UAE airlines extend Saudi flight cancellations as Riyadh airport reopens on 25 October

Airlines in the UAE have scrapped a number of flights to Saudi Arabia, hitting departures from Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport is due to restart domestic and international operations on 25 October. Gulf News reported that the reopening does not mean every international route returns at once. Some cancellations run into November and December.

The airport's closure followed regional security incidents. After the reopening, Terminal 1 will take domestic traffic, and Terminal 2 will handle international flights of Saudi national carriers.

UAE carriers:

• Etihad has cancelled every Abu Dhabi service to Dammam and Riyadh up to 5 November 2026, plus selected Jeddah flights. It says further changes are possible.
• flydubai has halted Riyadh, Dammam and Abha flights until 29 October 2026.
• Emirates has listed cancellations on several Dubai to Saudi routes. Gulf News also cites data that Emirates suspended Riyadh, Dammam and Jeddah through 25 October.
• Air Arabia has cancelled Sharjah flights to Riyadh, Abha, Dammam and Taif, with no restart date given. Some Sharjah flights to Kuwait, Chattogram and London Gatwick are also cancelled.

Other airlines:

• Air India and Air India Express: Riyadh and Dammam until 7 November, Jeddah until 31 October.
• IndiGo: Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Madinah until 31 October.
• Akasa Air: Jeddah until 10 November, Riyadh until 30 November.
• Lufthansa Group: Riyadh until 18 November, Dammam through 30 November.
• British Airways: limited Riyadh service returns on 3 November, one flight daily.
• Oman Air, SalamAir and KLM: Riyadh cancellations through 31 October.

Flights of Iranian airlines to and from the UAE stay suspended until further notice. So do Emirates codeshare services with flydubai to Tel Aviv, after the 30 September incident involving flydubai flight FZ1073.

Some capacity is coming back to Dubai. Gulf News said as many as 36 weekly Europe routes are expected to return between late October and December 2026, along with Athens and Manila.

For travellers booked to Saudi Arabia, the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority advises checking fare conditions, refund and rebooking rules and luggage limits. Problems should go first to the airline or travel agent. Unresolved complaints can go to the authority within 14 days. Passengers should confirm status with their airline before leaving for the airport.