If you have a flight to Saudi Arabia in the coming days, check it twice. Airlines based in the UAE are still trimming and rearranging their Saudi schedules, with some routes dark for another week or more and others returning in stages.

Etihad: Riyadh and Dammam off until 19 November

Etihad Airways has extended the cancellation of all passenger and cargo flights between Abu Dhabi and the Saudi cities of Riyadh and Dammam until Thursday, 19 November. There is better news for Jeddah: Etihad's four daily services on that route (EY601 to EY604) resumed on 6 November, and its other flights are operating as scheduled.

Emirates: a mixed picture

Emirates has cancelled a number of services on Saudi routes today. On the Dubai–Dammam route, flights EK821, EK823 and EK827 and their return legs EK822, EK824 and EK828 are off. Dubai–Riyadh flights EK815, EK817 and EK819 and the returns EK816, EK818 and EK820 are also cancelled. To Jeddah, EK801 and EK802 are cancelled while EK803 to EK806 are scheduled. Flights to Madinah show a mix of arrivals, departures in progress and scheduled services.

flydubai restores services gradually

flydubai has been bringing Saudi destinations back one at a time. Flights to Jeddah, Madinah, Gassim, Ha'il and Tabuk are operating. Dammam services are due to resume on 10 November, while Riyadh and Abha stay suspended through 16 November. The airline's booking platform shows flights to those two cities from 17 November, but passengers are told to confirm directly before relying on that.

Air Arabia: partial service from Sharjah

Air Arabia has cancelled flights between Sharjah and Abha, Riyadh, Jizan and Tabuk. It continues to fly to Dammam, Gassim, Ha'il, Jeddah and Madinah. The carrier has also cancelled a range of non-Saudi services, including several to Dhaka, Colombo, Amman, Beirut, Kuwait and Damascus.

At Dubai International, six flynas flights to Riyadh and Gassim were cancelled on Sunday, and services by SpiceJet, Aeroflot, Kenya Airways and Airblue were delayed.

Other airlines are cutting Saudi flying too

The pattern extends well beyond Gulf carriers. IndiGo has cancelled Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Madinah services until 14 November. Air France has suspended Riyadh flights until the same date, Lufthansa until 18 November, and KLM has cancelled Riyadh and Dammam until 27 November. Some Saudi airlines, including Saudia and flyadeal, are using Qassim airport for Riyadh traffic, with bus transfers linking it to the capital.

Separately, the UAE's General Civil Aviation Authority has suspended flights by Iranian airlines to and from the UAE until further notice. Passengers booked on those carriers are being told to contact their travel agents or the airline for rebooking and refunds.

Europe is returning, Asia is waiting

Not all the news is negative. British Airways restarted daily Heathrow–Dubai flights on 3 November. Lufthansa, SWISS and Eurowings are scheduled to return on 25 November, and Austrian Airlines on 12 December. Philippine Airlines, Air Astana and Aegean have already resumed services to Dubai.

Others are staying away longer. Cathay Pacific has suspended Dubai flights until 31 January 2027, KLM until 27 March 2027 and Air Canada until the end of March 2027, while Virgin Atlantic does not plan to return before 2027. Luxair has pushed its comeback to February 2027 at the earliest.

Diwali travel and airport advice

The disruption coincides with the Diwali holiday period, one of the busiest times of year for travel between the UAE and South Asia. Zayed International Airport has advised passengers to arrive early and check their airline's website before leaving. The airport is also hosting Diwali activities from 7 to 11 November, including a treasure hunt with a gold bar as the prize. UAE residents can join without a flight ticket, but they need an airport visitor pass and a pre-booked slot.

What passengers should do

Check your flight status with the airline on the day, and again before leaving for the airport.

Do not treat a booking-site listing as proof that a flight is operating.

Arrive earlier than usual, especially during the Diwali rush.

If your flight is cancelled, ask about rebooking or a refund, which several carriers are offering.

Stranded travellers in Saudi Arabia may look at alternatives such as road routes to neighbouring Gulf states, intercity buses or Saudi rail services.

The US Mission to the UAE has also warned of possible flight cancellations, airspace closures and wider travel disruption, as regional security concerns continue. The picture can change within hours, so a quick check before you set out is the safest plan.