The United States has removed Syria from its official list of state sponsors of terrorism and initiated measures to remove longstanding legal restrictions on Syrian-owned or controlled flights operating to and from the US. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio formally rescinded the terrorism designation on August 24, 2026, following the completion of a required 45-day congressional review period.

As part of these regulatory adjustments, the US State Department also waived remaining statutory restrictions imposed under the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act. These included a prohibition against Syrian-owned or controlled air transportation serving US destinations. The United States Congress was formally notified of the waiver on August 24, and updated Treasury Department guidance specifies that the measure will take effect 20 days after notification.

US authorities emphasized that this statutory waiver does not confer immediate regulatory approval for any Syrian airline to launch direct flights to the United States. Any air carrier seeking to serve the American market must still obtain all applicable economic, flight safety, aviation security, and operational approvals. Furthermore, targeted sanctions against specific individuals and designated organizations remain in place, requiring aviation sector firms to maintain compliance protocols.

On the trade front, the US Commerce Department previously eased broader export restrictions and expanded regulatory license exceptions covering aircraft components, replacement parts, and temporary aircraft operations. The department noted that applications supporting civil commercial aviation are reviewed under a presumption of approval, provided that the requested equipment or technology does not make a significant contribution to military capabilities or international terrorism.

Amid these regulatory developments, international flight services to Syria have progressively resumed across several routes. State carrier Syrian Airlines has restored air connections linking Damascus with Moscow, Amsterdam, and Madinah. Concurrently, European carriers including Sundair and LEAV Aviation have commenced or announced scheduled passenger operations connecting German cities with Syrian airports in Damascus and Deir Ezzor.