UAE travel update: Emirates, Etihad, flydubai and other airlines issue fresh travel alerts
Here’s everything passengers need before heading to the airport
DUBAI – Travellers flying from the UAE this weekend are being advised to check their flight status before heading to the airport, as airlines continue to adjust schedules, suspend selected routes and issue new travel advisories amid evolving regional conditions and the busy summer travel season.
While operations at the UAE's major airports remain largely stable, a combination of operational issues, security-related restrictions and seasonal demand has prompted several carriers to revise their services. Some airlines have announced delays, others have extended route suspensions, while governments have also updated travel guidance and entry requirements for passengers heading to key destinations.
From flight cancellations to Saudi Arabia, delays on Etihad services and fresh health rules for India-bound travellers, here is an airline-by-airline guide to the latest developments.
Saudi Arabia disruptions
Flights between the UAE and Abha International Airport in southern Saudi Arabia remain among the most significantly affected services.
For a fourth consecutive day on Friday, all scheduled flydubai flights between Dubai and Abha and Air Arabia services between Sharjah and Abha remained cancelled, with departure and arrival boards continuing to show disruptions.
Despite the international suspensions, Abha International Airport has remained partially operational, with domestic services to and from Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Medina and Tabuk continuing to operate.
Several countries, including the UK, the US and Canada, continue to advise travellers to exercise caution in areas close to the Saudi-Yemen border because of the risk of missile and drone attacks.
Emirates has reported no major delays or cancellations across its network and says it is preparing for one of the busiest travel periods of the year.
The Dubai-based carrier expects a high volume of passengers throughout the summer holiday season and is advising customers to arrive at the airport well in advance of departure.
The airline currently serves 137 destinations across 72 countries. Passengers whose travel plans are affected by operational changes may be eligible for rebooking or refunds, depending on their ticket conditions.
Etihad Airways
Etihad Airways has announced operational delays affecting its Abu Dhabi-Toronto services.
Flight EY21 from Zayed International Airport to Toronto Pearson International Airport departed later than scheduled on Friday, with the return service, EY22, also delayed as a result.
The airline said the disruption was caused by operational reasons and apologised to affected passengers, adding that teams were working to minimise the impact on travellers.
The latest delay follows technical issues that affected flight EY063 from Abu Dhabi to London Heathrow on July 16, while selected Washington services also experienced delays.
flydubai
flydubai has continued expanding its network despite the temporary suspension of Abha services.
Ahead of the busy holiday season, the airline has urged passengers to check in online whenever possible and arrive at Dubai International Airport at least four hours before departure.
The carrier recently resumed flights to Aleppo and introduced additional services to Bangkok as demand continues to grow.
Air Arabia
Air Arabia is continuing to expand operations from Sharjah, Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah despite the temporary cancellation of its Abha flights.
The low-cost carrier has also widened its European network by launching new services to Rome and London Gatwick, strengthening connectivity between the UAE and Europe during the peak travel season.
Qatar Airways
Qatar Airways continues to grow its regional and international network.
The airline now serves more than 160 destinations worldwide and has increased flights between Doha and Dubai from two to five daily services.
Daily flights between Doha and Philadelphia are also scheduled to resume from August 1.
Oman Air and SalamAir
Travellers heading to Oman during the Khareef season are benefiting from additional capacity.
Both Oman Air and SalamAir have increased flights and available seats on the popular Muscat-Salalah route, while additional international services to Salalah have also been introduced to accommodate seasonal demand.
Gulf Air
Bahrain's national carrier is gradually restoring services following the reopening of the country's airspace.
Alongside network recovery, Gulf Air continues expanding its fleet and introducing new routes across its network.
Saudia and flynas
Saudia has partially resumed flights to Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Amman using a limited daily schedule.
Meanwhile, flynas is expanding its international network with new services to Aleppo, Munich, Budapest and Alexandria as part of its wider Summer 2026 programme.
Kuwait Airways and Jazeera Airways
Kuwait Airways has resumed operations following last month's regional disruption and is once again serving major destinations including Dubai, London, Mumbai, Delhi and Cairo.
Jazeera Airways has also restored flights to Dubai, Mumbai, Delhi, Cairo, Beirut and Istanbul, although it says occasional Kuwaiti airspace closures may still result in delays.
International airlines
Several international carriers continue to maintain restrictions on UAE or Middle East operations.
Air Astana has suspended UAE flights until at least July 31, citing continued regional escalation. Customers are being offered full refunds or free rebooking.
Air Canada has extended the suspension of Dubai and Tel Aviv flights until October 24.
British Airways has expanded its flexible booking policy for passengers travelling to or from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Bahrain, Amman, Tel Aviv, Jeddah and Riyadh. Eligible customers can request refunds or change travel dates without a change fee, although any fare difference may still apply.
Turkish Airlines has resumed services to Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Damascus, Beirut and Amman, while doubling Dubai frequencies to 14 weekly flights. Flights to Iran remain suspended.
KLM will not operate flights to Dubai, Riyadh and Dammam until August 23.
Across the Lufthansa Group, services to Dubai remain suspended until September 13, while Abu Dhabi, Muscat, Riyadh, Dammam, Beirut, Amman, Erbil and Tehran remain on hold until October 24 across Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian Airlines and Brussels Airlines.
Air France has suspended flights to Dubai, Riyadh, Beirut and Tel Aviv despite increasing long-haul capacity across its wider global network this summer.
Singapore Airlines has cancelled flights between Singapore and Dubai until October 24, with affected customers entitled to full refunds for the unused portion of their tickets.
Cathay Pacific has suspended Dubai and Riyadh flights until August 31, with bookings expected to reopen from September 1.
Philippine Airlines has resumed Manila-Doha services but continues suspending Manila-Dubai flights until October 2.
Cebu Pacific has resumed Dubai operations, with four weekly flights between Manila and Dubai operating every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.
Air India and Air India Express continue operating services but have warned passengers that airspace developments could still affect schedules. Air India Express recently launched its first direct Navi Mumbai-Abu Dhabi route, while Air India has also signed a partnership agreement with Riyadh Air to improve connectivity between India, Saudi Arabia and beyond.
IndiGo says it continues operating Gulf routes from Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru while closely monitoring the regional situation. However, it has temporarily suspended selected international services to destinations including Langkawi, Krabi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Siem Reap until September 30. Flights to Manchester remain cancelled until August 31.
Destination advice
Travellers heading to the UK are being urged to stay informed after the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office updated its travel advice for the Middle East.
Although the US and Iran have signed a memorandum of understanding, British authorities say the regional security situation remains unpredictable and hostilities could resume with little warning. The advisory notes that Iran has previously targeted civilian infrastructure across the region, including airports, ports, hotels and energy facilities.
Passengers travelling to India must now complete the mandatory Air Suvidha 2.0 digital health declaration before boarding. The requirement follows the World Health Organization's declaration of the Ebola/Bundibugyo outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.
The self-declaration form can be completed online up to 24 hours before arrival, after which travellers simply present the downloaded confirmation at the health desk or immigration on arrival.
Passenger rights in Dubai
As airlines continue adjusting operations, travellers departing from or arriving in Dubai are also covered by the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority's Aviation Consumer Welfare Directive.
The rules apply to Dubai-based national airlines, their subsidiaries, code-share partners, foreign carriers operating from Dubai airports and licensed travel agents.
Airlines are required to provide passengers with clear information about total ticket prices, baggage allowances, booking conditions, refund rules, fare restrictions, operating carriers and complete itineraries before purchase.
When flights are delayed or disrupted, airlines must keep passengers informed about the reason for the disruption, the expected duration and available alternatives.
Where flights are cancelled or significantly disrupted, travellers should normally be offered the next available flight with the same airline, rerouting on another carrier where feasible, or a refund or voucher covering the unused portion of the ticket.
Passengers experiencing lengthy delays may also be entitled to meals, refreshments, communication facilities, hotel accommodation where necessary and transport between the airport and hotel, depending on the length of the delay and the circumstances.
Additional assistance must also be prioritised for passengers requiring special support, including people with disabilities, unaccompanied children and senior citizens.
Travellers are advised not to cancel bookings themselves before receiving official confirmation from the airline, as voluntary cancellations may affect eligibility for refunds or other passenger protections.