US passport, trying to fly into DAM. Half the pages say visa on arrival, half say I need an agency letter first, and then people say the airline just will not let you on.

Flew Royal Jordanian. They let me board on the US passport, did not even look at old stamps. I landed in Aleppo not DAM, got the visa there. Cash.

Do not do Qatar if you have no visa in the passport yet. Desk in Doha wanted it first. Someone I know booked Qatar only as far as Doha and then a separate Syrian Airlines ticket to DAM, which was the only way that desk would move.

US was $200 cash at DAM when I went. No agency letter. Have the notes in your hand, they do not take a card for that.

I am not US. Portal was dead, VOA at DAM took like five minutes, we paid around 60 euros. Husband is Syrian so maybe that helped. Process itself was nothing.

Turkish and RJ are the ones that usually already know VOA is a thing. Gulf carriers still fight you at the gate. Call the airline, not a Facebook page.

ok so RJ then. thanks. terrified of eating the ticket.