The key facts
- René Moawad Airport in Qlayaat will begin regular commercial flights on December 14, 2026
- Test flights are scheduled for November 22 — Lebanon's Independence Day and the anniversary of René Moawad's assassination
- About 114,000 passengers are expected in the first year; the airport is meant to relieve the only terminal in Beirut
The opening is scheduled for December 14
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam announced that the country's second commercial airport will begin operating on December 14. Passengers will be able to book flights from René Moawad Airport in Qlayaat, in northern Lebanon, as early as this coming Sunday; the schedule of the first flights and the list of destinations are promised to be published on the same day. After a preparation meeting, Salam said the airport “will open new prospects for economic and tourism development” for a country going through a financial crisis.
Symbolic dates and a military past
Located not far from the border with Syria, the airport was used for decades primarily as a military facility, despite repeated proposals to return it to civilian use. As part of its relaunch, it is named after René Moawad — the president of Lebanon who was assassinated shortly after his election in 1989. Test flights are scheduled for November 22, which coincides both with the country's Independence Day and with the anniversary of Moawad's death. The army took part in the reconstruction under a “master plan” drawn up last year.
Relieving Beirut and passenger traffic plans
Until now, Lebanon's only passenger terminal has been Rafic Hariri International Airport in Beirut, located near the southern suburbs of the capital, which — because of Hezbollah's presence there — have repeatedly been targeted by Israeli strikes. The resumption of bombing and occupation during this year's regional war worsened the country's economic problems. In June, announcing the reconstruction, Salam noted that the Akkar governorate, where the airport is located, has the highest poverty rate in Lebanon. In its first year, the airport is expected to handle about 114,000 passengers; Lebanon also hopes for an increase in visitors from Gulf countries as ties with the region are restored.
Context: new carriers and ticket prices
The opening of the second terminal comes amid changes in Lebanese aviation. The national carrier Middle East Airlines, owned by the country's central bank and effectively dominating the market, plans to launch a budget airline in the summer of 2027, Fly Beirut , with a fleet of five Airbus A320s — it will fly to Dubai, Istanbul, Paris, Copenhagen, Berlin, Amsterdam and Düsseldorf. Lebanon's large diaspora and frequent travelers have long complained about high ticket prices, so the emergence of a second airport and a low-cost carrier directly affects their interests. The schedule and routes from Qlayaat will be announced on December 14; until then, the list of destinations remains unknown.
