Airlines suspend flights to Dubai and the Middle East: the latest updates for travellers

Several international airlines have temporarily suspended or adjusted flights to parts of the Middle East, amid rising geopolitical risk and updated airspace safety guidance. The move follows reports of a large US naval deployment moving towards the Gulf and intensifying rhetoric between the US and Iran.

The changes are affecting routes to Israel, parts of the GCC and Jordan, with airlines stressing that the measures are precautionary and subject to constant operational review.

This article was updated with the latest information on Monday 26 January 2026

Which airlines have suspended or changed flights?

Several European, North American and Asian carriers have confirmed cancellations or operational changes to flight routes across the Middle East.

Air France: On Friday 23 January, Air France paused select Middle East services, including flights between Paris and Dubai; however, it resumed the routes on Saturday 24 January, although it stressed it continues to monitor the situation closely.

KLM: Dutch carrier KLM has halted all routes to Tel Aviv, Dubai, Dammam and Riyadh until further notice, while completely avoiding the airspace of Iran, Iraq and Israel.

Lufthansa Group: Lufthansa, Swiss International Air Lines and Austrian Airlines have suspended overnight flights to Tel Aviv and Amman, restricting operations to daytime-only services to avoid crew layovers in the region. Lufthansa has also suspended all flights to Tehran until at least Saturday 28 March.

British Airways: On Friday, British Airways halted overnight flights to Dubai, following a temporary suspension of flights to Bahrain, home to the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, earlier in the week. As of Monday 26 January, flights have resumed between London Heathrow (LHR) and Bahrain (BAH).

North American carriers: United Airlines and Air Canada have confirmed suspensions of flights to Israel until further notice, citing security considerations.

Low-cost carriers: Wizz Air has warned passengers that, due to the avoidance of Iranian and Iraqi airspace, some westbound flights from Dubai and Abu Dhabi now require technical refuelling stops in Larnaca (Cyprus) or Thessaloniki (Greece). IndiGo, India’s low-cost carrier, has also announced a suspension of flights to and from Almaty, Baku, Tashkent and Tbilisi amid security concerns around Iranian airspace.

Which destinations are affected?

The impact has widened to include major regional hubs and key transit corridors:

• Tel Aviv: widespread pauses by major Western carriers
• Dubai and Abu Dhabi: selective evening suspensions and longer flight times due to rerouting
• Riyadh and Dammam: targeted cancellations by European airlines, including KLM
• Amman: restricted to daylight-only operations by the Lufthansa Group
• India: flights to and from India risk being cancelled due to major airspace closures blocking routes
• Iranian and Iraqi airspace: now avoided entirely by many Western airlines

While major Gulf carriers such as Emirates and Qatar Airways continue to operate, they are heavily rerouting around the Tehran Flight Information Region (FIR), adding 30 to 90 minutes to some flight times. Flydubai has also cancelled several services to Iranian cities, including Tehran, Mashhad and Shiraz.

Why are airlines suspending flights now?

Aviation risk assessments have escalated following confirmation from President Donald Trump that a “big flotilla,” led by the USS Abraham Lincoln strike group, is heading towards the region.