Gulf aviation chaos: UAE residents turn to secret land routes to escape travel shutdown amid Iran and US–Israel war

The escalating conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel is increasingly reshaping daily life across the Middle East, with thousands of travellers and expatriates in the Gulf facing unprecedented travel disruptions. As airspace closures and flight cancellations ripple across the region, many UAE residents are now relying on land corridors and emergency “departure assistance” services to leave the country or reach international flights elsewhere.

The crisis began after coordinated US and Israeli strikes on Iran in late February 2026, which triggered retaliatory missile and drone attacks across the region. Since then, several Gulf countries have temporarily closed or restricted their airspace due to security concerns, causing widespread disruption to global aviation and leaving travellers stranded.

Land routes become a lifeline in the UAE amid Iran and US-Israel war

With flights suspended or heavily limited, many residents in the UAE are now traveling by road to neighbouring countries such as Oman or Saudi Arabia to catch available international flights. Travel agencies and relocation firms have begun offering “departure assistance” packages, helping residents arrange visas, ground transportation and onward flights from alternative hubs.

These land corridors have become a critical workaround as airlines struggle to maintain normal operations. The Gulf region, home to major aviation hubs like Dubai and Doha, normally handles hundreds of thousands of transit passengers daily, making disruptions especially severe for global travel networks.

Some airlines have started limited relief operations to ease the backlog of stranded passengers. For example, certain carriers have launched repatriation flights to major European cities, although the number of seats remains limited and schedules uncertain.

Growing anxiety among UAE residents amid Iran and US-Israel war

The war has also heightened anxiety among expatriates and tourists. Missile alerts and security advisories in parts of the Gulf have pushed some governments to advise their citizens to leave the region or postpone travel plans. Meanwhile, families and travellers who had planned vacations or business trips now face costly delays and uncertainty about when normal travel will resume.

For many UAE residents, especially expatriates who depend on regular travel to visit family or maintain jobs abroad, the situation has forced difficult decisions. Some are choosing to wait for flights to resume, while others are making long overland journeys to secure safe routes out of the region.

The travel chaos highlights how deeply global mobility depends on the Middle East’s aviation corridors. Analysts warn that if the conflict continues, airlines may have to permanently reroute major intercontinental flights, potentially increasing travel times, fuel costs and ticket prices worldwide.

For now, land routes, temporary flight corridors and emergency travel services remain the primary lifelines for residents navigating a rapidly changing geopolitical landscape. As diplomatic efforts continue and security conditions evolve, the coming weeks will determine whether the Gulf’s critical travel networks can return to normal—or whether the region faces a prolonged period of disruption.