The Middle East conflict has thrown UAE air travel into chaos, with thousands of flights cancelled, major airports shut, and only limited repatriation flights operating. Don't head to the airport without confirmation from your airline first.
Civil aviation across the United Arab Emirates has entered a cautious phase of resuming air travel after several days of widespread disruption caused by escalating conflict in the Middle East. While commercial flight schedules remain heavily affected, the country’s major airlines have begun operating limited and carefully controlled services to help travellers who were stranded due to airspace closures. The situation highlights the impact of regional tensions on commercial aviation and the ongoing efforts to prioritise safety.
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Air travel in and out of the UAE and neighbouring Gulf states was severely disrupted after a series of missile and drone strikes linked to the rising conflict between Iran and military actions involving the United States and Israel. In response to safety concerns, civil aviation authorities in the UAE and several other countries including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq and Iran,imposed partial or full airspace closures. This led to thousands of flight cancellations, leaving passengers stranded domestically and internationally.
The closures affected major Gulf aviation hubs such as Dubai International Airport (DXB), Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH), and Sharjah International Airport. These airports are usually among the busiest in the world serving as connecting points for long-haul and regional travel but had to suspend normal operations to protect passengers and aircraft amid reports of missile activity and unpredictable airspace conditions.
After several days of shutdown, civil aviation authorities announced a partial reopening of the UAE’s airspace under tightly controlled conditions starting March 2, 2026. This phased approach allows a small number of flights to take off and land as “exceptional” or repatriation services.
Emirates and Etihad Airways, the UAE’s national carriers, and flydubai have restarted limited operations, prioritising passengers who were previously booked and need to return home. In many cases, these restart flights include:
These resumed flights are operating only after safety checks and coordination with aviation authorities to ensure that routes are clear and that international standards are met.
Even as limited flight services begin, airline and airport officials are repeatedly emphasising that full regular flight schedules are still suspended. Passengers are strongly advised not to travel to airports unless they have been directly notified by their airline with a confirmed departure time. This is because many other flights remain cancelled due to ongoing regional volatility.
Air Arabia, another UAE-based carrier, has extended its suspension of scheduled flights until March 4, 2026, although limited flights may still operate under strict safety approvals.
Civil aviation authorities are coordinating with airlines and other regional bodies to operate what they call “safe air corridors” controlled flight paths that allow some movement in and out of UAE airports without compromising safety. As of early March, these corridors were handling a limited number of flights per hour far below normal capacity but provided important lifelines for stranded passengers.
Because the situation remains fluid and subject to rapid change, airlines and airport authorities are urging travellers to:
Airlines are also offering refunds or rebooking options for customers whose flights were cancelled. This includes options for rebooking on later flights or receiving compensation, depending on airline policy.
The disruption has not just affected the UAE. Across the Gulf region, airspace limitations have led to the cancellation of thousands of flights, affecting millions of travellers worldwide. Tracking services have reported that more than 12,000 flights were disrupted across Gulf airports in the first days of the crisis.
These cancellations have also had consequences for global travel networks, as many international airlines rely on Gulf hubs such as Dubai and Doha for connecting flights between continents. Airlines from Asia, Europe and beyond have had to reroute or suspend services, causing longer travel times and higher costs for passengers.
No precise date has been set for the resumption of normal, full-schedule flights. That decision depends on developments in regional security, coordination between civil aviation authorities, and continuous risk assessments. For now, the limited restart of flight operations offers some relief to travellers who were stranded by earlier closures, but many flights and routes remain suspended.
Airlines and authorities have reiterated that passenger safety remains the highest priority, and any further resumption of services will be carried out once it can be done securely.
Source: Gulf News
