The on-again, off-again, on-again war between Iran and the U.S. and Israel continues to rollercoaster travel plans in the Middle East.
In its latest travel advisory on the region, the U.S. State Department warned travelers to “be prepared for flight cancellations, periodic airspace closures and potential travel disruptions” due to armed conflict in the region.
The warning came even as the Trump administration was halting new attacks on Iran, claiming that peace talks were underway—a pattern that has repeated several times over the more than 5-month-long conflict.
Advisories Warn of Middle East Flight Disruptions
The Aug. 1 alert noted that some airlines have postponed resumption of earlier flight schedules, while others have cancelled flights. “Americans in the region should consider departing, or be prepared to depart should there be escalation” of fighting, the alert advised. “Americans outside the Middle East should seriously reconsider travel to and through the region.”
Middle East countries like Qatar and Dubai are home to major airline hubs, and many flights bound for Europe and other destinations transit the region; Dubai International Airport is the world’s busiest international airport.
“Those who do travel to or from the region should monitor information about airport and airline operations,” according to the State Department.
The Trump administration also has issued multiple travel advisories concerning individual destinations in the Middle East. Iran, for example, is listed as Level 4 on the agency’s 1-4 warning scale, with Americans advised not to travel to the Islamic Republic. Other countries under Level 4 alerts include Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen.
Travelers to Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are advised to reconsider travel under the State Department’s Level 3 alert.
A Level 2 alert (exercise increased caution) has been applied to Egypt. The latest warnings do not include Israel.
