LEBANON - Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam announced that the first commercial flight from Rene Mouawad Airport in Qlayaat, northern Lebanon, is scheduled to take off on November 15, 2026.
Details of the flight schedule are expected to be announced on November 1, when reservations will also open to passengers, PM alam said.
The announcement marks a step in efforts to resume commercial operations at the airport, which is located in Akkar in northern Lebanon.
Airport Aims to Ease Pressure on Beirut
The reopening of Rene Mouawad Airport is intended to provide an additional option for air travel in Lebanon and help ease pressure on Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport, the country’s main commercial airport.
The facility could also offer residents of northern Lebanon and nearby areas a more convenient departure point, reducing the need to travel to Beirut to catch flights.
The development forms part of broader efforts to improve the country’s transport infrastructure and expand access to air travel beyond the capital.
Rene Mouawad Airport, also known as Qlayaat Airport, has long been considered a potential alternative for commercial aviation in northern Lebanon. Its reactivation has been discussed as a way to support regional connectivity and provide additional capacity for the country’s aviation sector.
The November 15 target date sets a timetable for the start of commercial flights, while further details about destinations, airlines and operating schedules are expected to become available when the government announces the flight programme on November 1.
The airport’s commercial relaunch would add a second point of departure for passenger air travel in Lebanon, although the extent of its operations will depend on the routes and services introduced.
