The ongoing conflict in Iran has led to mass flight delays and cancellations, disrupting the travel plans of thousands of passengers.
Following US and Israeli attacks on Iran launched on February 28, Gulf states, including the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Iran, Israel, and Iraq, introduced full or partial airspace closures and temporary flight restrictions. Flights have since begun to gradually resume through controlled aviation corridors in parts of the Middle East, with limited departures available from Dubai, Doha, and Abu Dhabi.
Flights to and from Dubai International Airport (DXB) gradually resumed to select destinations on Monday, March 16, following a drone-related fire that temporarily grounded flights. In a March 17 interview with CNN, Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths said that DXB has “facilitated the journeys of over a million passengers over the last 17 days” and that the airport is “back up to about 40-45% of normal traffic movements,” a recovery rate he credits to being able to detect and respond to threats in real-time.
Passengers are being advised to not travel to the airport unless they have been directly contacted by their airline with confirmed flights. If you’re traveling in the region, here’s what you need to know.
Which airlines have suspended flights?
Flights continue to be disrupted at Dubai International Airport, Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport, Bahrain International Airport, Doha’s Hamad International Airport, Kuwait International Airport, Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport, and Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport. Airlines are advising passengers to only travel to the airport if you are contacted directly by your carrier with a confirmed flight booking.
El Al: Beginning March 16, Israel’s flag carrier El Al began operating a total of six non-stop flights from Tel Aviv to New York designated exclusively for American citizens. “Thousands of American citizens whose flights back to the United States were canceled due to the war with Iran are currently staying in Israel,” the airline said in a statement. “EL AL will proactively contact U.S. citizens holding valid EL AL flight tickets whose flights were canceled and have not yet been reassigned, and will offer them placement on these dedicated flights at no additional cost.” All US citizens in Israel in need of recovery flights should complete this form, whether or not they have already purchased a ticket.
Emirates: Emirates is back to operating a reduced flight schedule after a brief pause in flights due to a drone related fire at DXB on March 16. “If your travel plans have been affected, we’ll do our best to rebook you on the next available Emirates flight. This applies to most disrupted tickets, including journeys connecting beyond Dubai,” the airline said in the most recent update on its website.
Etihad Airways: Etihad has resumed operating with a limited schedule to 70 destinations that is in place until March 19. Tickets are now on sale via the Etihad website to several destinations across the globe, with additional destinations set to be added as conditions permit. These flights will run in addition to special repatriation flights for stranded passengers. Passengers with Etihad flight tickets issued on or before February 28, 2026 for travel scheduled up to March 10, 2026 may change their booking without a rebooking fee on Etihad-operated flights departing up to March 31, 2026.
Qatar Airways: Qatar Airways has announced a limited number of flights to and from Doha after Qatar Civil Aviation Authority authorized “limited operating corridors.” The flights are scheduled for March 17 and 18 with a range of international departures and destinations, including Cairo, Casablanca, New York, Frankfurt, Madrid, London and Mumbai. For the full list of routes, see the Qatar Airways website. The temporary schedule is being offered to “passengers who have been affected by the current disruption, and to help them reunite with family and friends as quickly and safely as possible” and “do not constitute a confirmation of the resumption of scheduled commercial operations,” the airline advised.
Flydubai: Flydubai “is gradually resuming its operations with a reduced schedule” after the fire at DXB on March 16. “Some scheduled flights have been affected by the temporary suspension of operations,” the airline wrote in a statement. “We are contacting customers who have been impacted to notify them if their flight has been canceled or rescheduled.”
Oman Air: Oman’s state-owned flag carrier has canceled flights to and from Amman, Dubai, Bahrain, Doha, Dammam, Kuwait, Copenhagen, Baghdad, and Khasab until Sunday, March 22, when the airline says another update will be provided.
Air Arabia: Air Arabia has started operating a limited number of flights to and from the UAE through March 22, subject to operational and regulatory approvals. Destinations on the updated line-up include Vienna, Athens, Cairo, Kathmandu, Muscat, Islamabad, Jeddah and Bangkok, and the full list can be viewed and booked on the Air Arabia website.
Air India: Air India and Air India Express canceled all flights to and from Dubai on Tuesday, March 17. The airline has begun operating a limited number of flights from Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah, and Salalah. The majority of these flights are being run on an ad-hoc basis, and are not following the airline’s regular schedule. Flights to Jeddah and Muscat are running as scheduled, per the airline’s latest update.
IndiGo: Indian carrier IndiGo has temporarily suspended its flights to Doha, Kuwait City, Sharjah, Bahrain, Dammam, Fujairah, and Ras Al Khaimah until Saturday, March 28. On March 16, the airline said on X that “as per the latest update issued by Dubai Airport authorities, landing permissions for aircraft operating into DXB have been suspended until further notice in view of the prevailing situation in the region.”
British Airways: British Airways canceled all flights between London Heathrow and Amman, Bahrain, Dubai, and Tel Aviv up to and including May 31. Its Doha route will be reinstated at the end of April. Its daily flight between London and Abu Dhabi has been suspended until later this year. “We’re keeping the situation under constant review and are in touch with our customers to offer them a range of options,” the airline said in an update on Monday, March 16.
Gulf Air: Gulf Air flights from Bahrain remain indefinitely suspended while Bahraini airspace remains closed. However, passengers can now book flights from Dammam to Frankfurt, Nairobi, London, Mumbai, and Bangkok for travel until March 28, 2026,” the airline said. “Transport between Bahrain and Dammam will be arranged for passengers with confirmed tickets.”
Lufthansa: German carrier Lufthansa has suspended all flights to and from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Beirut, Amman, and Erbil until Saturday, March 28; flights to and from Tel Aviv until Thursday, April 2; and flights to Tehran until Monday, April 30.
Virgin Atlantic: British carrier Virgin Atlantic has suspended its seasonal flight route from London to Dubai for the rest of the winter (the route was originally scheduled to run until March 28) and paused its flights to Riyadh until March 25. In a March 11 statement the British carrier said it expects “to have returned all customers who are away from home by early next week” and will be reaching out directly to impacted customers to discuss the options available to them. No new updates have been posted since.
KLM: Dutch airline KLM has canceled all flights to Dubai, Riyadh, and Dammam through Saturday, March 28. “Passengers whose flights have been canceled will be notified and can rebook their tickets free of charge or request a refund via My Trip,” the airline said in a statement issued on Thursday, March 12. “KLM remains available for the repatriation of stranded travelers. This is coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”
SalamAir: Oman’s SalamAir is offering flights between Fujairah International Airport and Muscat, with connecting journeys to Lucknow, Calicut, Hyderabad, Istanbul, Karachi and Cairo. Tickets should be purchased directly from the airline’s website or an authorized travel agency. Flights to Iraq, Lebanon and Iran are suspended until April 30, while flights to Kuwait, Sharjah, Doha and Dammam are set to resume on March 31.
Kuwait Airways: Commercial arrivals and departures at Kuwait International Airport (KWI) are currently on hold. Kuwaiti citizens with existing bookings with the airline are being flown to Jeddah as part of an emergency repatriation plan. From Saudi Arabia, passengers are required to complete the final leg of their journey to Kuwait by land.
Air Canada: Air Canada has canceled all flights to Dubai through March 28 and suspended service to Tel Aviv through May 2. Passengers with flights booked through March 15 to Abu Dhabi (AUH), Amman (AMM), Beirut (BEY), Dammam (DMM), and Erbil (EBL) can change their trip to another date between now and March 31, 2026.
Which countries have closed their airspace?
The United Arab Emirates has partially reopened its airspace after a drone related fire on Monday, March 16. Dubai Airports, the authority that oversees both Dubai International (DXB) and Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International (DWC), are operating a small number of flights. Passengers are urged to not go to the airport unless they have been directly contacted by their airline about rebooking.
Qatar has partially reopened its airspace to allow a limited number of repatriation flights to take place; however, scheduled commercial flights remain temporarily suspended.
Iran, Iraq, Israel, and Bahrain have all closed their airspace. Kuwait also closed its airspace following a drone attack on its airport reported on February 28.
According to the US Department of State, Saudi Arabia‘s airspace is open with commercial flights currently operating out of Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dhahran. However, travelers should anticipate “frequent air traffic restrictions to address continued missile and drone threats,” the US embassy said in a March 17 travel alert, which may lead to flight cancellations and delays.
Which destinations are impacted?
The impact has widened to include major regional hubs and key transit corridors:
- Tel Aviv: Israeli airspace remains heavily restricted, with many international carriers continuing to suspend services or pause routes.
- Dubai and Abu Dhabi: UAE airspace has partially reopened, with a limited number of flights operating from Dubai International (DXB), Dubai World Central (DWC) and Zayed International Airport (AUH). Services remain selective and passengers are being contacted directly by airlines if booked on operating flights.
- Iran and Iraq: Airspace remains closed or largely avoided by international airlines, with most carriers continuing to reroute around both countries.
- Kuwait: Airspace remains closed and commercial operations at Kuwait International Airport are suspended following a drone strike that damaged Terminal 1.
- Doha: Qatari airspace remains closed; however, the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority has approved limited operating corridors for repatriation flights.
- Bahrain: Bahraini airspace remains closed as mandated by the Bahrain Civil Aviation Authority.
How will this impact my flight?
Travelers should expect a range of practical disruptions, including:
Technical stops: Particularly on low-cost carriers, with unscheduled fuel stops in southern Europe
Flight cancellations: While airspace is closed, airlines have no choice but to ground flights
Schedule shifts: If and when flights resume, expect there to be a knock-on impact on flight schedules as airlines scramble to get passengers back in the air
Rerouting delays: longer flight durations even on services that remain operational
Airlines are offering refunds and flexible rebooking options, though policies vary by carrier.
Source: cntraveler.com
