Closed airports, empty skies: What travelers impacted by Middle East air disruptions need to know

(CNN) — The war in Iran continues to cause aviation chaos in the Middle East and beyond, with planes remaining grounded in one of the world’s busiest travel regions.

Airlines around the world have been forced to cancel flights through multiple cities in the area, affecting thousands of global travelers.

These include airports in US-friendly Gulf states, including United Arab Emirates cities Dubai and Abu Dhabi, which have become the target of Iranian retaliation for hosting US military bases.

Here’s what travelers need to know.

Is Middle East airspace still closed?

A wide corridor of airspace over the Middle East remains closed on Monday as countries neighboring Iran restrict flights in and out of the region.

This includes the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Israel, Bahrain and Iraq, the skies over all of which remained nearly empty Monday morning, as shown on maps by flight tracking website Flightradar24. Jordan has partially closed its airspace from 6 p.m. to 7 a.m. until further notice.

The Middle East is home to several major airlines, including Emirates and Etihad in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and Qatar Airways, based in the Qatari capital, Doha. And the impact stretches far beyond the Middle East. All three of those cities are major global hubs, with millions of passengers transiting through them each year.

Emirates and Etihad suspended all flights to and from their bases until Monday afternoon local time.

Qatar Airways flights to and from Doha’s Hamad International Airport have also been suspended due to the closure of Qatari airspace.

But with the conflict expanding with renewed strikes, it appeared unlikely to be safe for flights to resume.

How many flights have been canceled?

Thousands of international flights were canceled on Sunday and Monday, according to data from FlightAware.com, and the numbers continue to rise.

Outside the region, other airlines continue to reroute flights that had been scheduled to fly near the conflict zone. German airline Lufthansa, for instance, has suspended flights to and from Dubai until March 4. It has also suspended flights to Tel Aviv, Beirut, Amman, Erbil, Dammam, and Tehran until March 8.

British Airways has canceled services to Tel Aviv and Bahrain until Wednesday.

What should you do if your flight is canceled?

The impact on aviation is expected to be felt for at least the next few days.

Travelers are advised to check with their airline or travel agent as soon as possible for information on rebooking and refunds, though passengers are reporting difficulties getting assistance because of high caller volumes.

Policies vary according to the airline.

According to the Emirates website, travelers booked to fly before or on March 5 can book an alternate flight for travel on or before March 20, or request a refund.

Guests holding Etihad tickets issued on or before February 28, 2026, with original travel dates up to March 7, may rebook free of charge onto Etihad-operated flights up to March 18.

Policies are similar outside the region. British Airways, for instance, says customers flying between London Heathrow and Abu Dhabi, Amman, Bahrain, Doha, Dubai or Tel Aviv up to March 15 can change their flight date free of charge to travel on or before March 29, while those travelling up to March 8 may also request a full refund.

What are governments advising?

The US State Department has issued a security alert advising US citizens around the world to “exercise caution” and follow the latest guidance from their nearest US embassy or consulate.

US citizens affected by the situation are encouraged to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), which allows the Department of State to contact US citizens in case of emergency.

Other governments are also telling their citizens to avoid the region. Canada’s government has advised Canadians to avoid all travel to Bahrain, Iraq, Israel and 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 in Bahrain, Israel, Kuwait, Palestine, Qatar and United Arab Emirates should register their presence to receive direct updates from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.

Australia on Monday warned its citizens overseas to be prepared for serious travel disruptions in the days ahead due to the conflict in the Middle East.

“We understand this will be a challenging time for many people, particularly those with family in the region or travel plans,” the foreign minister said in a statement.

Australians have been told to avoid most destinations in the Middle East. This includes Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Kuwait, Lebanon, Palestine, Qatar, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

They should also reconsider the need to travel to Jordan, Oman and Saudi Arabia.

What is being done for stranded passengers?

The United Arab Emirates will cover the food and accommodation costs of tens of thousands of travelers stranded in the country during the conflict in the Middle East, according to state media.

The UAE’s Department of Culture and Tourism sent a notice to hotels requesting them to extend the stay of passengers who are unable to travel “for reasons beyond their control,” reported The National.

More than 20,000 travelers have been affected by flight cancellations since UAE airports closed on Saturday, the site reported, with both Dubai International Airport and Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport suffering damage from Iranian strikes.

Are countries arranging repatriation flights for their citizens?

With many travelers stranded because of the airspace closures, multiple governments are reportedly discussing options to get them home, including repatriation flights.

Some countries with large populations of migrant workers in the region have announced plans to evacuate citizens from the Middle East.

Among these is Thailand, which has announced it is “readying to evacuate its citizens” by “military or charter flights,” according to Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul.

Approximately 110,000 Thai nationals currently reside in the region, including roughly 65,000 in Israel and about 250 in Iran.

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