Private jet to Syria

Damascus International is open to scheduled airlines from Turkey, the Gulf and Europe, so a private flight there is not ruled out. It is still not a booking we can confirm from a price list. EASA, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, keeps a bulletin for the Damascus flight information region: operators under its rules are advised to avoid the west of the region at every level and the rest below FL260, and a landing passes through exactly those levels. European governments advise against all travel to Syria, and consular help there is very limited or not available.

So each request for Damascus is checked on its own: an operator has to accept the route after its own risk assessment, its insurer has to cover it, and the Syrian landing permit has to be issued for the date. Where that fails, or where clients prefer it, the private flight ends in Amman or Istanbul and the trip continues by road or on a scheduled flight. Below are prices to all three airports, the entry rules, the year at a glance and pets.

Send the dates, the number of passengers and the purpose of the trip; a consultant checks Damascus first and offers Amman or Istanbul as the alternative, both with prices.

Three ways to reach Damascus

Prices

Each figure buys the whole aircraft for one flight; handling, airport charges and passenger taxes are added. The time shown belongs to the Praetor 500 in the first price column. Ground transport, scheduled tickets and the stay are paid separately.

To Amman and Istanbul

London - Amman takes 5:07 h and costs EUR 31,000 in a Praetor 500, and Milan - Amman EUR 26,000. Istanbul is closer: EUR 16,500 from Vienna in 2:02 h and EUR 18,500 from Munich in 2:26 h in the same class.

To Damascus, if the flight is accepted

These rows show what the flight costs when an operator takes it. They are not an offer until the operator, the insurer and the permit have confirmed the date:

London - Damascus costs EUR 30,000 in a Praetor 500, close to the price of London - Amman, and Vienna - Damascus EUR 24,000 for 3:25 h. From Istanbul the sector takes 1:49 h for EUR 15,500, and from Dubai it costs EUR 22,000; operators based in those cities quote them under their own rules.

Business jet price per flight hour

Heavy Jets from EUR 8,300 / hour

Light Jets from EUR 3,200 / hour

Ultra Long Range Jets from EUR 12,000 / hour

Super Midsize Jets from EUR 6,300 / hour

Very Light Jets from EUR 2,500 / hour

Long Range Jets from EUR 9,800 / hour

Midsize Jets from EUR 4,500 / hour

Turboprops from EUR 2,000 / hour

Two trips worked through

Price per person

The whole aircraft is chartered, so every extra passenger lowers the share per seat:

Calculator

The calculator estimates the flight to Amman or Istanbul; mention Damascus in the comment and we check the route for your date.

Airports

Opening hours, customs for private flights, parking and fuel at Damascus are confirmed with the handler for each date. The permit is requested through the handler from the Syrian civil aviation authority, usually 24 to 48 hours ahead at the least; we apply as soon as the date is fixed.

Which aircraft

• Two to six passengers from central Europe: a midsize jet such as the Praetor 500 or Legacy 500 reaches Amman or Damascus without a stop.
• From London and Paris with more luggage: a super midsize Praetor 600 or Challenger 350.
• Delegations of ten to twelve: a Challenger 650 or another heavy jet.

When to go

Spring, from March to May, and autumn, from late September to November, are the mildest seasons in Damascus. Summers are hot and dry, winters cool, with occasional snow in the capital and more in the mountains. Ramadan and the two Eids move about eleven days earlier each year; offices close during the Eids and flights in the region fill early. Empty Legs are most frequent from Amman and Istanbul back to Europe in summer and from the Gulf in spring.

Entry, documents and taxes

Jordan issues visas to EU and UK citizens on arrival, online or through the Jordan Pass, and Turkey admits most of them without a visa for up to 90 days in 180. Taxes follow the airport of departure: France charges about EUR 1,015 per jet passenger, a rate that depends on distance and is about EUR 420 inside Europe, Italy EUR 200 per passenger on flights to or from it beyond 1,500 km and Austria EUR 12, while Germany and the UK add their own departure taxes. British APD does not apply below 5.7 t, and its higher rate only to aircraft of 20 t or more with fewer than 19 seats. The quote lists every tax and charge.

Travelling with a dog or cat

With the operator's consent given in advance, the animal sits in the cabin with you. Syria asks for a rabies vaccination given between 30 days and 12 months before entry and a health certificate from a licensed vet, endorsed by the authorities of the departure country, with Damascus airport as the point of entry. Jordan and Turkey have their own certificates, which your vet arranges before the flight.

Empty Legs

Aircraft that bring passengers to Amman or Istanbul often go back to Europe empty, and Istanbul has such legs through most of the year. Legs out of Syria are rare and depend on an operator already flying there. Write to empty-legs@jets.flights with the direction and the dates you could fly.

How we book it

1. Send the dates, the passengers, the purpose of the trip and whether Amman or Istanbul would work for you.
2. We ask operators about Damascus and check the bulletin, the insurance and the permit for your date.
3. You receive the options: Damascus where accepted, and Amman or Istanbul with prices.
4. The contract is signed with the operator and paid by bank transfer or card, and we file the permits.
5. Before departure we check the status again and confirm the handling.

Questions about private flights to Syria

• • Can a private jet land in Damascus?

  • Sometimes. The flight goes ahead only when an operator accepts the route, its insurer covers it and the Syrian authorities issue the landing permit for the date. We check all three for each request and offer Amman or Istanbul as the alternative.

• • Why do operators decline the route?

  • EASA advises operators under its rules to avoid the west of the Damascus region at every level and the rest below FL260, and insurers follow such bulletins. Operators from the region decide under their own rules.

• • What does it cost?

  • To Istanbul from EUR 16,500 (Vienna, Praetor 500) and to Amman from EUR 26,000 (Milan). When a Damascus flight is accepted, Vienna - Damascus costs EUR 24,000 and London - Damascus EUR 30,000, with handling, charges and taxes added.

• • How long is the flight?

  • From London 5:00 h to Damascus and 5:07 h to Amman in a Praetor 500; from Vienna 2:02 h to Istanbul. Syria is 3 h ahead of London in winter and 2 h in summer.

• • Do I need a visa?

  • Yes. It is applied for on the Syrian e-visa website before travel, and processing takes about a week. The passport must be valid for at least three months after arrival.

• • Can we fly to Aleppo?

  • Aleppo takes some scheduled flights, but we have not been able to confirm handling for business jets there, so we do not quote it.

• • Can I take my dog?

  • Yes, if the operator agrees: a rabies vaccination and an endorsed health certificate are needed for Syria, and an antibody test for the return to the EU.

• • How far ahead should we ask?

  • For Damascus, a week or more, so that the operator, the insurer and the permit can be settled. Amman and Istanbul can usually be arranged within a few days.