By bnm Gulf bureau The first Turkish Airlines flight in 13 years landed in Damascus on January 23, carrying 345 passengers including the airline's CEO Bilal Eksi, marking a significant step in Syria's reconnection with international aviation networks.

Turkish Airlines has announced an intention to start direct flights from its Istanbul base to Auckland and Minneapolis later in 2025.

The first Turkish Airlines flight in 13 years landed in the Syrian capital Damascus on Thursday, an AFP correspondent reported. "The first Turkish Airlines passenger plane landed at Damascus International Airport after a hiatus of some 13 years,

After Turkish Airlines began flying to Denver in June 2024, it stated that it would be adding Minneapolis, Charlotte, Philadelphia, and Orlando to its list of US destinations. In December of last year, Turkish Airlines also operated its first flight to Santiago de Chile via São Paulo, which was the carrier's longest route.

Officials say that Turkish Airlines will resume its flights to Damascus, Syria, next week after a halt of more than a decade.

Turkish Airlines is resuming flights to the Syrian capital, Damascus (DAM), and to Benghazi (BEN), Libya’s second city, from its Istanbul (IST) hub. The two destinations had featured on Turkish Airlines’ network in the past but were discontinued due to the military and political situation in both countries.

Its A321 fleet is its most used type, accounting for 33% of all flights in 2025 (123,500 flights), while the most-used widebody type will be its A330s, which are scheduled for more than 48,000 flights (or 14% of the total).

"Turkish delight on a moonlit night" in Istanbul may soon be just one flight away from Minnesota. Driving the news: Turkish Airlines' chairman said this week that a new route between MSP and Istanbul could begin as early as April or May.