Dubai is the largest city by population in the United Arab Emirates and one of the world’s most popular holiday destinations. The emirate welcomed 18.72 million tourists last year and claimed a spot in ’s roundup of the world’s best cities for 2025.
But, given its proximity to the unfurling conflict between Israel and Iran right now, it’s a worrying time to be travelling to the city. So, we’ve rounded up everything you need to know about whether it’s safe to travel to Dubai, and what the impact has been on flights so far.
Recommended: Is it safe to travel to the Middle East and Egypt right now?
Is it safe to travel to Dubai right now?
The conflict between Israel and Iran, which escalated again over the weekend after the US bombed three Iranian nuclear sites, is highly unstable. Travellers to the Middle East region have been encouraged to stay as up-to-date as possible on all the latest information.
While travelling to Dubai has not been explicitly advised against by the UK FCDO, flights operated by some carriers to and from the city have been suspended since Sunday, June 22.
Where has been affected by the conflict?
The FCDO last week issued advice against all travel to Israel, and reported that following Israel’s air strikes, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Syria and temporarily Lebanon closed their airspace.
Israel’s foreign minister says the country’s military is continuing to carry out strikes with ‘unprecedented intensity’, and targets in the Iranian capital of Tehran are the latest to be struck. You can follow live coverage here.
Have flights been cancelled?
Yes. According to the Telegraph, British Airways and Singapore Airlines have both suspended flights due to the unfolding conflict.
The UK’s national carrier cancelled two scheduled flights to Dubai and Doha which were set to leave Heathrow on Sunday, and it said any customers set to travel between Sunday and Tuesday, July 24 could rebook for up to and including July 6, free of charge. Currently, there are around 1,000 British Airways passengers waiting to be flown to London from Dubai.
‘As a result of recent events, we have adjusted our flight schedule to ensure the safety of our customers and crew, which is always our top priority,’ said a spokesperson for BA, ‘We are contacting our customers to advise them of their options while we work through this developing situation.’
Singapore Airlines cancelled two flights set to travel in and out of Dubai on Sunday ‘following a security assessment of the geopolitical situation in the Middle East’.
Flights appear to be running as normal from London to Riyadh, and Emirates flights to Dubai and Qatar Airways service to Doha are going ahead.
When will British Airways flights from London to Dubai resume?
British Airways has said it is monitoring the situation and that travellers set to fly up until tomorrow can rebook their flights for up to and including July 6. However, it’s not yet clear if flights will necessarily resume on Wednesday, so the best thing to do is monitor the situation closely and stay up to date with announcements from your travel provider.
What is the UK Foreign Office saying?
The safety and security page for the UAE reads: ‘Ongoing hostilities in the region and between Israel and Iran have the potential to deteriorate further, quickly and without warning including since US military strikes against Iran on 22 June.’
‘There is a possibility of travel disruption, including short-notice airspace closures, delayed and cancelled flights, and other unanticipated travel impacts.’
‘We encourage you to: read the FCDO’s advice on if you’re affected by a crisis abroad; monitor local and international media for the latest information; be vigilant and follow the instructions of local authorities, avoiding all but essential travel to military bases; check with relevant airlines for the latest updates before travelling.’
What should you do if you have a trip booked?
Travelling to the UAE has not explicitly been advised against by the FCDO, so British travellers won’t automatically be entitled to a refund if you choose not to travel.
If you have travel insurance and your airline cancels your flight, you might be able to claim some money back. Alternative options for flying are usually offered by airlines that cancel flights, but as disruptions like this one are outside of airlines’ control, you might not be able to claim compensation from the airline.
Contact your travel provider directly to see what can be done about rescheduling your trip.
Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Travel newsletter for all the latest travel news and best stuff happening across the world.
