Below is a clear, structured, priority‑ranked list of the best places a stranded passenger in the Gulf region should try to reach in order to get a flight home, based on which airports and countries still have open airspace, functioning hubs, and active long‑haul operations. This ranking reflects the current closures across the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and parts of Oman, as well as the continued operation of airports in Turkey, Egypt, and parts of Saudi Arabia.

1) Türkiye — Istanbul Airport (IST)

Top priority. Istanbul remains the largest fully operational international hub near the Gulf region. Turkish airspace is open, and IST continues to operate long‑haul flights to Europe, North America, and Asia. Even though Turkish Airlines has suspended flights to many Middle Eastern countries, flights out of Istanbul to the rest of the world are still running.

• Massive global connectivity
• High flight frequency
• Multiple airlines (Turkish Airlines, Pegasus, foreign carriers)
• Easy onward connections once you reach IST

How to get there: From the Gulf, the only challenge is reaching Istanbul, since direct flights from closed airports are suspended. But if you can reach any open airport in Saudi Arabia or Egypt, you can then connect to IST.

2) Saudi Arabia — Jeddah (JED) or Riyadh (RUH)

Saudi airspace is partially open, and both Jeddah and Riyadh continue to operate domestic and many international flights.

• JED and RUH are functioning normally
• Saudia and foreign carriers still operate long‑haul flights
• Saudi Arabia has one of the lowest cancellation rates in the region (≈14%) compared to the UAE (75%), Qatar (82%), Bahrain (97%)

Why this is a strong option: Saudi Arabia is geographically close to the Gulf, reachable by short‑haul flights from airports that are still open (e.g., Muscat, Cairo), and offers onward flights to Europe, Asia, and North America.

3) Egypt — Cairo International Airport (CAI)

Cairo remains fully operational, with EgyptAir and dozens of foreign carriers continuing long‑haul service.

• Egypt has a relatively low cancellation rate (≈9%)
• CAI is a major African/European/Asian connecting hub
• Airspace is open and stable

Why CAI works well: If you can reach Cairo from a secondary Gulf airport (e.g., Muscat or Salalah), you can then connect to Europe or North America easily.

4) Oman — Muscat (MCT)

Oman has partial disruptions, but Muscat remains one of the few Gulf-region airports still operating.

• Oman’s cancellation rate is lower than Qatar/UAE/Bahrain
• Oman Air continues long‑haul operations
• MCT is a safe staging point to reach Cairo, Jeddah, or Istanbul

Why Muscat matters: If you are stranded in the UAE or Qatar and can cross the border by land (where possible), Muscat may be the nearest functioning airport.

5) Jordan — Aqaba (AQJ)

Amman (AMM) is heavily affected, but Aqaba—far south and away from the main conflict corridors—may still have limited operations.

• Not a major hub, but a possible escape point
• Could connect to Cairo or Istanbul

This is a secondary fallback, not a primary evacuation route.

6) Cyprus — Larnaca (LCA) or Paphos (PFO)

Cyprus is outside the conflict zone and fully operational.

• Many European carriers operate normally
• Good onward connections to Europe and beyond

Challenge: You must first reach Cyprus, which may require flying via Saudi Arabia or Egypt.

7) India — Mumbai (BOM) or Delhi (DEL)

If eastbound routes are open from your location, India is a stable, fully operational aviation market.

• Massive international connectivity
• No airspace restrictions
• Good for onward flights to Europe, Asia, and North America

This is more relevant if you are stranded in Oman or southern Gulf regions.

Where NOT to go (fully closed or non-operational)

These airports are not viable for onward travel right now:

• Dubai (DXB, DWC) — fully closed until further notice
• Abu Dhabi (AUH) — suspended operations
• Doha (DOH) — airspace closed
• Bahrain (BAH) — near‑total shutdown
• Kuwait (KWI) — airspace restrictions
• Tel Aviv (TLV) — closed
• Iraq & Iran airports — closed or unsafe

Priority Ranking (Final List)

1. Istanbul (IST), Türkiye — best global connectivity
2. Jeddah (JED) / Riyadh (RUH), Saudi Arabia — closest major open hubs
3. Cairo (CAI), Egypt — stable, high‑capacity hub
4. Muscat (MCT), Oman — nearest functioning Gulf airport
5. Aqaba (AQJ), Jordan — limited but possible
6. Larnaca (LCA), Cyprus — safe European gateway
7. Mumbai/Delhi, India — strong fallback if eastbound routes are open

The latest data from Cirium on cancelled flights:

TODAY CANCELLATIONS BY ARRIVAL COUNTRY MARCH 2

Arrival Country	Flights Scheduled	Cancelled	Cancel %
Saudi Arabia	1,167	163	13.97%
United Arab Emirates	1,026	774	75.44%
Egypt	474	45	9.49%
Iran	326	20	6.13%
Qatar	322	263	81.68%
Israel	171	138	80.70%
Oman	106	24	22.64%
Jordan	97	46	47.42%
Bahrain	90	87	96.67%
Grand Total	3,779	1,560	41.28%

• We note that the airspace is closed in many countries of the Middle East, and so the cancellation rate should be 100% (for the UAE for example). However, some typically smaller airlines have not updated their schedules to officially cancel flights, or have simply not flown the flights.
• For outbound and inbound arrivals and departures, roughly double the number of flights scheduled/cancelled. Aircraft typically/generally return to their home base every 24 hours.
• There are around 900,000 seats per day scheduled to fly to the Middle East from points abroad, and within the Middle East. 

CANCELLATIONS BY MAJOR GLOBAL AIRLINES TO CERTAIN ARRIVAL COUNTRIES MARCH 2

Airline	Arrival Country	Flights Scheduled	Canceled
(TK) Turkish Airlines	Bahrain	1	1
	Egypt	7	–
	Iran	2	2
	Jordan	4	4
	Oman	1	–
	Qatar	1	1
	Saudi Arabia	14	1
	Turkiye	641	31
	United Arab Emirates	5	5
(SV) Saudia	Egypt	18	–
	Jordan	4	2
	Qatar	1	1
	Saudi Arabia	380	8
	Turkiye	2	–
	United Arab Emirates	13	5
(QR) Qatar Airways	Bahrain	2	2
	Egypt	3	3
	Iran	1	1
	Jordan	3	3
	Oman	3	3
	Qatar	247	216
	Saudi Arabia	19	19
	Turkiye	2	2
	United Arab Emirates	11	11
(EK) Emirates	Bahrain	3	3
	Egypt	5	5
	Iran	1	1
	Jordan	2	2
	Oman	1	1
	Saudi Arabia	10	10
	Turkiye	3	3
	United Arab Emirates	236	227
(FZ) Flydubai	Bahrain	3	3
	Egypt	3	3
	Iran	8	8
	Israel	10	10
	Jordan	1	1
	Oman	5	5
	Qatar	6	6
	Saudi Arabia	22	22
	Turkiye	3	3
	United Arab Emirates	168	168
(EY) Etihad Airways	Bahrain	3	3
	Egypt	2	1
	Israel	5	5
	Jordan	1	1
	Oman	3	2
	Qatar	4	4
	Saudi Arabia	14	11
	Turkiye	1	1
	United Arab Emirates	160	143
(FAD) Flyadeal	Egypt	8	–
	Saudi Arabia	180	1
	Turkiye	2	–
	United Arab Emirates	2	–
(G9) Air Arabia	Bahrain	4	3
	Egypt	4	4
	Iran	1	–
	Jordan	2	2
	Oman	2	2
	Qatar	7	5
	Saudi Arabia	15	15
	Turkiye	2	2
	United Arab Emirates	122	45
(6E) IndiGo	Bahrain	1	1
	Oman	3	1
	Qatar	8	4
	Saudi Arabia	15	4
	Turkiye	2	1
	United Arab Emirates	39	17
(LY) El Al	Israel	60	52
	United Arab Emirates	2	2
(AI) Air India	Qatar	3	3
	Saudi Arabia	4	4
	United Arab Emirates	11	11
(BA) British Airways	Bahrain	1	1
	Egypt	3	–
	Israel	1	1
	Jordan	1	1
	Qatar	2	2
	Saudi Arabia	1	–
	Turkiye	3	–
	United Arab Emirates	4	4
(W6) Wizz Air	Egypt	1	–
	Israel	8	7
	Turkiye	1	–
	United Arab Emirates	3	3
(LH) Lufthansa	Egypt	2	–
	Israel	4	4
	Saudi Arabia	3	3
	Turkiye	2	–
(KL) KLM	Israel	1	1
	Saudi Arabia	2	2

The latest airline news:

Click the image for the latest updates:

March news slide show:

More airline news:

From Cirium:

Flight cancellations to the Middle East, as of 16:45 PM CET, 10:45 New York Saturday, February 28, 2026:

There are now closures of airspace in the UAE and Qatar. The three major airlines operating from there (Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Etihad) connect the Americas, Europe, Africa and Asia, and vice-versa through their hubs — around 90,000 transiting passengers per day (not including passengers destined for the Middle East.) Accordingly, as the conflict persists there will be major disruptions to international connecting travel to all regions. 

TODAY, CANCELLATIONS BY MAJOR MIDDLE EAST AIRLINES

Operating Airline	Flights Scheduled	Is Cancelled	Cancel %
(3L*) Air Arabia Abu Dhabi	56	3	5.36%
(3O) Air Arabia Maroc	40	0	0.00%
(EK) Emirates	512	197	38.48%
(EY) Etihad Airways	299	90	30.10%
(FZ) Flydubai	362	185	51.10%
(G9) Air Arabia	256	21	8.20%
(GF) Gulf Air	138	59	42.75%
(KU) Kuwait Airways	98	39	39.80%
(LY) El Al	22	0	0.00%
(QR) Qatar Airways	535	219	40.93%
(RBG) Air Arabia Egypt	20	1	5.00%
(RJ) Royal Jordanian	113	16	14.16%
(SV) Saudia	542	26	4.80%
(XY) Flynas	333	9	2.70%

Cancellations remain smaller for tomorrow, March 1, however, that will likely grow overnight or for however long the conflict continues.

TODAY, CANCELLATIONS BY ARRIVAL COUNTRY

Arrival Country	Flights	Is Cancelled	Cancel %
Saudi Arabia	1,277	109	8.54%
United Arab Emirates	1,067	373	34.96%
Qatar	335	170	50.75%
Iran*	307	28	9.12%
Kuwait	170	48	28.24%
Oman	122	19	15.57%
Israel	107	52	48.60%
Jordan	105	24	22.86%
Bahrain	102	45	44.12%
Grand Total	3,592	868	24.16%

*Data from Iran is incomplete due to feeds being down.

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Emergence from Chapter 11 expected in late spring or early summer

DANIA BEACH, Fla., Feb. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Spirit Aviation Holdings, Inc., parent company of Spirit Airlines, LLC (“Spirit” or the “Company”), today announced that Spirit has completed another significant milestone in its restructuring by reaching an agreement in principle on the key terms of a restructuring support agreement with its existing DIP lenders and secured noteholders. The agreement in principle will provide Spirit with the financial support needed to finalize its restructuring and complete the remaining changes necessary to optimize the Company’s fleet, network and cost structure. Spirit intends to emerge from Chapter 11 in late spring or early summer as a strong low-cost, value-driven carrier offering Guests basic and premium products at the lowest fares in the sky.

“This agreement in principle is the result of months of hard work and allows Spirit to move toward completing its transformation,” said Dave Davis, President and Chief Executive Officer. “Spirit will emerge as a strong, leaner competitor that is positioned to profitably deliver the value American consumers expect at a price they want to pay.”

Key aspects of the new Spirit:

• Optimized Network: Spirit will align its network and capacity to routes and periods of strongest consumer demand. This includes higher aircraft utilization during peak days while reducing off-peak flying, as well as the flexibility to adjust to seasonal demand across markets.
• More Premium Choices: Spirit will expand its Spirit First and Premium Economy offerings, maintaining its position as the industry price leader, while focusing on value. The Company will also make additional enhancements to its Free Spirit® and co-brand programs to encourage Guest loyalty.
• Stronger Financials: Upon emergence, the Company will have further reduced its cost structure, expanding its cost advantage compared to legacy and other airlines. It is expected that Spirit’s debt and lease obligations will be reduced from $7.4 billion pre-filing to approximately $2.1 billion post-emergence.

“I am grateful to our Team Members for their dedication and unwavering commitment to our Guests throughout our restructuring,” Davis added. “I also want to thank our Guests for continuing to choose Spirit to connect them to the people and places that matter most.”

During the restructuring process, Guests can continue to book, travel and use tickets, credits and loyalty points as normal.

FORT WORTH, Texas, Feb. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — oneworld® today named seasoned aviation leader Ole Orvér as its new chief executive officer. He will join the alliance on 1 April, 2026.

A Swedish national, Orvér brings more than 20 years of industry experience to the role. He most recently served as Chief Commercial Officer at oneworld member airline Finnair, where he transformed the airline’s commercial and network strategy and introduced major new revenue and loyalty initiatives.  

“We are pleased to welcome Ole as CEO of oneworld as the alliance leads the world in redefining the full breadth of value it provides to member airlines and their customers,” said Robert Isom, American Airlines Chief Executive Officer and current Chairman of oneworld’s Governing Board. “With his proven track record of driving commercial performance, deep knowledge of airline partnerships, and extensive international experience, he will continue to deliver on the slate of forthcoming customer-first initiatives that further strengthen oneworld’s position as the world’s premium airline alliance.”

Prior to Finnair, Orvér served as Senior Vice President – Network Management at oneworld member Qatar Airways. Previously he served in leadership roles at Air Berlin, LOT Polish Airlines and SAS Scandinavian Airlines. He holds a degree in Economics from Mid Sweden University, and a certification from the Strategic Thinking and Leadership Growth Program at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

“I am honored to be joining oneworld at a pivotal moment for global travel,” said Orvér. “Together with our member airlines, we will continue the work to showcase the world’s premium alliance, elevate the customer journey, and unlock new tools and technology. By combining our global reach with shared innovation and a relentless focus on excellence, I look forward to delivering even greater value to our members, their customers, and the communities we serve.” 

Orvér replaces outgoing CEO Nathaniel Pieper who recently took on the chief commercial role at American Airlines. “On behalf of the Governing Board, we also extend our sincere thanks to Nat for his leadership and the significant contributions he made during his time as CEO,” Isom said.

Orvér will lead oneworld’s continued mission to deliver enhanced customer benefits through greater member integration and advancements in technology. He will report to the alliance’s Governing Board of member airline CEOs.