Global airlines slowly resume Middle East flights after US-Iran ceasefire, many suspensions extend to October and beyond
Why It MattersAirline capacity into major Gulf hubs is being restored in staggered phases rather than all at once, leaving route access to the region uneven for months after a ceasefire is reached.
What happened
Global air services are gradually returning to normal following a ceasefire between the United States and Iran and a reduction in tensions across the Middle East. Airspace in parts of the region was closed after conflict involving the US, Israel and Iran began in February 2026.
Several airlines have resumed services to parts of the Gulf region, but disruptions remain at key destinations, with some routes expected to stay suspended until autumn or later. Dubai is among the most affected destinations. Airlines under the Lufthansa Group have suspended flights to Dubai, Beirut and other Middle Eastern cities until October 24. British Airways has suspended flights to Dubai, Tel Aviv, Bahrain and Amman until October 25 and plans to operate reduced frequencies once services resume.
Singapore Airlines has suspended flights to Dubai until October 24. Cathay Pacific has extended its Dubai suspension until October 25 and its Riyadh suspension until October 26. Wizz Air has suspended flights from Europe to Dubai and Abu Dhabi until October 24. Air Canada has cancelled flights to Tel Aviv and Dubai until mid-January 2027. KLM has suspended services to Dubai, Riyadh and Dammam until October 24, though flights to Tel Aviv resumed on August 25. Finnair has suspended its winter flights to Dubai until March 27, 2027.
How it unfolded
Finnair's winter Dubai suspension is set to end.
Air Canada's Tel Aviv and Dubai flight cancellations are set to end.
Cathay Pacific's Riyadh suspension is set to lift.
British Airways and Cathay Pacific suspensions to Dubai are set to lift.
Lufthansa Group, Singapore Airlines, Wizz Air and KLM suspensions to Dubai and other cities are set to lift.
KLM resumes flights to Tel Aviv.
Conflict involving the US, Israel and Iran begins, leading to airspace closures in parts of the Middle East.
Industry impact & what to watch
A ceasefire does not translate into an immediate return of scheduled capacity: carriers are staggering resumption dates from late October 2026 through to January and March 2027, reflecting differing risk tolerances and route economics across the same conflict zone. Some airlines have already reinstated service, such as KLM's return to Tel Aviv on August 25, while others with longer-haul or connecting traffic through Dubai are holding suspensions well into next year.
Scheduled international carriers set these dates based on their own network priorities, insurance conditions and aircraft deployment needs, so the same airport can see one airline back and another still absent for months. British Airways has signalled that even resumed flights will run at reduced frequencies rather than full pre-suspension schedules.
The spread of resumption dates - October 24 for several carriers, October 25 and 26 for others, mid-January 2027 for Air Canada, and March 2027 for Finnair - gives a set of concrete dates against which to track whether the region's air links normalise on schedule or slip further.
