Airlines seeking to avoid conflict-disrupted airspace in the Middle East are increasingly flying through Syria, bringing the country a potential financial windfall after more than a decade of aviation isolation.
Data from Syria’s General Authority for Civil Aviation reveals that 11,801 aircraft crossed through Syrian airspace during May – a dramatic increase from the 4,267 flights recorded in February, which was the final complete month before the Iran war began affecting regional aviation routes. The May figures represent a 375% jump compared to the same period last year.
For 14 years during Syria’s civil war that concluded with President Bashar al-Assad’s removal in late 2024, the country’s airspace remained off-limits to commercial aviation.
This dramatic shift in flight patterns could prove financially beneficial for Syria, particularly after the country raised its airline fees earlier this year.
Using Syria’s newly implemented flat rate of $499 per aircraft, Reuters calculations suggest that May’s air traffic volume could have produced up to $5.9 million in overflight fees.
Officials from the General Authority for Civil Aviation refused to discuss potential revenue figures or provide details about the updated fee structure.
The routing changes began after U.S. and Israeli military actions initiated the Iran war on February 28, forcing the closure of Iraqi and Gulf airspace that carriers had previously depended upon during March.
While a ceasefire allowed airspace to reopen in April, flight-tracking services Flightradar24 and AirNav indicate that most European-bound flights from Dubai and Doha – two major global aviation centers – now travel across central Syria instead of Iraq.
Choosing Syrian routes reduces both travel time and fuel expenses, helping airlines offset rising international oil costs triggered by war-related disruptions.
According to Turkish Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu, Syria has enhanced its Damascus International Airport infrastructure after receiving sophisticated radar and navigation equipment from Turkey in late 2024.
Despite these improvements, OPSGroup, which monitors aviation risks, warns that Syrian airspace remains dangerous and currently operates under “procedural control only” – the most elementary form of air traffic management.
Aviation officials note that current traffic levels remain below half of pre-war volumes, with the increase primarily involving Gulf-based carriers. Europe’s aviation safety authority continues advising airlines to avoid the country and surrounding region due to ongoing Iran-related conflicts.
Carriers from Asia and North America are also largely steering clear of Middle Eastern airspace.
Syrian officials, however, express optimism about the trend.
“The increase in overflight traffic reflects the beginning of a real shift in how airlines view Syrian airspace, as a viable and dependable route once again within the regional air traffic network,” General Authority for Civil Aviation head Omar al-Hosari told Reuters.
Al-Hosari explained that GACA has modernized air routes, reevaluated traffic flows, and enhanced navigation, monitoring and air traffic management systems while implementing risk-focused safety evaluations that meet International Civil Aviation Organization standards.
As part of overhauling overflight payment procedures, GACA has contracted the fee collection process to Syrian ground handling companies, along with OPSGroup and International Flight Planning Solutions, a private Lebanese flight-planning business.
Syria’s uniform $499 flight fee – split between a $430 primary charge and a $69 communication cost – applies to all aircraft regardless of size, type or operational category, according to GACA documentation examined by Reuters and FAS Aero, a government-contracted handling agent. Ground handling companies frequently impose additional charges.
During Assad’s rule, Syria collected $75 from smaller aircraft for overflight privileges, or approximately $1 to $1.25 per metric ton for larger planes, according to OPSGroup and a Syrian aviation official who requested anonymity.
The GACA documentation also indicates a 50% fee reduction for domestic flights and Syrian-registered aircraft, plus complete exemptions for aircraft carrying heads of state, official government delegations, and search and rescue missions.
