Qatar Airways has announced the resumption of passenger flights to three Iraqi cities β Baghdad, Basra, and Erbil β effective May 10, 2026, marking a significant step in the Doha-based carrier's ongoing network rebuilding effort. The airline will also reintroduce freighter services to Baghdad starting May 7, further strengthening cargo flows to the region.
The Iraqi route resumptions follow Qatar Airways' successful restart of daily flights to Bahrain and Kozhikode (India) on May 1. Together, these additions bring the carrier's active network to approximately 120 destinations served by around 140 daily departures from Hamad International Airport in Doha.
The airline has set an ambitious target of operating to more than 150 destinations by June 16, 2026, which would represent a near-complete restoration of its pre-disruption network. The June date is significant for another reason: it marks the planned return of Qatar Airways' Airbus A380 fleet to commercial service.
The carrier's eight active A380 superjumbos have been grounded throughout April and May 2026, with restricted airspace and elevated jet fuel costs making the four-engine aircraft economically unviable on reduced-capacity routes. The planned A380 return has already been pushed back once β from the originally announced June 1 date to June 16 β and will initially see the type deployed on just two routes from Doha, rather than the five previously envisioned.
While the network is steadily expanding, frequencies on many routes remain below pre-disruption levels. Routes that previously operated with multiple daily departures are currently running once daily or just a few times per week, reflecting the careful, demand-driven approach Qatar Airways is taking to its recovery.
The Iraqi resumptions are particularly notable given the strategic importance of the Iraq market for Gulf carriers. Baghdad and Basra serve both substantial diaspora communities and growing business travel demand, while Erbil in the Kurdistan Region has emerged as an important commercial hub in its own right.
Qatar Airways' recovery trajectory contrasts with some competitors in the region. While Emirates has restored 96 percent of its network, and Turkish Airlines has been forced to cut 18 routes, Qatar Airways appears to be charting a middle course β methodically rebuilding while keeping a close eye on the economics of each route decision.
Sources: Qatar Airways Newsroom, Arabian Business, Breaking Travel News β May 2026
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