Middle East Flight Disruptions 2026: Airline Cancellation Policies and Travel Waivers (Updated October 11)

By Joseph Hellman-Benjamin, Founder and CEO of The Points King. Last updated: October 11, 2026. Editorial Policy

Situation as of October 11, 2026. It is changing by the day. Confirm with your airline before you go to the airport.

Middle East flight disruptions are not over. As of October 11, 2026, Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport is closed and 606 of Sunday’s flights there were cancelled. Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha and Tel Aviv airports are open, but many foreign airlines have not returned to them, and KLM, Lufthansa, British Airways, United and others still have routes suspended. If an airline cancels your flight, you are owed a refund under U.S. and European rules. If you are offered a voucher in its place, read how airline vouchers and flight credits work before you accept. Do not cancel a ticket yourself before you have checked the airline’s waiver.

I am not a security analyst and this page does not try to be one. I work with airline tickets and miles, so it covers what a traveler can act on: what is flying, which airlines are waiving fees, what you are owed, and what happens to a ticket booked with miles. Every line is sourced and dated, and the newest reports are at the top.

Contents hide
1 Latest News: September 30 to October 11, 2026
2 What Is Open and What Is Not, by Country
3 Airline by Airline: Status and Waivers
4 What You Are Owed if Your Flight Is Cancelled
4.1 Flights to, from or within the United States
4.2 Flights from Europe or the UK, or into them on a European or UK airline
4.3 The one mistake to avoid
5 If You Booked With Miles or Points
6 Does Travel Insurance or Your Credit Card Cover This?
7 U.S. State Department Advisory Levels
8 How 2026 Got Here: A Short Timeline
9 What I Would Do With a Ticket Right Now
10 Frequently Asked Questions
10.1 Is Riyadh airport open?
10.2 Are flights to Dubai operating?
10.3 Which U.S. airlines fly to Tel Aviv now?
10.4 Can I get a refund if my flight to the Middle East is cancelled?
10.5 Am I owed compensation as well as a refund?
10.6 Does travel insurance cover cancellations caused by war?
10.7 What happens to an award ticket if the airline cancels the flight?
11 Sources

Latest News: September 30 to October 11, 2026

  • October 11: Riyadh airport is closed. Emirates, Etihad, flydubai and Air Arabia cancelled flights, and Flightradar24 listed 606 Sunday flights as cancelled, The National reports. A notice gave the closure as running to midnight Sunday and did not say when passenger flights would restart.
  • October 11: Etihad cancelled eight Abu Dhabi to Riyadh flights for October 11 and 12, per Khaleej Times.
  • October 10: Saudi Arabia’s aviation regulator suspended operations at Riyadh airport after an attack on it, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
  • October 10: KLM said it will not fly to Dubai, Riyadh or Dammam “until and including October 31,” in its statement.
  • October 10: Delta is reviewing the October 23 launch of its Atlanta to Riyadh route, Benzinga reports.
  • October 8: Lufthansa Group suspended Riyadh flights through October 16, and Air India, Akasa and IndiGo also suspended Riyadh, per the Associated Press.
  • October 8: Wizz Air cancelled all its Abu Dhabi and Dubai flights for the winter season, October 25, 2026 to March 27, 2027, The National reports.
  • October 7: British Airways plans to resume Tel Aviv on October 25 with one daily flight, according to The Times of Israel.
  • September 30 to October 2: flydubai suspended its Tel Aviv flights until further notice after flight FZ1073 from Dubai was diverted, per flydubai’s statements.

What Is Open and What Is Not, by Country

Country Status for passenger flights Source and date
Saudi Arabia Airspace open. Riyadh (King Khalid) airport closed since October 10, with no restart time confirmed Saudi Press Agency, October 10; The National, October 11
United Arab Emirates (Dubai, Abu Dhabi) Open, with rerouting and flow restrictions. Many foreign airlines still suspended OPSGROUP, October 6; The National, October 8
Qatar (Doha) Open, with flow restrictions OPSGROUP, October 6
Israel (Tel Aviv) Open. Short-notice restrictions are possible and some foreign airlines have not returned Safe Airspace, October 11
Kuwait Restricted. Closed to overflights until November 2, with approved arrivals and departures only OPSGROUP, October 6
Bahrain Open, with reduced service The National, October 8
Jordan (Amman) Open, but the EU safety agency advises its airlines to avoid Jordanian airspace Safe Airspace, October 11
Lebanon (Beirut) Restricted for EU and UK airlines to sea approaches. Air France and Turkish Airlines have resumed Safe Airspace; The National, October 8
Iraq Open to overflights, but the EU safety agency advises against it and U.S. airlines are barred below 32,000 feet Safe Airspace, October 11
Iran Western airspace closed. Eastern part open to overflights on set routes. U.S. airlines are barred OPSGROUP, October 6
Syria Restricted. Turkish Airlines has resumed Damascus OPSGROUP, October 6; The National, October 8

Routing matters even where airports are open. OPSGROUP reports that most traffic now uses a southern route through Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Oman or a northern one through the Caucasus, with heavy congestion and widespread GPS interference. Since the Riyadh attacks, Safe Airspace advises operators to avoid Saudi airspace. Expect longer flights and missed connections on trips that cross the region.

Airline by Airline: Status and Waivers

Airline What is and is not flying Waiver or policy today
Emirates Riyadh flights cancelled October 9 to 12. Dubai to Kuwait suspended. Tel Aviv codeshares with flydubai suspended No conflict waiver posted on October 11. Standard policy: rebook on the next available Emirates flight or cancel
Qatar Airways Selected Doha to Riyadh flights cancelled October 9 to 11 No waiver shown on its alert page on October 11
Etihad Eight Abu Dhabi to Riyadh flights cancelled October 11 and 12. Still flying to Tel Aviv No active waiver found. Its free-change policy ended for tickets issued from July 1, 2026
flydubai Tel Aviv suspended until further notice. Riyadh, Yanbu and Abha flights cancelled Refund or rebooking through Manage Booking
Turkish Airlines Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Damascus, Beirut and Amman resumed. Tehran still suspended No waiver posted
El Al Flying a full schedule. San Francisco due back October 25 Not confirmed. Check with El Al
United Newark to Tel Aviv flying twice daily since September 8. Newark to Dubai suspended Could not be confirmed. Check its travel notices page
Delta New York JFK to Tel Aviv daily since September 6. Atlanta to Tel Aviv paused through December 18 Active: Tel Aviv travel February 28 to December 18, 2026, on tickets issued by May 20, 2026. Rebook to travel by April 15, 2027, or cancel for a refund of the unflown part
American Not flying to Tel Aviv Active for Tel Aviv (travel through March 26, 2027) and Doha (travel through January 6, 2027), on tickets bought by March 28, 2026
Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Riyadh suspended through October 16. Dubai returns October 25 (Munich), October 26 (Frankfurt), October 27 (Zurich), December 12 (Vienna). Tel Aviv flying Could not be confirmed. Check with the airline
British Airways Tel Aviv from October 25. Dubai and Riyadh from November 3. Amman from November 4. Bahrain suspended to the end of March 2027 No live notice on its travel news page on October 11
KLM No Dubai, Riyadh or Dammam through October 31. Tel Aviv flying with a stop in Larnaca Active: travel February 28 to November 15, 2026, on tickets issued by October 9, 2026. Free date change, voucher, or refund if the flight is cancelled
Air France Dubai and Riyadh suspended until October 24. Tel Aviv and Beirut resumed Could not be confirmed
Air India Riyadh suspended until October 15. Delhi to Tel Aviv flying Full refunds on the suspended Riyadh flights
Wizz Air Abu Dhabi and Dubai cancelled for the whole winter season. Jordan suspended until October 25 Check with Wizz Air
Royal Jordanian Erbil, Bahrain and Sulaymaniyah resumed in late July Active for cancelled flights on those routes: free change for travel by December 15, 2026, a voucher, or a refund

Route dates are from The National’s airline status list of October 8 and Gulf News of October 10, and U.S. routes to Tel Aviv from Masa Israel’s list of October 4. Waivers are from each airline’s own page, read on October 11. “Could not be confirmed” means the airline’s page would not load for us, not that no waiver exists.

What You Are Owed if Your Flight Is Cancelled

Flights to, from or within the United States

The Department of Transportation’s rule is simple: if the airline cancels your flight for any reason and you do not accept the alternative it offers, you are owed a refund. The same applies to a significant change, which means a delay of six hours or more on an international flight, a different airport, more connections or a downgrade. Refunds must arrive within 7 business days for card payments. The reason for the cancellation does not matter, so war or airspace closure does not let an airline keep your money.

Flights from Europe or the UK, or into them on a European or UK airline

Under EU261 and the UK version of it, a cancelled flight gives you the choice of a refund or rerouting, plus meals and a hotel while you wait. Cash compensation is not owed when the cause is an extraordinary circumstance, and security risks count as one. A reform of EU261 was adopted in September 2026, but most of it does not apply until October 23, 2027, according to Burges Salmon, so today’s rules are the old ones.

The one mistake to avoid

If you cancel a non-refundable ticket yourself before the airline cancels the flight, you usually lose the right to a cash refund. Wait for the airline to cancel, or use its waiver.

If You Booked With Miles or Points

Contact the program that issued the ticket, not the airline flying the plane. A British Airways flight booked with American miles is American’s ticket to fix. When the airline cancels, programs generally return the miles and the taxes. When you cancel on your own, the normal fee applies unless a waiver covers you.

Program Fee to cancel an award yourself
American AAdvantage None
United MileagePlus None
Delta SkyMiles None on trips from North America
Air Canada Aeroplan Up to CAD 150
British Airways Club $55
Emirates Skywards Up to $75
Qatar Airways Privilege Club $25, or $100 within 24 hours of departure

Fees are from One Mile at a Time’s table, September 10, 2026. More on fees and expiry by program is in our guide to how to use airline miles.

Does Travel Insurance or Your Credit Card Cover This?

  • Standard policies exclude war. Travelex, for example, says its plans do not cover losses caused by an act of war, and it treats this conflict as a foreseeable event from February 28, 2026.
  • Card insurance does too. The trip cancellation cover on both the Chase Sapphire Reserve and the Amex Platinum excludes war, according to NerdWallet’s guides to the Sapphire Reserve and Amex cards. Both pay up to $500 for a delay of six hours or more, which may still apply to a missed connection.
  • “Cancel for any reason” cover is the exception. It pays back 50% to 75% of the trip, must be bought within 14 to 21 days of your first deposit, and requires you to cancel two to three days before departure, per Squaremouth. It does not reimburse flights paid for with miles.

U.S. State Department Advisory Levels

Country Level Issued
Saudi Arabia Level 3: reconsider travel October 10, 2026
Israel, the West Bank and Gaza Level 3 August 26, 2026
United Arab Emirates Level 3 August 29, 2026
Qatar Level 3 August 28, 2026
Jordan Level 3 August 29, 2026
Kuwait and Bahrain Level 3 August 27 and 28, 2026
Lebanon, Iraq and Iran Level 4: do not travel August 2026 for Lebanon and Iraq; December 5, 2025 for Iran

From the State Department’s advisory list, read on October 11, 2026. An advisory level can also affect what a travel insurer will cover, so check your policy against it.

How 2026 Got Here: A Short Timeline

  • February 28: Iran, Israel, Iraq, Jordan, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and the UAE closed their airspace, as Al Jazeera reported.
  • April 8 to 26: after a ceasefire, Bahrain, Iraq and Israel reopened, followed by partial reopenings in Iran, Qatar and Kuwait, per Euronews.
  • May 2 to 4: the UAE lifted its restrictions, and Emirates said it had restored 96% of its network at about 75% of its earlier capacity.
  • June 3: Kuwait suspended commercial flights after its terminal was hit. International airlines returned on June 18.
  • July: fighting resumed on July 7. Flights to Kuwait, Bahrain and Amman were cancelled again on July 19 to 21.
  • September 30: the EU aviation safety agency issued a new bulletin for Saudi Arabia and again advised airlines to avoid Jordan.
  • October 7 to 11: attacks on Riyadh and Abha airports caused mass cancellations. Riyadh was broadly back to normal on October 9 and then closed again on October 10.

What I Would Do With a Ticket Right Now

  • Flying to or through Riyadh this week: do not go to the airport without a confirmed flight. Ask the airline to reroute or refund.
  • Flying to Dubai, Doha or Abu Dhabi on a Gulf airline: those flights are operating. Check the flight the day before, and leave a long connection if you connect onward.
  • Booked on a European or U.S. airline that has suspended the route: you are due a refund or a rebooking. Use the waiver if there is one, since it usually lets you move dates without a fare difference.
  • Booked with miles: call the program that issued the ticket and ask for the miles and taxes back with no fee, citing the cancellation or the waiver.
  • Not yet booked: buy a refundable fare or one with free changes, pay with a card that has trip delay cover, and do not rely on ordinary insurance for a war-related cancellation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Riyadh airport open?

No, as of October 11, 2026. Saudi Arabia’s aviation regulator suspended operations at King Khalid International Airport on October 10. A notice gave the closure as running to midnight on October 11, and no restart time had been confirmed when this page was updated.

Are flights to Dubai operating?

Yes. Dubai and Abu Dhabi airports are open and Emirates and Etihad are flying, but British Airways, Lufthansa, KLM, Air France, United, Air Canada and Wizz Air had Dubai flights suspended as of October 8 to 10, 2026.

Which U.S. airlines fly to Tel Aviv now?

Delta, daily from New York JFK, and United, twice daily from Newark, as of October 4, 2026. American is not flying to Tel Aviv.

Can I get a refund if my flight to the Middle East is cancelled?

Yes. Under U.S. rules, if the airline cancels and you decline the alternative, you are owed a refund whatever the reason. EU and UK rules give the same choice of refund or rerouting.

Am I owed compensation as well as a refund?

Usually not. Under EU261 and UK261, compensation is not owed when a cancellation is caused by extraordinary circumstances such as security risks.

Does travel insurance cover cancellations caused by war?

Most policies and credit card benefits exclude war. “Cancel for any reason” cover, bought soon after booking, pays back 50% to 75%.

What happens to an award ticket if the airline cancels the flight?

Contact the program that issued the ticket. Programs generally return the miles and taxes when the airline cancels.

Sources

The Points King
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