The war in Iran continues to disrupt aviation in the Middle East and elsewhere, leaving planes grounded in one of the world’s busiest regions.
Airlines around the world have been forced to cancel flights through multiple cities in the region, impacting thousands of travelers around the world.
These include airports in U.S.-friendly Gulf states, including the United Arab Emirates cities of Dubai and Abu Dhabi, which are targets of Iranian retaliation and host U.S. military bases.
Here’s what travelers need to know:
Wide swaths of airspace over the Middle East remained closed on Monday as Iran’s neighbors restrict movement into and out of the region.
This includes the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Israel, Bahrain and Iraq, all of whose skies remained nearly empty on Monday morning, as shown on a map from flight tracking website Flightradar24.
The Middle East is home to several major airlines, including Emirates and Etihad Airways in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and Qatar Airways based in Qatar’s capital Doha. And its influence extends far beyond the Middle East. All three cities are major hubs in the world, with millions of passengers passing through them each year.
Emirates and Etihad Airways have suspended all flights to and from their bases until Monday afternoon local time.
Due to the closure of Qatari airspace, Qatar Airways flights to and from Doha’s Hamad International Airport were also suspended.
However, as the conflict escalates with new strikes, it seems unlikely that it will be safe for flights to resume.
Thousands of international flights were canceled on Sunday and Monday, and the number continues to rise, according to data from FlightAware.com.
Outside the region, other airlines continue to reroute flights scheduled to fly near conflict zones. German airline Lufthansa, for example, has suspended flights to and from Dubai until March 4, as well as flights to Tel Aviv, Beirut, Amman, Erbil, Dammam and Tehran until March 8.
British Airways has canceled flights to Tel Aviv and Bahrain until Wednesday.
The impact on the airline industry is expected to continue for at least the next few days.
Travelers are encouraged to check with their airline or travel agent for information on rebooking and refunds as soon as possible, but passengers are reporting that support is difficult to receive due to high call volume.
Policies vary by airline.
Emirates’ website says travelers who booked flights before March 5 can book alternative flights before March 20 or request a refund.
Customers with Etihad Airways tickets issued before 28 February 2026 with an original travel date up to 7 March can rebook for free on Etihad flights until 18 March.
The policy is similar outside the region. For example, British Airways says customers flying between London Heathrow Airport and Abu Dhabi, Amman, Bahrain, Doha, Dubai or Tel Aviv before March 15 can change their flight date to travel until March 29, free of charge, and those traveling before March 8 can request a full refund.
The US State Department has issued a safety alert warning US citizens around the world to “exercise caution” and follow the latest guidance from their nearest US embassy or consulate.
U.S. citizens affected by the situation are encouraged to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), which allows the State Department to contact U.S. citizens in an emergency.
Other governments have also told their citizens to avoid the area. The Government of Canada advises Canadians to avoid traveling to Bahrain, Iraq, Israel, Palestine, Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar and the UAE, and to avoid non-essential travel to Jordan, Oman and Saudi Arabia.
The UK government says British nationals living in Bahrain, Israel, Kuwait, Palestine, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates should register to receive updates directly from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
Australia on Monday warned its citizens overseas to prepare for severe travel disruption in the coming days due to the Middle East conflict.
“We understand that this is a difficult time for many people, especially those with families or plans to travel to the region,” the foreign minister said in a statement.
Australians are being told to avoid most destinations in the Middle East. This includes Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Kuwait, Lebanon, Palestine, Qatar, Syria, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.
The need to travel to Jordan, Oman and Saudi Arabia should also be reconsidered.
What is being done for stranded passengers?
The United Arab Emirates will pay for food and accommodation for tens of thousands of tourists stranded in the country due to Middle East conflict, state media said.
The UAE’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism has issued notices to hotels asking them to extend the stays of passengers who are unable to travel for “reasons beyond our control,” The National newspaper reported.
The site reported that more than 20,000 travelers have been affected by flight cancellations since UAE airports were closed on Saturday, with Dubai International Airport and Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport damaged by Iranian attacks.
Airspace closures have left many travelers stranded, and several governments are reportedly discussing options to bring them home, including repatriation flights.
Some countries with large populations of migrant workers in the region have announced plans to evacuate their nationals from the Middle East.
That includes Thailand, which Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said was “ready to evacuate its citizens” by “military or chartered aircraft.”
Currently, about 110,000 Thais live in the region, of whom about 65,000 live in Israel and about 250 in Iran.
