Airspace closures across Middle East cause flight cancellations after strikes on Iran

Following the U.S. and Israel’s attacks on Iran on Feb. 28, airspace closures throughout the Middle East have led to massive commercial flight disruptions and cancellations.

The real-time flight tracking service FlightRadar24 showed airspace closures across the region on Saturday, including in the UAE, Qatar, Jordan, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Israel, Kuwait and Bahrain.

Several major airports have suspended operations until further notice, including Dubai International Airport (DXB) — the world’s second busiest airport — Zayed International Airport (AUH) in Abu Dhabi and Hamad International Airport (DOH) in Doha.

Though many other airports in the Middle East remain open, passengers should check with individual airlines for the latest updates before heading to the airport, as cancellations may vary.

Both Gulf airlines and international carriers that fly through the region have issued travel waivers in light of the conflict, allowing passengers to easily change or cancel flights. Each travel waiver varies by airline, with additional information available on each carrier’s website:

• Air France
• American Airlines
• British Airways
• Delta Air Lines
• El Al
• Emirates Airlines
• Etihad Airways
• KLM
• Lufthansa
• Oman Air
• Qatar Airways
• Royal Jordanian
• Turkish Airlines
• United Airlines
• Virgin Atlantic

Travelers with upcoming hotel reservations in affected areas of the Middle East should first check the hotel’s website for any updates and information about how bookings may be impacted. Keep in mind that some properties in the region may be actively managing the crisis — according to reporting by the BBC, Fairmont The Palm Hotel in Dubai has been impacted. Calling these hotels directly should be a last option.

The Points Guy has reached out to representatives at Accor, Hilton, Hyatt, IHG and Marriott, and we’ll update this post with any details.

Related: When plans go wrong: Your guide to booking refundable travel

Travelers who purchased travel insurance before the conflict began should be able to recover travel expenses if they choose to cancel an upcoming trip. Consult TPG’s comprehensive guides to travel insurance and the credit cards that include trip cancellation and interruption insurance:

• The best cards for trip cancellation and interruption insurance — and what it actually covers
• Should you get travel insurance if you have credit card protection?
• The best travel insurance policies and providers
• Everything you need to know about ‘cancel for any reason’ trip protection