FlightRadar24 Air traffic across the middle East on Feb. 28th, 2026.
Source: Flightradar24
Airlines paused flights to Tel Aviv, Dubai, Doha and other cities after airspace was closed over a large swath of the Middle East after the United States and Israel launched a military operation in Iran.
Qatar Airways said it was temporarily suspending all flights while Dubai-based Emirates said its Dubai flights were halted. “We apologise to customers affected by disruptions for any inconvenience caused, and we are assisting them with rebooking, refunds, or alternative travel arrangements,” Emirates said, in a statement. “The safety and security of our passengers and crew remain our highest priority.”
Follow CNBC’s live coverage of the U.S.-Israel strikes in Iran
Airspace was closed over Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar, according to Flightradar24.
Air India said it was suspending all Middle East flights on Saturday. Lufthansa Group said it has suspended flights to Israel, Lebanon, Jordan Iraq, and Tehran until March 7. It also said it would reroute some of its flights to avoid airspace in the area.
An American Airlines flight from Philadelphia to Doha turned around near Spain and was en route back to Philadelphia as of Saturday at 9:30 a.m. ET, according to FlightRadar24. Emirates’ Dubai-bound flights from the U.S. diverted to airports throughout Europe.
United Airlines, which serves Tel Aviv and Dubai put travel waivers in place for customers affected by the airspace closures.
Airlines have periodically canceled flights and skirted parts of the Middle East because of security concerns. The airspace closures also mean airlines have to longer routes to other destinations that previously transited the area, requiring them to use more fuel.
