Dubai Airport Closed, Emirates and Qatar Airways Grounded as Middle East Airspace Collapses

Dubai International Airport, the world's single busiest aviation hub, has suspended all flight operations indefinitely following Iran's retaliatory missile and drone strikes across the Gulf on Saturday, February 28, 2026. Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad, British Airways, Lufthansa, and dozens of other global carriers have either suspended, diverted, or cancelled flights across the region, leaving hundreds of thousands of travelers stranded worldwide.

Dubai Airport Closed Indefinitely After Terminal Sustains Strike Damage

Dubai International Airport was partially damaged by a suspected aerial strike on one of its main terminal buildings, marking a dramatic escalation after air traffic across the Persian Gulf shut down following Iran's retaliatory attacks. The damage to the terminal — the same facility that processes more international passengers annually than any airport on earth — raises serious questions about how quickly Dubai airport can resume normal operations.

Dubai Airports urged travelers to check with their airlines and explicitly warned people not to head to DXB or Al Maktoum International Airport, stating: "Our focus remains on maintaining the highest standards of operational safety and passenger wellbeing." Airspace over the UAE has been partially and temporarily closed as a precaution, with authorities continuing to monitor incoming threats.

Emirates Suspends All Flights, Crews Sheltering in Doha

Emirates, the world's biggest long-haul airline, suspended all operations to and from Dubai due to multiple regional airspace closures. Its sister airline, flydubai, also suspended its operations on Saturday. The scale of the suspension is without modern precedent for the airline, which operates more than 3,500 flights per week from Dubai to over 140 destinations.

Emirates' Dubai-bound flights from the United States were diverted to airports throughout Europe. As of Saturday afternoon ET, the airline had about a dozen crew members — pilots and flight attendants — still stranded in Doha, according to people familiar with the matter. Crews were advised to shelter in place at their hotel in Doha. Passengers on canceled Emirates flights are being offered rebooking without additional fees or fare differences.

Qatar Airways and Doha Flights Suspended Until Further Notice

The Gulf carrier Qatar Airways said it had suspended all flights to and from its hub in Doha. Qatar's airspace was among the first closed after Iran launched its retaliatory strikes, with explosions reported in residential neighborhoods near the capital.

Aviation analytics firm Cirium estimated that at least 90,000 people change flights daily in airports in Dubai, Doha, or Abu Dhabi on just three airlines — Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Etihad Airways. The full downstream disruption of that daily volume being brought to a halt is already rippling from Brazil to Australia, with travelers connecting through the Gulf now stranded at airports across five continents.

British Airways, Lufthansa, and European Carriers Pull Out of Region

German airline Lufthansa cancelled its flights until March 7 to several Middle East destinations, including Tel Aviv, Beirut, Amman, Erbil, and Tehran, due to security concerns. Flights to and from Dubai and Abu Dhabi are also suspended until at least March 1. The Lufthansa Group suspension covers all subsidiary carriers including Swiss International Air Lines and Austrian Airlines operating in the affected corridors.

British Airways said flights to Tel Aviv and Bahrain will be suspended until next week, and flights to Amman, Jordan, were canceled Saturday. Virgin Atlantic cancelled its Heathrow-to-Dubai service and said it would avoid flying over Iraq, meaning flights to and from India, the Maldives, and Riyadh could take significantly longer routes. Air France, KLM, Turkish Airlines, Air India, and ITA Airways have all issued multi-day suspensions covering the affected airspace.

Scale of Cancellations: 1,800+ Flights Gone Saturday Alone

More than 1,800 flights in and out of Middle East countries were canceled on Saturday. Another 1,400 flights in and out of the region were canceled for Sunday, according to Cirium. The total disruption across both days is already far surpassing any single regional aviation crisis in the post-pandemic era.

At least 850 flights were canceled Saturday by Middle Eastern airlines alone, including Emirates, flydubai, Gulf Air, Qatar Airways, and Kuwait Airways. Of 3,422 scheduled flights to the most affected countries, cancellations were highest for flights to Israel at 37.3%, followed by Jordan at 13.3% and Qatar at 10.1%.

What Stranded Travelers Need to Know Right Now

Travel analyst Henry Harteveldt said: "For travelers, there's no way to sugarcoat this. You should prepare for delays or cancellations for the next few days as these attacks evolve and hopefully end. 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."

Airlines urged passengers to check their flight status online before heading to the airport. Some airlines were issuing waivers to affected travelers, allowing rebooking without extra fees or higher fares. Passengers holding tickets on UK or EU airlines, or departing from UK or EU airports, are entitled to care and assistance during delays under existing consumer protection regulations, including meals, refreshments, and overnight accommodation where required.