Following Iranian missile strikes on the GCC, some airspaces in the Middle East have begun reopening as of March 5. However, continued missile and drone activity over major cities from Riyadh to Dubai is causing the extension of intermittent closures.

The UAE has published a NOTAM for its airspace, defining it as partially closed.

Oman (OOMM) airspace remains open. According to reports, airlines have begun using Muscat as a base for evacuation flights, with Smartwings operating several flights over the past two days. British Airways and Lufthansa will both operate special flights to bring UK and German nationals home via Muscat.

FOR TRAVELERS IN THE UAE

The UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has initiated what it called “exceptional” flight operations, allowing a limited number of commercial flights to depart from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah airports.

The authority said the measure aims to help travelers who were stranded in the UAE following recent regional developments. Airlines will operate selected flights to designated destinations, and passengers affected by disruptions will receive revised schedules directly from their carriers.

Major UAE airlines – including Emirates, Etihad Airways, flydubai, and Air Arabia – have issued travel advisories as flight activity slowly resumes after the earlier shutdown of UAE airspace.

At a recent media briefing, officials said 60 flights had already carried 17,498 passengers out of the country. As part of the next phase of recovery, authorities anticipate up to 80 flights operating daily from UAE airports.

Emirates

All scheduled Emirates flights to and from Dubai remain suspended until 2359hrs UAE time on 7 March, due to airspace closures across the region.

Emirates continues to operate a limited flight schedule: https://t.co/yehFUeWZQq. We are accommodating customers with earlier bookings… pic.twitter.com/66WkOeri2S

— Emirates Support (@EmiratesSupport) March 4, 2026

UAE’s National carrier Emirates has confirmed that all regular flights to and from Dubai remain suspended until 11:59 pm (UAE time) on March 7 due to ongoing airspace restrictions across the region.

However, the airline is running a small number of flights on a limited schedule. Emirates said passengers with existing bookings will be given priority for seats on these services. Travelers connecting through Dubai will only be allowed to board if their onward flight is confirmed to operate.

The airline also advised customers not to go to the airport unless they have received direct communication from Emirates or hold a confirmed ticket for one of the operating flights.

Etihad Airways

Regional Airspace Disruption – Operational Update

All Etihad’s scheduled commercial flights to and from Abu Dhabi remain suspended until 06:00 UAE time on Friday 6 March.

In coordination with UAE authorities and subject to strict operational and safety approvals, a limited… pic.twitter.com/Q4lY41fvLL

— Etihad Airways (@etihad) March 4, 2026

All Etihad’s scheduled commercial flights to and from Abu Dhabi remain suspended until 06:00 UAE time on Friday, 6 March.

The airline said in a post, “In coordination with UAE authorities and subject to strict operational and safety approvals, a limited number of repositioning, cargo and repatriation flights are operating.” Select services are available for sale on etihad.com for travel on 4 and 5 March, subject to confirmed approvals.

The airline advised travelers not to go to the airport unless they have purchased a ticket or been issued a confirmed booking within the last 24 hours. Access to the airport will be restricted for those without confirmed travel documentation.

The airline advised travelers to: 

– Check their flight status at etihad.com before travelling to the airport.

– Ensure their contact details are up to date in their booking.

– Guests holding Etihad tickets issued on or before 28 February 2026, with original travel dates up to 10 March 2026, may rebook free of charge onto Etihad-operated flights up to 31 March 2026.

– Guests on all Etihad flights until 10 March may request a refund at etihad.com/en/help/refund or through their travel agent.

– Guests who booked through a travel agent should contact their agent directly.

flydubai

Low-cost carrier, flydubai began partially restoring its flight schedule on March 3, with a limited number of services operating from Terminals 2 and 3 at Dubai International Airport (DXB).

Passengers should avoid heading to the airport unless they have been contacted by the airline or have a confirmed booking.

Travelers scheduled to travel within the next 72 hours are allowed to rebook another flight within 20 days of their original departure date without additional fees.

Air Arabia

Travel Update

Air Arabia flights to and from the UAE remain temporarily suspended until 15:00 (UAE time), Monday, 09 March 2026.

A limited number of flights continue to operate in coordination with the relevant authorities, subject to operational and safety approvals.… pic.twitter.com/YOe5aaHBnj

— Air Arabia (@airarabiagroup) March 4, 2026

Meanwhile, Sharjah’s low-cost airline Air Arabia announced that its flights to and from the UAE remain temporarily suspended until 3 pm UAE time on Monday, March 9.

A limited number of services are operating in coordination with relevant authorities and are subject to operational and safety approvals. Passengers booked on these flights will be notified directly.

All other travelers are advised not to go to the airport unless Air Arabia contacts them.

Regional and International Airlines

Many foreign carriers that typically operate flights to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah have paused their services.

Airlines currently not running their usual UAE routes include Qatar Airways, Gulf Air, Saudia, Air France, KLM, Lufthansa, Finnair, British Airways, Air Canada, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines.

Air France said it had cancelled flights to and from Tel Aviv, Beirut, Dubai, and Riyadh until March 5 due to the security situation.

While most carriers have suspended or reduced services across the region, a few airlines have resumed limited operations.

Virgin Atlantic, for example, restarted scheduled flights between London Heathrow and both Dubai and Riyadh on March 3.

Several Indian carriers – SpiceJet, Air India, IndiGo, and Akasa Air – are operating special or repatriation flights, although many regular services remain suspended.

Indian Airlines

IndiGo announced that flights to Athens, Muscat, Jeddah, and Madinah have resumed, along with selected repatriation services to the UAE as the airline gradually restores operations on affected routes.

The airline said it is focused on assisting passengers impacted by disruptions and plans to increase the number of repatriation flights to the UAE, subject to regulatory approvals.

Travelers are advised to check their flight status regularly and rely on updates sent through their registered contact details. IndiGo also urged passengers to wait for direct confirmation before heading to the airport.

In addition, Air India said it is adding more capacity on routes to Toronto, Frankfurt, and Paris Charles de Gaulle.

Air India Express will also operate special flights between Ras Al Khaimah and Delhi, Kochi, and Mumbai from March 5 to March 7.

FOR TRAVELERS IN QATAR

Qatar Airways 

In a statement on X, March 5, Qatar Airways said that flight operations remain temporarily suspended due to the closure of Qatari airspace. As per the statement, Qatar Airways will resume operations once the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority announces the safe reopening of Qatari airspace by the relevant authorities. In addition, a further update will be provided on March 6 by 06:00 UTC. Meanwhile, Qatar Airways has started operating a limited number of relief flights from March 5 to support passengers who are stranded due to the current situation across the region. The following services are planned:

– Flights from Muscat to: London Heathrow, Berlin, Copenhagen, Madrid, Rome, and Amsterdam

– Flight from Riyadh to Frankfurt

The airline requested travelers not to proceed to the airport unless they have received an official notification from Qatar Airways for these flights.

Qatar Airways said it would contact affected passengers directly with their assigned flight details, travel arrangements and next steps.

“The safety and well-being of our passengers and crew remains our highest priority. We apologise for the disruption caused by circumstances beyond our control due to the temporary airspace closure and thank you for your patience,” the airline said. 

FOR TRAVELERS IN SAUDI ARABIA

Saudia 

National carrier of KSA, Saudia, confirmed that flight suspensions to Amman, Kuwait, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Doha, Bahrain, Moscow and Peshawar, have been extended until March 6, 23:59 GMT. 

The airline said in a recent statement on X, “The Emergency Coordination Center continues to monitor the situation around the clock in coordination with relevant authorities to ensure the safety and security of guests and crew.”