The war with Iran continues to cause aviation disruption in the Middle East and elsewhere, with some of the world’s busiest airports struggling to cope with the fallout of airspace closures, with a limited number of flights currently departing from the region.
The United States is advising its citizens to leave the area immediately. The Trump administration announced Tuesday that it is working to secure military aircraft and charter flights to help thousands of Americans trapped in the Middle East.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters Tuesday that more than 1,500 Americans have asked the State Department for assistance leaving the Middle East, and officials have responded to calls from nearly 3,000 Americans in the region.
“We have identified, and will continue to identify, expanded charter flight options, military flight options, and commercial flight options. That means working with airlines to bring in larger planes with more seats,” Rubio told reporters at the Capitol.
Rubio said there were “several occasions” when planes were en route to the area before the airspace was closed and they had to turn back.
Wide swaths of airspace over the Middle East remained closed on Wednesday morning as Iran’s neighbors restricted movement into and out of the region.
Some flights departed from airports in U.S.-friendly Persian Gulf countries, including the United Arab Emirates cities of Dubai and Abu Dhabi, but the situation remains fluid and travelers are urged to monitor government alert systems and check with their airlines.
The ongoing strikes highlight a complex situation for travelers stranded in the region.
Here’s what travelers need to know:
The State Department is urging Americans to “depart now” from countries across the Middle East due to “serious security risks,” but limited flights are a challenge for those trying to leave the region.
Rubio assured stranded Americans on Tuesday that the United States could help, saying, “It’s going to take some time because we don’t control the airspace.”
State Department officials said they are actively securing aircraft and flights for U.S. citizens who wish to leave the Middle East.
“We are in direct contact with nearly 3,000 Americans overseas. American citizens should call 1-202-501-4444 for assistance with exit options,” Dylan Johnson, assistant secretary of state for international public affairs, posted on X on Tuesday.
Rubio urged Americans to register with the State Department for the latest information on evacuation opportunities. You can enroll in the Smart Traveler enrollment program at step.state.gov.
“We need to know where you are… They need to register with us because these options are starting to expand… We have to be able to call you, we have to be able to reach you,” Rubio said.
A previous post on X by a senior State Department consular official on Monday called on U.S. citizens to depart from Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen “using available business travel.”
On Tuesday, the Canadian government posted a notice on X advising travelers to “depart the United Arab Emirates as soon as flight options become available. Airspace may be subject to intermittent, temporary, or partial closures.” It also advised Canadians to avoid traveling to Bahrain, Iraq, Israel, the Palestinian Territories, 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, the Palestinian Territories, Qatar and the UAE should register to receive updates directly from the Department of Foreign Affairs, Commonwealth and Development.
The Australian government has opened an emergency portal for nationals of Israel, Iran, Qatar and the UAE, warning nationals overseas to prepare for severe travel disruption in the coming days due to the Middle East conflict.
Australians are being told to avoid most destinations in the Middle East. This includes Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Kuwait, Lebanon, the Palestinian Territories, Qatar, Syria, UAE, and Yemen.
The need to travel to Jordan, Oman and Saudi Arabia should also be reconsidered.
The skies above the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Kuwait, Israel, Bahrain, Iraq and Jordan remained mostly empty on Wednesday 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 had suspended all flights to and from the base, but resumed a limited number of repatriation and cargo flights on Monday night. Emirates will suspend all scheduled flights to and from Dubai until at least 11:59pm on Wednesday, according to its website.
Dubai Airport’s website advises travelers not to go to the airport unless contacted directly by the airline.
All scheduled commercial Etihad Airways flights to and from Abu Dhabi will remain suspended until 2pm UAE time on 5 March. “Some relocation, cargo and repatriation flights may be operated in conjunction with UAE authorities and are subject to strict operational and safety approvals,” the airline said.
Due to the closure of Qatari airspace, Qatar Airways flights to and from Doha’s Hamad International Airport remain suspended.
Reuters reports that the closure has caused prices to soar for flights between Asia and Europe, with airline websites showing tickets on many of the busiest routes fully booked for several days.
There are two ways for airlines offering direct flights between Asia and Europe to bypass closed airspace in the Middle East. You can fly north through the Caucasus and over Afghanistan, or south through Egypt and over Saudi Arabia and Oman.
However, with oil prices soaring, this could increase flight times and fuel usage.
More than 1,500 flights had already been canceled as of Wednesday morning, adding to the thousands of international flights canceled since Sunday, according to FlightAware.com data.
Outside the region, other airlines continue to reroute or cancel flights scheduled to fly near conflict zones.
German airline Lufthansa, for example, has suspended flights to and from Dubai until March 6, as well as flights to Tel Aviv, Beirut, Amman, Erbil, Dammam and Tehran until March 8.
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, with options for refunds or fee-free rebooking. Emirates and Etihad Airways policies are published on their websites, but details are subject to change as the situation evolves.
Other airlines outside the region, such as British Airways, are also taking flexible measures to accommodate affected travelers.
Cruise ships in the region have also been affected, with thousands of passengers and crew waiting on ships docked in ports in the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. Among them is the Mein Schiff 5, operated by Germany-based TUI Cruises, which has now completed its journey and entered Doha port. TUI has canceled other cruises scheduled to start in the region in the coming days.
TUI CEO Sebastian Ebel said on Tuesday that the company plans to repatriate German customers stranded in the Middle East within days, according to Reuters.
TUI Cruises announced that a special Emirates flight departed from Dubai to Munich with 218 passengers on board Mein Schiff 4 in Abu Dhabi.
According to Reuters, Swiss-Italian operator MSC Cruises announced that its ship MSC Eulivia remains in Dubai in accordance with guidance from US regional military authorities.
What is being done for stranded passengers?
Several countries are currently working to bring their stranded citizens home safely, with evacuation flights operating. Britain’s foreign secretary said Britain was working with airlines to step up evacuations, and France had arranged two flights on Tuesday. Italy and the Czech Republic have also begun arranging flights out of the region.
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said options for leaving the country for Americans living in Israel are “very limited.” In a post on Tuesday, Mr. Huckabee called on Americans to “follow the instructions of our troops on the home front, currently sheltering in place, and staying close to our evacuation centers at all times.”
The Middle East is home to many foreign workers from Asia, many of whom, like short-term visitors, were eager to leave the region.
The Philippine government said it is working on potential exits for Filipino domestic workers, including the possibility of leveraging military assets and private sector resources for departure by land, sea and air.
On March 2, the Indonesian government announced that more than 6,000 citizens had left Saudi Arabia since February 28, but tens of thousands more remained stranded.
As for costs, the UAE will cover the food and lodging costs of tens of thousands of travelers stranded in the country during the 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.
