Syria recorded a notable increase in revenues from aircraft crossing its airspace in May, after regional airlines changed their flight routes to avoid areas affected by the war between Iran and Israel.
The increase in transit air traffic, along with higher overflight fees and updates to air navigation systems, helped boost revenues in Syria’s aviation sector and revive its role within the regional air transport network.
According to Reuters on Monday, June 1, 11,801 flights crossed Syrian airspace in May, more than double the 4,267 flights recorded in April.
Reuters based its report on figures it obtained from the Syrian General Authority of Civil Aviation.
This means the number of flights in May increased by 375% compared with the same month last year.
The shift is profitable for Syria, which raised the fees it charges airlines at the beginning of this year, according to Reuters.
Based on a fixed fee of $499 per flight imposed by the Syrian government, air traffic in May could have generated up to $5.9 million in overflight revenues for Syria, according to Reuters calculations.
These fees are divided between a base fee of $430 and a communications fee of $69, regardless of aircraft type, size, or operation type, according to a document issued by the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) reviewed by Reuters and FAS Aero, a ground handling company contracted with the Syrian government.
The document also shows a 50% reduction in fees imposed on domestic flights and aircraft registered in Syria, and a full exemption for aircraft belonging to heads of state, official delegations, and search and rescue operations.
Under the former Syrian regime, Syria charged $75 for small aircraft flying over its territory, or between $1 and $1.25 per metric ton for large aircraft, according to OPSGroup and a Syrian aviation sector official who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Because of the Iran-Israel War
The development followed the Iranian-Israeli war, which escalated in late February and early March, leading to airspace closures in several Middle Eastern countries.
On April 8, the Syrian General Authority of Civil Aviation issued a press statement announcing the reopening of all previously closed air corridors and the resumption of air traffic through Syrian airspace.
The statement also noted the regular resumption of operations at Damascus International Airport, with the return of operational activity including the reception and departure of flights according to approved schedules.
According to the authority’s statement, the move came in response to recent regional developments and based on ongoing technical assessments conducted by the authority through a specialized risk management committee.
The decision to open all air corridors and resume traffic through Syrian airspace came after the announcement of a two-week ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran.
Syrian Aviation Developing
Syrian navigation and aviation have witnessed notable development since the fall of the former regime, as Syria’s airspace had been restricted and many airlines had avoided landing at Syrian airports because of the war and sanctions.
Since the beginning of 2025, Syria’s aviation sector has developed with the modernization of air navigation systems and the entry of new companies into the Syrian market, although they remain under assessment by international companies.
OPSGroup, an aviation risk monitoring consultancy, said the airspace over Syria is still considered “high risk” and is currently subject only to procedural control, the simplest level of air traffic control.
According to aviation officials, air traffic remains below half of its prewar levels, and its increase is largely limited to Gulf airlines, while the European Union Aviation Safety Agency still recommends that airlines avoid flying over Syria and the region because of the Iranian conflict.
Asian and North American airlines also largely avoid Middle Eastern airspace.
Omar al-Husari, head of the General Authority of Civil Aviation, told Reuters that the increase in transit air traffic reflects what he described as the beginning of a real shift in airlines’ view of Syrian airspace, seeing it once again as a vital and reliable route within the regional air traffic network.
He added that the General Authority of Civil Aviation updated flight routes, reassessed air traffic patterns, strengthened air navigation, monitoring, and air control systems, and adopted risk-based safety assessments in line with standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization.
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