Deir ez-Zor Civil Airport returned to service on 5 August 2026 after more than a decade out of civilian service, following a rehabilitation programme by the General Authority for Civil Aviation and Air Transport. SANA dates the launch of the comprehensive rehabilitation works to 4 February 2026. The airport's official website, run by the Authority, names it Deir ez-Zor International Airport and places it about 7 km south-east of the city centre (IATA: DEZ, ICAO: OSDZ). The sections below record the state of the works as reported in April 2026; the percentages cited there apply to individual components rather than to the project as a whole. The dated updates at the end of this entry record the later milestones.

Background: A Decade Out of Service

Deir ez-Zor Civil Airport had been out of civilian service for more than a decade. The first trial flight returned to the airport on 2 February 2025, when a civilian aircraft arrived from Damascus carrying airport staff and logistical equipment to assess the site's readiness. That flight confirmed the runway required maintenance and that navigation and communications equipment was absent, which framed the scope of the rehabilitation programme that followed. In April 2026 the Authority's head, Omar al-Hosari, said damage at the airport had exceeded 80 percent, affecting the runways, the control tower, the aircraft parking areas, the arrival and departure halls and the surrounding infrastructure.

Completion Rates Across Key Facilities, April 2026

On 24 April 2026, the Authority's Government Communications Director, Alaa Salal, told SANA that a substantial portion of runway rehabilitation and core facility works had been completed, alongside preliminary technical works on navigation systems. The passenger terminal and administrative offices stood at approximately 90 percent completion, with remaining tasks limited to final finishing works including painting and floor tiling, while air conditioning units were scheduled for installation.

Salal further noted that perimeter wall works and runway maintenance had been fully completed, while maintenance of one of the entrances leading to the aircraft parking apron remained ongoing. Stone cladding works on the administrative buildings and passenger terminal had reached approximately 95 percent, with final finishing continuing across most sections.

Technical Systems and Infrastructure

Navigation lighting systems were technically ready, pending only the arrival of the lighting equipment for installation and commissioning. Works on the VIP reception hall were also progressing, while landscaping had reached approximately 70 percent completion and entrance gate works stood at the same level.

Phased Progress and Oversight

The Authority's work in that phase focused on three primary tracks:

• Completing technical installations across all airport facilities
• Conducting operational readiness tests in accordance with applicable standards
• Enhancing the efficiency of support services in preparation for full operational status

On 1 February 2026, three days before the date SANA gives for the launch of the comprehensive works, the Authority's head, Omar al-Hosari, announced that its staff were continuing rehabilitation works at the airport, and the Deputy Head of the Authority, Amjad Nakhal, conducted a field visit to review the progress of infrastructure and operational facility rehabilitation, as part of a comprehensive plan to raise readiness levels ahead of the reopening. On 2 June 2026, the Head of the General Authority for Civil Aviation and Air Transport, Omar al-Hosari, held an expanded meeting to discuss the requirements of the final phase and the mechanisms for completing the works in line with the approved timelines, in preparation for returning the airport to service.

Strategic Importance of the Project

Deir ez-Zor Civil Airport is a strategic asset for eastern Syria. Scheduled flights to Damascus and Kuwait resumed in August 2026, and a weekly service from Cologne was inaugurated on 1 September 2026. SANA described the project as expected to support economic and service activity in the governorate, strengthen air links with other governorates and contribute to transport, trade and logistics. The project forms part of a broader national vision aimed at restoring vital facilities in Syrian governorates and expanding air connectivity.

Frequently Asked Questions

What did the April 2026 completion figures cover?

They applied to individual components rather than to the project as a whole: approximately 90 percent for the passenger terminal and administrative offices, approximately 95 percent for stone cladding, and approximately 70 percent for landscaping and entrance gate works. On 28 April 2026 the Authority's head, Omar al-Hosari, put overall completion at 80 to 85 percent.

Which authority oversaw the rehabilitation?

The General Authority for Civil Aviation and Air Transport oversaw the project and operates the airport. Its Head is Omar al-Hosari, its Deputy Head is Amjad Nakhal, and its Government Communications Director is Alaa Salal. The airport's director is Firas al-Azzawi.

How long had the airport been out of service?

The airport had been out of civilian service for more than a decade. The first trial flight returned on 2 February 2025, and scheduled flights resumed on 5 August 2026.

Which works were completed first?

Perimeter wall works and runway maintenance were completed in full. Later works covered final finishes, the installation of air conditioning units, and the installation and commissioning of navigation lighting equipment.

When did the airport return to service?

On 5 August 2026, when it received a first scheduled domestic flight by Syrian Airlines from Damascus and then a first scheduled international flight from Kuwait, according to SANA. Airport director Firas al-Azzawi had announced on 15 July 2026 that the basic and necessary rehabilitation phases had been completed.

Why is the airport strategically important?

The airport is a strategic asset for eastern Syria. Scheduled flights to Damascus and Kuwait resumed in August 2026 and a weekly Cologne service was inaugurated in September 2026. SANA described the project as expected to support economic activity, trade and logistics in the governorate, as part of a broader national plan to restore vital facilities and expand air connectivity.

1. Infrastructure Status and Completion Rates (April 2026)

By April 2026, technical and engineering teams had made significant progress on the ground, bringing the airport closer to operational readiness according to the following milestones:

• Runway and Perimeter Wall: Runway maintenance works had been fully completed, as had the works on the airport's perimeter wall, which the Authority said in February 2026 was being rebuilt to meet international safety and security standards.
• Passenger Terminal and Administrative Buildings: The completion rate had reached approximately 90%. Remaining works focused on final finishing (stone cladding stood at about 95%) and on the installation of air conditioning units.
• Navigational Systems and Lighting: Preliminary technical works on the navigation systems had been completed, and the navigation lighting systems were ready, pending the arrival of the lighting equipment for installation. In January 2026 Al-Ikhbariah reported a civil aviation plan to install new radars at the airports of Damascus, Aleppo and Deir ez-Zor, citing a statement by the authority's head in June 2025.
• Landscaping and Entrance Gate: Landscaping and the main entrance gate had each reached about 70%.

2. Project Timeline to June 2026

• 31 January 2026: A joint delegation from the Ministry of Interior and the civil aviation authority inspected the airport to assess security and technical routes and set a comprehensive plan of requirements before air navigation resumed.
• 1 February 2026: The Authority's head announced that its staff were continuing rehabilitation works at the airport, and its Deputy Head visited the site.
• 4 February 2026: SANA dates the launch of the comprehensive rehabilitation works to this day.
• April – June 2026: The works entered their final stages, with operational readiness tests of systems and equipment under way; on 2 June 2026 the Authority's head chaired a meeting on the requirements of the final phase.

3. Strategic Importance of the Airport's Return

The project goes beyond passenger transport and carries economic and social dimensions:

• Easing Travel: The Authority's head, Omar al-Hosari, said on 1 February 2026 that the works aimed to reconnect Deir ez-Zor by air and ease the burden of travel on its residents.
• Supporting Business and Freight: SANA described the project as expected to support economic and service activity in the governorate and to contribute to transport, trade and logistics services.

In that period the Authority described the project as part of a national plan to rehabilitate and reactivate airports across Syrian governorates, with the works aimed at meeting civil aviation safety standards before flights resumed.

UPDATE 15.07.2026

Airport director Firas al-Azzawi announced that the basic and necessary rehabilitation phases had been completed, and that the airport was due to return to service in early August 2026 (SANA, 15 July 2026).

The completion percentages published earlier, in April 2026, applied to specific components rather than to the project as a whole: about 90 percent for the passenger terminal and the administrative offices, about 95 percent for the stone cladding, and about 70 percent for the landscaping and the main entrance gate. On 28 April 2026 the head of the General Authority for Civil Aviation and Air Transport, Omar al-Hosari, put overall completion at 80 to 85 percent.

Ahead of the reopening, a delegation from Kuwait's civil aviation authority and Jazeera Airways inspected the airport, and the visit resulted in approval to operate the airport and run flights to it. The Authority had announced that Jazeera Airways would begin scheduled direct flights between Kuwait and Deir ez-Zor from 8 August 2026 (SANA, 15 July 2026).

Update — 2026-08-05

Deir ez-Zor Civil Airport is back in service. According to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) on 5 August 2026, the airport that day received its first scheduled domestic flight by Syrian Airlines arriving from Damascus International Airport, followed by its first scheduled international flight arriving from Kuwait.

According to the aviation trade bulletin AeroRoutes on 30 July 2026, Syrian Airlines operates two weekly flights on each of the Damascus–Deir ez-Zor (RB133/RB134) and Deir ez-Zor–Kuwait City (RB341/RB342) routes with Airbus A320 aircraft, effective early August 2026. SANA reported on 14 August 2026 that Germany's LEAV Aviation intends to launch a weekly direct Cologne–Deir ez-Zor service from 1 September 2026, which al-Hosari told the agency would be the first scheduled service by a European carrier in the airport's commercial history.

Sources

• https://sana.sy/governorates/2545803/
• https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/260730-rbaug26dez
• https://sana.sy/economy/2553221/

UPDATE 08.09.2026

In its first month after reopening, Deir ez-Zor International Airport handled 2,322 passengers (1,308 arrivals and 1,014 departures) on 54 flights by three operating airlines, according to figures from the General Authority for Civil Aviation and Air Transport published by SANA on 8 September 2026.

Kuwait's Jazeera Airways operated its first direct scheduled flight from Kuwait to Deir ez-Zor on 8 August 2026 (SANA). On 1 September 2026 the airport received the first direct flight of the German airline LEAV Aviation from Cologne, which SANA described as the first scheduled service by a European carrier in the airport's commercial history. Cologne Bonn Airport announced the route as a weekly Tuesday service operated with an Airbus A320-200.

On the same day, the Authority's head, Omar al-Hosari, told SANA that the Authority is seeking to add three new regional destinations to and from the airport, and that technical teams from the countries concerned were due to visit it during September to review its equipment, operations and safety and security procedures. At the reopening on 5 August 2026, he had said the Authority would work to establish an advanced air cargo centre to support commercial, agricultural and industrial activity in the governorate (Al-Ikhbariah).