Stranded passengers wait at the Velana International Airport in Male on March 1, 2026 after the cancellation of several flights destined for the Middle East.
Mohamed Afrah | Afp | Getty Images
Travelers are stranded as far away as Australia, Brazil and the Maldives after the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran this weekend. With airspace in the region still closed, getting home could be a challenge at least several days.
Here’s what to know:
Why are flights disrupted?
Around 3,000 flights have been cancelled since the conflict in Iran began Saturday and subsequent attacks by Iran continue to impact other parts of the region, according to aviation-data firm Cirium.
Airspace was closed over a large swath of the Middle East, suspending flights to and from Dubai International Airport, one of the busiest hubs in the world, Tel Aviv, and Doha, Qatar. More than 40 flights were forced to divert early Saturday morning after the attack prompted airspace closures in the region.
That means customers connecting through major hubs in the region are also affected, with vacationers, business travelers, and other flyers stranded around the world.
When will travelers be able to get home?
That remains unclear. As of 11:30 a.m. ET, regional airspace closures continue to affect flights. Airlines will have to reposition their aircraft, which are spread out around the world.
For example, the Airbus A380s, the largest passenger airplanes in the world, that Etihad operates are located in several cities, including London, Paris, Toronto and Singapore. Four are on the ground at its base in Abu Dhabi, Flightradar24 said Sunday. However, Etihad was starting to reposition aircraft at its Abu Dhabi hub, should airspace reopen.
Qatar Airways has one A380 at its Doha base, while others are in Sydney, Bangkok and elsewhere.
Israeli airline El Al paused ticket sales and said its priority over the coming weeks will be to ensure ticket-holding travelers can return home.
Airlines have all issued waivers for affected destinations.
Major carriers are also likely to add extra flights once airspace reopens to accommodate the surge in demand.
The State Department didn’t immediately comment on its plans, but special flights were added around the world to get travelers home when the Covid-19 pandemic began in 2020.
Will travel insurance help?
Standard travel insurance policies generally don’t cover events that have already happened or developed, whether it’s a military strike or a hurricane. Travelers would need to have purchased a more expensive option called “cancel anytime” insurance that allows them to do just that.
—CNBC’s Contessa Brewer contributed to this article.
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