Airlines based in the United Arab Emirates are continuing to adjust their flight schedules to Saudi Arabia, with services to Riyadh and Dammam among the most affected, even as some routes across the kingdom gradually resume operations. The disruption, caused by missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, has now stretched into its second month, and the latest updates show no quick return to normal.
Etihad Airways has extended cancellations to Riyadh and Dammam until 19 November, cancelling all passenger and cargo flights between Abu Dhabi and the two Saudi cities through that Thursday. Emirates flights between Dubai and Riyadh and between Dubai and Dammam remain cancelled until at least 13 November, while flydubai flights between Dubai and Riyadh and between Dubai and Abha remain suspended, with no confirmed date for their resumption. Air Arabia flights to Riyadh and Abha remain cancelled until at least 13 November.
King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh has partially resumed operations following a suspension in October after attacks on the facility, and some routes across the kingdom, including to Jeddah and Medina, are operating. But the picture remains patchy, with airlines cancelling individual rotations based on evolving airspace and airport conditions, and passengers facing uncertainty about whether their flights will operate.
The disruption is the result of a campaign of missile and drone attacks by Yemen's Houthi movement, which has intensified its launches towards Saudi Arabia in recent weeks. A series of attacks in October on multiple Saudi airports caused fatalities and injuries and prompted renewed warnings from the group that most airports in the kingdom remain potential targets. Saudi defences intercepted Houthi missiles and drones aimed at Riyadh and Mecca for a second day this week.
For the UAE's carriers, the impact has been significant. The dense network of flights linking Dubai and Abu Dhabi to Saudi business and pilgrimage centres is one of the busiest in the region, and the cancellations have hit both business travellers and pilgrims. Flight status data for 11 November showed that all four scheduled flydubai services from Dubai to Dammam were cancelled, while other Saudi routes such as Jeddah and Medina remained in operation.
Dubai's status as a key transit hub has amplified the disruption for passengers bound to and through the kingdom. Travellers who would normally change planes in Dubai or Abu Dhabi on their way to Riyadh or Dammam have had to find alternative routes, or to postpone their journeys altogether. The airlines have been updating their schedules daily, but the lack of a firm date for the resumption of some routes has made planning difficult.
The flight suspensions are part of a wider pattern of disruption across the region. Singapore Airlines has extended its Singapore-Dubai flight cancellations until February 2027 as Middle East tensions persist, and other carriers have also adjusted their schedules. The war on Iran, which began in late February, has cast a shadow over the whole region's aviation, with airlines having to navigate airspace closures, insurance costs and the risk of further attacks.
For the airlines, the priority is safety, and the cancellations reflect a cautious approach to operating in a conflict zone. For the passengers, the disruption is a reminder of how quickly a regional war can reach into everyday life, turning a routine business trip or a pilgrimage into a journey that cannot be made.
The latest updates suggest the situation will not be resolved soon. Etihad's cancellations run to 19 November, and flydubai has given no date at all for the resumption of its suspended routes. Until the security situation improves, the flights between the UAE and Saudi Arabia's two biggest cities will remain grounded, and the region's busiest air corridor will stay disrupted.
Travellers planning to fly between the two countries are advised to check with their airline before travelling, as schedules are changing daily. The airlines have said they will update their passengers as the situation develops, but for now, the message is clear: the flights are cancelled, and no one can say for certain when they will resume.
