending regulatory approvals.