Lebanon's Tripoli Rene Mouawad AB is scheduled to open for commercial passenger flights on December 14, 2026, following trial flights from November 22, according to an official announcement by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam.
Following a progress report and meeting on November 9, he declared that destinations and an initial flight schedule will be announced on November 15, when bookings are also expected to open. Salam said the airport's launch would improve Lebanon's international connectivity and support economic and tourism development in the country's north.
The airport began redevelopment in June 2026 to become Lebanon's second international civilian airport after decades of military use and inactivity. However, commercial operations have been delayed by incomplete security arrangements and outstanding infrastructure work.
The planned reopening has sparked controversy over the airport's technical readiness. Lebanese newspaper Al Akhbar reported that a separate tender, estimated at up to USD6 million, was required for essential works omitted from the original operating contract, including runway, taxiway, and apron rehabilitation. It questioned how commercial flights could begin before the works were tendered and completed, particularly given the implications for operational safety.
According to ch-aviation data, the airport has an elevation of seven metres above sea level and a 3,000-metre-long runway. It is located in the Akkar District of northern Lebanon, about 100 kilometres north of Beirut and near the Syrian border.
