Dubai has shut down its airports, including the world’s busiest international hub, Dubai International Airport (DXB), along with Dubai World Central–Al Maktoum International (DWC). It has suspended all flight operations indefinitely amid escalating regional hostilities that have closed Gulf airspace and triggered missile attacks across the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Authorities have advised passengers not to travel to the airports and to contact their airlines for the latest updates.
The shutdown, announced on 28 February 2026, follows Iran’s retaliatory missile and drone strikes across the Persian Gulf after a U.S.–Israeli military operation against Iranian targets earlier in the week. The UAE government cited airspace safety concerns as the principal reason for halting flight operations, affecting hundreds of flights and global connectivity.
Officials confirmed that both DXB and DWC have no scheduled arrivals or departures “until further notice,” disrupting routes linking Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Emirates, flydubai, and several international carriers have suspended flights, with hundreds of arrivals and departures cancelled or rerouted as airlines avoid closed airspace corridors.
The closure has reverberated throughout global air travel networks. Middle Eastern hubs, including Doha and Abu Dhabi, have also remained closed due to airspace restrictions, leaving tens of thousands of passengers stranded and forcing long-haul carriers to cancel or alter schedules far beyond the region.
Satellite-tracked flight maps show nearly empty skies over large swathes of the Gulf since the weekend, and carriers such as Air India, Lufthansa, and British Airways have paused services to the region. Flight tracking services estimate thousands of cancelled flights across several airports in the Middle East during the peak of the disturbance.
The infrastructure at Dubai International also sustained minor damage during the strikes. A terminal concourse was struck, and authorities confirmed four injuries among airport staff, though there have been no reports of major structural collapse. The incident contributed to the decision to close the airport as military tensions intensified.
The UAE’s Civil Aviation Authority and airlines have been scrambling to support affected passengers, with reports indicating that the government is handling accommodation and meal arrangements for thousands of travelers displaced by flight cancellations. Similar measures are underway at other Gulf points of transit struggling with the fallout.
Authorities have not disclosed a timeline for reopening the airports, and the situation remains fluid as regional diplomatic and military pressures continue to mount.
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