Dubai Airport News Now: DXB Struck, Evacuated, and Shut Down Indefinitely — 261,000 Passengers Stranded Daily

Dubai International Airport — the world's busiest international airport — has been struck, evacuated, and shut down indefinitely as of Saturday night, February 28, 2026. A concourse was directly hit in an incident linked to Iran's ongoing missile and drone campaign. Four staff are injured. Emirates has suspended all flights until at least 3:00 PM UAE time on Sunday. Tens of thousands of passengers are trapped inside right now.

Dubai Airport Struck: Concourse Damaged, Four Staff Injured, Passengers Flee

Dubai International Airport was evacuated after it was allegedly struck by Iran. Footage shared to social media showed passengers hurriedly leaving the world's busiest airport. Video clips showed smoke filling the airport as people fled the scene. Dubai Media Office confirmed four members of staff had been injured. "Dubai Airports confirms that a concourse at Dubai International sustained minor damage in an incident, which was quickly contained. Emergency response teams were immediately deployed and are managing the situation in coordination with the relevant authorities. Four staff sustained injuries and received prompt medical attention."

Dubai's main airport, the world's busiest aviation hub, was partially damaged by a suspected aerial strike on one of its main terminal buildings, marking another escalation after air traffic in the Persian Gulf closed down hours after Iran's retaliatory attacks. The airport operator confirmed the damage was quickly contained but all operations remain suspended indefinitely with no restart timeline given.

Dubai Airport Shut Down Indefinitely — 261,000 Daily Passengers Impacted

Dubai International Airport, the busiest international airport in the world, which handles an average of nearly 261,000 passengers every single day, remains indefinitely shut down due to continuing airspace closures throughout the Middle East as Iran continues missile and drone attacks on the UAE and surrounding countries. Tens of thousands of passengers are believed to be trapped inside the terminal right now, while anyone who has not yet started their journey is urged not to travel to the airport under any circumstances.

All flights due to travel from Dubai International Airport and Al Maktoum International Airport have been suspended until further notice. Dubai Airports advised any passengers due to travel not to go to the airport at this time. Emirates has announced that all flights to and from Dubai will be suspended until 3 PM UAE time on Sunday, March 1. That restart time could slip further depending on how the overnight security situation develops.

Emirates, flydubai, Air Arabia All Grounded — 232 Regional Flights Cancelled

Home carrier Emirates, the world's biggest long-haul airline, said it has suspended all operations to and from Dubai due to multiple regional airspace closures. Its sister airline flydubai also suspended its operations on Saturday. Low-cost carrier Air Arabia cancelled flights to and from the UAE, where it has bases in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and Ras Al Khaimah. Of the 3,422 scheduled flights to Israel, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, the UAE, Qatar, and Jordan, 232 flights — 6.7% — were cancelled on Saturday, according to aviation data research firm Cirium.

EgyptAir announced the suspension of flights from Cairo to Kuwait, Dubai, Doha, Bahrain, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Qusaim, Dammam, Erbil, Baghdad, Amman, Beirut, and Muscat due to the rapid developments and tensions in the region. Turkish Airlines cancelled flights to Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran, and Jordan until March 2 and cancelled flights to Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, the UAE, and Oman through February 28.

DXB Set a Global Record in 2025 — Now at the Center of a War

The timing of the shutdown is devastating for Dubai's economy and global aviation reputation. Dubai International Airport welcomed 95.2 million guests in 2025 — up 3.1% year on year — marking the busiest year in the airport's history and the highest annual international passenger traffic ever recorded anywhere in the world. That record-breaking facility is now dark, damaged, and under an indefinite operational suspension with no timeline for reopening.

On Saturday night, an explosion and fire were reported outside the Dubai Fairmont Hotel and Resort on the Palm Jumeirah, while a drone also struck Kuwait International Airport, causing injuries and damaging the terminal building. Earlier on Saturday, passengers ran for cover at Bahrain International Airport after air raid sirens sounded in the area. Flights also remain suspended at Doha International Airport and Abu Dhabi International Airport.

What Stranded Passengers at Dubai Airport Should Do Right Now

Emirates urges customers to check their flight status on emirates.com for the latest updates before proceeding to the airport. The airline is actively monitoring the situation and engaging with relevant authorities, and is assisting affected customers with rebooking, refunds, or alternative travel arrangements.

Anyone in Dubai has been advised to shelter in place and not to travel at all. The first missile strikes by Iran were targeted at US military sites throughout the region, but this has now escalated to attacks on civilian sites such as hotels and airports. For airlines, it is far too early to say when flights will resume. Even once airspace is reopened, it could take some time for airlines to clear passenger backlogs. The biggest problem is the uncertainty of what comes next. Etihad Airways has suspended Abu Dhabi flights until 2:00 PM Sunday, March 1 — a timeline that aviation analysts warn is highly optimistic given the pace of ongoing Iranian attacks as of Saturday night ET.