Travelling soon? Check your flight status. Tensions are rising in the Middle East after US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites, and UAE airlines are adjusting fast.

Due to regional airspace closures, several routes have been suspended or rerouted, especially over Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Israel. Here’s what you need to know.

What UAE Airlines Are Doing

Etihad Airways

• Abu Dhabi–Tel Aviv flights suspended until July 15
• Transit passengers heading to Tel Aviv will not be accepted

Emirates

• Flights to Tehran, Baghdad, and Basra suspended until June 30

Air Arabia

• Flights to/from Iran, Iraq, Russia, Armenia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan paused until June 30
• Jordan flights suspended until June 25
• No transit via Sharjah or Abu Dhabi to these destinations

flydubai

• Flights to Iran, Iraq, Israel, Syria, and St. Petersburg suspended until June 30
• Transit passengers to these destinations are not allowed

Wizz Air

• Flights to TelAviv and Amman suspended until September 15
• Flights rerouted to avoid high-risk airspace
• Refunds or rebooking options available

Global Airlines Also Affected

• British Airways: Flights to Dubai, Doha, Bahrain paused through June
• United, American Airlines: Suspended Dubai/Doha services
• Air Canada, Air France-KLM, Finnair: Select Dubai routes affected

Travel Tips

• Check your flight status before heading to the airport
• Update your contact details in your booking for real-time alerts
• Transit passengers to suspended destinations will not be accepted
• Expect delays or reroutes, especially to the Middle East, Caucasus, and surrounding regions

Airlines continue to monitor the situation. Passenger safety is the top priority.

Planning to fly from Dubai to India soon? Check your flight status before heading to the airport. 

Air India has advised travellers to confirm in advance following the cancellation of several flights, including those from Dubai. 

The move is part of a broader cutback in international operations, as the airline conducts safety inspections across its Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet. The inspections follow a recent tragic crash involving one of the aircraft.

Among the cancelled international routes are:

• AI906 (Dubai–Chennai)
• AI2204 (Dubai–Hyderabad)

Passengers flying on other airlines and looking to connect to their hometowns via Air India should be aware of the suspension of domestic and other international routes, such as:

• AI308 (Delhi–Melbourne)
• AI874 (Pune–Delhi)
• AI456 (Ahmedabad–Delhi)
• AI2872 (Hyderabad–Mumbai)
• AI571 (Chennai–Mumbai)

The cancellations come after Air India announced a 15 per cent cut to international flights operated by its widebody aircraft, effective until at least mid-July. The airline said this temporary reduction is necessary due to ongoing safety inspections following the tragic crash of flight AI171 last week.

Flight AI171, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner heading from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, crashed shortly after takeoff, killing 241 people on board and approximately 30 people on the ground. Only one person on the aircraft survived. Authorities continue to investigate the incident.

In a statement, Tata Group-owned Air India said that 26 of its 33 Boeing 787-8 and 787-9 aircraft have passed inspections and have returned to service. The airline said the cuts are meant to ensure stable operations, improve efficiency, and minimise passenger inconvenience.

Pack your bags, jet-setters. The Gulf is about to become your next ultimate multi-stop getaway, no extra paperwork needed.  A UAE minister has officially confirmed that a Schengen-style unified tourist visa for all six GCC countries is finally happening.

“The single GCC visa has been approved and should be rolled out soon,” revealed UAE’s Minister of Economy Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri at a press event.

That means with one visa, you’ll be able to hop between Dubai’s skyscrapers, Oman’s mountains, Qatar’s museums, Bahrain’s beaches, Saudi Arabia’s mega projects, and Kuwait’s culture scene, all in a single trip.

Say Hello to the GCC Grand Tours Visa!

Nicknamed the “GCC Grand Tours Visa”, the new system is being compared to Europe’s Schengen visa, and yes, it’s that big of a deal.

Forget applying separately for each country. This new visa will give you free rein across the Gulf, making travel cheaper, faster, and way more fun.

Work Hard, Play Harder

Experts say the visa could spark a leisure boom, where business travellers stay longer to explore the region. Think quick meetings in Riyadh, followed by a weekend in Dubai or Muscat.

Plus, it’s expected to supercharge:

• Tourism across all six countries
• Job creation in hotels and travel
• Billions in tourism spending
• New resorts and attractions on the way!

Gulf Tourism Is Already on Fire

The Gulf isn’t just bouncing back from the pandemic — it’s booming:

• 68.1 million visitors in 2023
• $110.4 billion in tourism revenue
• 42.8% increase in arrivals vs pre-Covid

In the UAE, tourism supported 833,000 jobs in 2022, and this number is expected to reach 1 million by 2030.

Dubai’s Still the Star of the Show

Dubai is leading the regional tourism charge with 7.15 million visitors in just the first four months of 2025, up 7% from last year. And once the unified visa kicks in, expect those numbers to skyrocket.

When Can You Use the Visa?

While there’s no official launch date yet, the visa has cleared its biggest hurdle, government approval. It’s now in the hands of the Ministry of Interior and key stakeholders.