Military action by the United States and Israel against Iran today has thrown air travel across the Middle East into turmoil, forcing widespread airspace closures and stranding or diverting hundreds of thousands of passengers as major aviation hubs were affected by the escalating conflict.

Governments across the region shut down their skies in response to the unfolding situation. Israel, Qatar, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, and Bahrain all closed their airspace, leading to massive disruptions. According to FlightRadar24, there was also no flight activity over the United Arab Emirates after authorities announced what they described as a “temporary and partial closure” of the country’s airspace.

The shutdowns effectively halted operations at major transit hubs in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Doha, prompting more than 1,800 flight cancellations by leading Middle Eastern carriers. Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Etihad — which together handle roughly 90,000 passengers per day through those airports — were heavily impacted, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium. The disruption extended to countless additional travelers heading to destinations throughout the region.

Airports in the United Arab Emirates reported direct effects from the conflict. UAE officials condemned what they called a “blatant attack involving Iranian ballistic missiles” today. Dubai International Airport confirmed that four people were injured, while Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi said one person was killed and seven others were hurt in a drone strike. Kuwait International Airport also reported being hit.

Although Iran has not formally claimed responsibility for the attacks, Gulf states attributed a broad series of retaliatory strikes to Tehran. The scope of those strikes appeared to extend beyond previously announced targets such as American military bases.

Industry experts warned travelers to expect prolonged complications. “For travelers, there’s no way to sugarcoat this,” said Henry Harteveldt, an airline industry analyst and president of Atmosphere Research Group. “You should prepare for delays or cancellations for the next few days as these attacks evolve and hopefully end.”

Airlines operating routes that typically cross Middle Eastern airspace have begun rerouting flights, with many aircraft now flying south over Saudi Arabia to avoid closed zones. These detours add significant travel time and increase fuel consumption, raising operating costs that could eventually be passed on to passengers if the crisis continues.

The additional traffic through alternative corridors is also expected to strain air traffic control operations, particularly in Saudi Arabia, where controllers may need to slow traffic to maintain safety. Meanwhile, nations that have closed their airspace stand to lose revenue from overflight fees normally paid by airlines.

Mike McCormick, a former Federal Aviation Administration official who oversaw air traffic control and now teaches at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, suggested that partial reopenings could occur in the coming days if military authorities clarify operational zones for civilian carriers.

“Those countries then will be able to go through and say, okay, we can reopen this portion of our space but we’ll keep this portion of our airspace closed,” McCormick said. “So I think what we’ll see in the next 24 to 36 hours how the use of airspace evolves as the kinetic activity gets more well defined and as the capability of Iran to actually shoot missiles and create additional risk is diminished due to the attacks.”

It remains uncertain how long the aviation disruptions will persist. By comparison, a previous U.S.-Israeli strike on Iran in June 2025 continued for 12 days.

With the situation shifting rapidly, airlines advised passengers to verify their flight status before heading to airports. Some carriers offered waivers, allowing affected travelers to rebook without incurring additional charges or fare increases.

Travelers have already experienced confusion and frustration. Jonathan Escott and his fiancée arrived at Newcastle Airport in England today only to discover that their direct Emirates flight to Dubai had been canceled. Escott returned to stay with family an hour away but remains unsure when he will be able to depart.

“No one knows,” Escott said. “No one really knows what’s going on with the conflict, really. Not Emirates, Emirates don’t have a clue. No one has a clue.”

Flight tracking data from FlightAware showed that at least 145 aircraft headed to destinations such as Tel Aviv and Dubai were diverted to cities including Athens, Istanbul, and Rome. Other planes turned back mid-flight. One aircraft departed Philadelphia and flew nearly 15 hours, reaching Spain before reversing course and returning to its origin.

Airlines across the globe responded with widespread cancellations. India’s civil aviation authority designated much of the Middle East — including airspace above Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Lebanon — as a high-security risk zone at all altitudes. Air India canceled all flights to the region.

Turkish Airlines suspended service to Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran, and Jordan until Monday, and halted flights to Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Oman. The carrier warned that additional cancellations may follow. Numerous other airlines have also paused operations to Middle Eastern destinations through the weekend.

In the United States, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines suspended flights to Tel Aviv through at least the weekend. KLM had already halted service to and from Tel Aviv earlier in the week.

European carriers including Lufthansa, Air France, Transavia, and Pegasus canceled all flights to Lebanon, while American Airlines suspended its Philadelphia-to-Doha route.

Virgin Atlantic announced it would avoid Iraqi airspace, potentially extending travel times to India, the Maldives, and Riyadh. The airline was already steering clear of Iranian airspace and said flights would carry extra fuel reserves in case rerouting becomes necessary on short notice.

British Airways suspended service to Tel Aviv and Bahrain until next week and canceled flights to Amman, Jordan, today.

Harteveldt cautioned that travelers should prepare for extended disruptions. “Travelers should anticipate that there will be a lot of disruptions,” he said. “To be honest, if you haven’t left home, chances are you won’t be leaving home if you’re supposed to travel to or through these destinations for at least several days, if not longer. And if you are returning home, you will have to be very creative about how you get home.”