Dubai Travel Disrupted as Iran Conflict Escalates

Major airlines across the Middle East have provided new travel advice for flights in and out of Dubai as the conflict between Iran, Israel, and the United States continues to evolve. The situation, which began on February 28, 2026, with US-Israeli strikes on Iran, has led to retaliatory attacks from Tehran, impacting Dubai, Kuwait, and Bahrain. These events have caused widespread flight disruptions and left thousands of travelers stranded.

UK Travel Advisory

The UK government currently advises against all but essential travel to the United Arab Emirates. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) warns that regional escalation poses significant security risks and has led to travel disruption. Travel insurance may be invalidated if travel occurs against FCDO advice. https://www.gov.uk/ The FCDO also advises staying away from areas around security or military facilities.

Airline Updates

• Emirates: Has begun operating a reduced flight schedule after parts of regional airspace reopened. The airline states that customers transiting in Dubai will only be accepted if their connecting flight is operating and advises passengers not to go to the airport unless they have a confirmed booking. https://www.emirates.com/
• Etihad Airways: Is operating limited flights to London Heathrow and Manchester from Abu Dhabi, but all other scheduled commercial services remain suspended. https://www.etihad.com/
• Qatar Airways: Is operating one flight a day to and from London Heathrow to Doha, but scheduled flight operations remain temporarily suspended due to the closure of Qatari airspace. https://www.qatarairways.com/
• Virgin Atlantic: Restarted flights from Dubai to the UK but scrapped flights until the end of the season (March 28) after a flight was forced to return to London Heathrow. https://www.virginatlantic.com/
• British Airways: Is currently unable to operate services to Dubai and is running limited flights from Oman to London. Passengers booked on flights before March 15 have been offered date changes or full refunds. https://www.britishairways.com/
• Air France: Has cancelled flights between Paris and Dubai until March 10, with operations resuming after a new safety assessment. https://wwws.airfrance.com/
• KLM: Has suspended flights to Dubai, Dammam, and Riyadh until March 10, avoiding several Middle Eastern airspace corridors due to security concerns. https://www.klm.com/
• Lufthansa: Has paused flights to Dubai and Abu Dhabi until March 10, with other Middle East routes also temporarily suspended. https://www.lufthansa.com/

Tour Operator Policies

Most tour operators are allowing cancellations for Dubai holidays with full refunds. Loveholidays has cancelled all trips departing to or via Dubai up to March 15 and is issuing full refunds. Customers with Emirates flights until March 31 can also cancel for a refund, and holidays using Virgin Atlantic flights have been cancelled until the same date. TUI is contacting customers due to travel to the UAE within the next week to discuss their options. On the Beach has temporarily cancelled UAE holidays and is offering full refunds.

Recent Developments

On March 8, 2026, US President Donald Trump stated there would be “no deal” with Iran except “unconditional surrender” as the conflict intensifies. https://gulfnews.com/uae/usisrael-war-on-iran-day-8-new-wave-of-airstrikes-hits-tehran-uae-confirms-full-readiness-emirates-cancels-all-dubai-flights-1.500466181 The UAE Ministry of Defence has confirmed the armed forces are fully prepared to counter threats and safeguard national security. Recent reports indicate Iranian missiles and drones have directly impacted the UAE, shaking Dubai’s reputation as a safe haven. https://apnews.com/article/iran-israel-us-dubai-emirates-tourism-attack-b256f514b290c987b3004cc87744f038 Dubai International Airport (DXB) sustained minor damage during the overnight incidents. https://www.firstpost.com/explainers/how-dubai-facing-iran-retaliatory-strikes-gulf-conflict-explained-13984877.html