The Damascus airport: a gateway forged in conflict and rebirth
In short: Once a bustling hub connecting Europe to South Asia, Damascus International Airport has endured a turbulent era of missile strikes, regime changes, and sudden closures. Now, a massive $4 billion investment promises to reshape Syria's primary gateway through ambitious new infrastructure and modern technology.
Constructed by a French consortium including SCB and Spie in the late 1960s, Damascus International Airport replaced the Mazzeh military airport to expand Syria's global connectivity. During the 1980s, the airport served over 30 airlines, acting as a vital stop-over for Pakistan International Airlines routes linking Karachi and Islamabad to North American cities like New York and Toronto. The airport's two parallel runways, both 3,600 metres long, were completely renovated during the 2010s. Today, the facility can accommodate the world's largest aircraft, such as the Boeing 747-8 and Airbus A380.
The airport's recent history has been defined by significant volatility. Between 2022 and 2023, multiple Israeli missile strikes caused extensive damage to runways and infrastructure, resulting in intermittent closures and casualties. The facility also faced disruptions during the Syrian civil war and the 2024 opposition offensive on Damascus. However, following the fall of the Assad regime, the new Syrian transitional government announced the resumption of international flights in early 2025, starting with a Qatar Airways service from Doha. The airport's history also includes notable aviation incidents, such as the 1975 crash of ČSA Flight 540. Additionally, in 2012, a Syrian Air Force helicopter strike damaged an Airbus A320's vertical tail during flight.
A period of intense reconstruction is now underway. Supported by the Turkish government, a $4 billion investment was signed to refurbish the airport, including the installation of a new radar system in January 2026. Further expansion is planned via a US$4 billion agreement signed in August 2025 with Qatar's UCC Holding. This project will construct a third passenger terminal, inspired by the geometry of a Damascus sword, designed to increase the airport's annual capacity from 25 million to 31 million passengers. The new terminal will be positioned next to the existing Terminal 1. This expansion project is part of a broader effort to modernize the entire civil aviation infrastructure.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Damascus International Airport
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