Direct flights between Lebanon and the United States could soon return for the first time in more than four decades after US President Donald Trump announced plans to restore the air route during a joint press conference with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.
Trump said the move would make it easier for Americans to visit Lebanon, describing it as part of broader efforts to strengthen ties between the two countries.
The announcement came during Aoun’s first official visit to Washington by a Lebanese president since 2009. Alongside the aviation announcement, the two leaders discussed continued US military support for Lebanon, the implementation of the Washington framework agreement between Lebanon and Israel, and the security situation in southern Lebanon.
Direct flights between the two countries have been suspended since 1985, when the United States barred Lebanon’s national carrier, Middle East Airlines, following the hijacking of two Trans World Airlines flights at Beirut International Airport by Hezbollah members.
If the plan moves forward, the return of nonstop flights would make travel far more convenient for the thousands of Lebanese Americans with family ties in Lebanon, as well as tourists, students, and business travelers. It could also help boost tourism, encourage trade and investment, and strengthen economic ties between the two countries.
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