Emirates to resume flights to Beirut and Baghdad

Emirates has announced plans to resume flights to the capitals of Iraq and Lebanon, following a suspension of services last year.

Emirates will deploy a Boeing 777-300ER on its routes to Beirut and Baghdad, adding over 5,000 weekly seats. Photo: Umedha Hettigoda, Flickr CC BY-SA 2.0

The Gulf carrier halted flights to Beirut in September 2024 due to the escalation of conflict in southern Lebanon and also paused its operations to Baghdad.

With a ceasefire agreement signed in late November, Emirates has confirmed it will reinstate flights to both cities starting February 1, 2025. Daily services will initially operate to Beirut and Baghdad, with an additional daily flight to Lebanon’s capital set to launch on April 1, 2025.

5000 weekly

The airline has revealed that flights to Beirut’s Rafic Al Hariri International Airport will be operated using a three-class Boeing 777-300ER, offering a significant capacity boost with over 5,000 weekly seats in both directions from the start of February.

This move marks a strong commitment by Emirates to reconnect these key destinations and support the growing travel demand in the region.

Many returning to conflict areas

Several airlines have recently resumed flights to regions previously affected by conflicts:

Lufthansa Group Plans to restart flights to Tel Aviv from February 1, 2025, following a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. This includes carriers such as Brussels Airlines, Eurowings, Austrian Airlines, and Swiss.

Wizz Air Has resumed its London to Tel Aviv route and flights to Amman, Jordan.

ITA Airways Announced the resumption of flights between Rome and Tel Aviv starting February 1, 2025, after a four-month suspension due to regional conflicts.

Turkish Airlines Resumed flights between Istanbul and Damascus after 13 years, following recent political changes in Syria.

Ryanair Plans to operate its full summer schedule to Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport, starting March 30, 2025.

British Airways and Lufthansa Have resumed flights over Afghanistan after years of avoidance due to safety concerns.

Have ordered many new aircrafts

Emirates received the first delivery of its A350-900 aircraft in November last year, marking an important step in the airline's fleet growth strategy. Photo: Airbus

Emirates is continuing to expand and have 65 Airbus that will be delivered between 2024 and 2026

As of January 2025, Emirates operates a fleet of approximately 260 aircraft, primarily composed of Airbus A380s and Boeing 777s.

Looking ahead, Emirates has significant expansion plans for the next decade. The airline has placed substantial orders, including:

• 65 Airbus A350-900s, with deliveries expected between 2024 and early 2028.

Additional Boeing 777-9s, 777-8s, and 787s, totaling a commitment of US$52 billion, to power its growth plans and maintain a modern, efficient fleet.