AEGEAN Airlines has announced a direct Athens–Damascus route beginning 2 December 2026, marking the first scheduled direct link between Greece and Syria from Athens. The carrier will operate up to four flights per week on Airbus A320 aircraft, with a flight time of approximately two hours.
The announcement was made on 7 October 2026. AEGEAN will fly on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays on the new route.
Athens–Dubai Also Resumes 23 October
Ahead of the Damascus launch, AEGEAN is restoring its Athens–Dubai service from 23 October 2026 - just two weeks from now. Athens–Dubai had been suspended during the low season and the winter resumption puts Greece back in direct connection with the UAE hub ahead of the busy travel period between the Gulf and Europe.
Travelers connecting onward from Dubai will find both Emirates and flydubai continuing to operate high-frequency services to destinations across South Asia, Southeast Asia, East Africa and Australia.
Libya on the Horizon for 2027
AEGEAN also confirmed plans to launch routes to Tripoli and Benghazi in Libya from May 2027, subject to the completion of the required regulatory assessments. No schedules or frequencies have been announced yet for those routes.
Important Safety Note for the Damascus Route
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has an active operational bulletin for Syrian airspace. At the time of the announcement (7 October 2026), the bulletin - which places restrictions on certain low-altitude operations - was valid until 30 November 2026, just days before AEGEAN’s scheduled first flight.
EASA reviews these bulletins before their expiry date, and AEGEAN’s launch depends on the bulletin being lifted or its terms being compatible with scheduled commercial operations. Before booking flights on the Athens–Damascus route, we recommend checking the current EASA bulletin status and your own government’s travel advisory for Syria.
What This Means for Travelers
For Greek visitors planning ahead, the Athens–Damascus route adds a direct option for reaching Syria that currently requires a connection, typically through Beirut or Istanbul. Athens as an intermediate stop also makes sense for European travelers who might connect through Athens International Airport.
The best time to visit Greece and travel onward to the wider region typically falls in late autumn and spring, when temperatures are moderate and crowds thinner than in summer. For connections from outside Europe, the Athens airport transfer guide covers ground transport options between the airport and the city centre.
AEGEAN has been steadily expanding its international network from Athens, having earlier announced new routes from Athens to Rotterdam, Thessaloniki to Cairo, and reinstated several summer routes. Adding Damascus and restoring Dubai extends that reach into the eastern Mediterranean and the Gulf respectively - a pattern consistent with Athens positioning itself as a regional hub.