Over 1,800 Flights Grounded Amid US-Israel-Iran Conflict Escalation

More than 1,800 flights have been cancelled across the Middle East following US and Israeli strikes on Iran that began on February 28, 2026, triggering widespread airspace closures.

The conflict intensified after Iran launched retaliatory missile attacks on Gulf capitals, damaging key airports including Dubai International. Seven nations—Iran, Iraq, Israel, Syria, Kuwait, and the UAE—have imposed partial or full airspace shutdowns, severely disrupting global aviation.

According to Cirium data, 966 inbound flights (22.9% of 4,218 scheduled) to Middle East countries were axed on February 28, with totals surpassing 1,800 when including outbound services; cancellations climbed to 716 more on March 1.

FlightAware reports over 19,000 delays and 2,600+ cancellations worldwide by early March 1.

Major airlines have suspended routes through early March:Emirates and Etihad halted flights to/from hubs like Dubai and Doha.

Air France cancelled services to Dubai, Riyadh, Beirut (Feb 28) and Tel Aviv (through Mar 1).British Airways grounded Tel Aviv and Bahrain (to Mar 4) plus Amman (Feb 28).

Lufthansa Group suspended Tel Aviv, Beirut, Amman, Erbil, Tehran (to Mar 7) and Dubai/Abu Dhabi (to Mar 1).Turkish Airlines halted 10 nations including Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Jordan (to Mar 2).Others like Swiss, Air India, Norwegian, and Wizz Air cut Tel Aviv, Dubai, Doha, Amman through March 7.Travel chaos continues as airlines reroute and monitor the unfolding crisis.