After US and Israeli strikes on Iran led to the closure of Gulf airspace on February 28, airspace across the Middle East was shut, causing thousands of flight cancellations and route suspensions.
More than a million British tourists travel to the UAE each year for holidays in Dubai and Abu Dhabi with 1.3m British tourists visiting Dubai alone in 2025.
After US and Israeli strikes on Iran led to the closure of Gulf airspace on February 28, airspace across the Middle East was shut, causing thousands of flight cancellations and route suspensions.
The conflict continues to create severe travel problems outside the Middle East as it’s a major connection hub for flights to destinations like southeast Asia and Australia.
With many UAE trips planned for the busy summer holidays, British travellers are wondering when it will be safe to travel to Dubai and if their holidays will go ahead, given all the cancellations.
With jet fuel prices rising and no peace deal between the USA and Iran yet, many airlines are extending flight cancellations to the Middle East, including British Airways, Emirates, and Air France.
Here are the main airlines cancelling flights, reducing capacity or suspending routes to the Middle East. Make sure to follow our senior travel reporter, Portia Jones on TikTok for the latest travel news.
British Airways
- Dubai, Doha, Tel Aviv: 1 daily flight from 1 July
- Riyadh: 1 daily from mid-May
- Additional Dubai service resumes 16 October
Air France and KLM
- Air France: Tel Aviv, Beirut, Dubai, Riyadh: suspended until 3 May
- KLM: Riyadh, Dammam, Dubai: suspended until 17 May
Delta Air Lines
- New York–Tel Aviv: cancelled
- Atlanta–Tel Aviv: delayed until 5 September
- Boston–Tel Aviv: delayed indefinitely
Air Canada
- Tel Aviv, Dubai: suspended until 7 September
Emirates
- Emirates is operating a reduced flight schedule until further notice. You should only travel to the airport if you have a confirmed booking
Qatar Airways
- Qatar Airways is currently operating limited flights to the Middle East
Etihad Airways
- operations are currently under a “limited commercial flight schedule” as of April 14, 2026, due to ongoing regional conflict and airspace restrictions
Cathay Pacific
- Dubai, Riyadh: suspended until 30 June
- Added flights: London, Paris, Zurich (April)
Singapore Airlines
- Dubai: suspended until 31 May
- Increased capacity: London Gatwick, Melbourne
Qantas
- Schedule adjustments: mid-April to late July.
Japan Airlines
- Tokyo–Doha:
- Outbound suspended until 10 May Return suspended until 11 May
- Extra Tokyo–London flights from 25 April
Finnair
- Doha: suspended until 2 July
- Avoiding airspace: Iraq, Iran, Syria, Israel
- Dubai: resumes in October
Aegean Airlines
- Riyadh, Amman: Suspended until 27 June
- Tel Aviv, Beirut: Suspended until 26 June
- Erbil, Baghdad: Suspended until 2 July
- Dubai: Suspended until 29 June
Turkish Airlines / SunExpress
- Dubai: suspended until 30 April
Malaysia Airlines
- Doha: suspended until 14 June
Royal Air Maroc
- Doha: until 30 June
- Dubai: until 31 May
Air Europa
Norwegian Air
- Tel Aviv, Beirut launches: delayed until 15 June
Wizz Air
- Israel: suspended until 25 April
- UAE, Amman: suspended until mid-September
- Medina: suspended indefinitely
airBaltic
- Tel Aviv: until 31 May
- Dubai: until 24 October
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