Most international airlines have already returned to Dubai. Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways, Air India, IndiGo, Aeroflot, Kenya Airways, Royal Air Maroc, Pegasus and Cebu Pacific are flying to DXB now. Air France resumed Paris–Dubai on 26 August 2026, but subsequent September rotations were cancelled, including the 16 September service; do not treat published availability as confirmation that the route is operating. Return dates for the remaining airlines extend from October through December, while some carriers have not announced a date.
Who is still missing from Dubai
Wego’s schedule data shows no published nonstop service to Dubai from the airlines below. They are grouped by when each says it will return.
| Due back | Airlines |
|---|---|
| Early October | Air Astana plans Almaty–Dubai from 1 October and Astana–Dubai from 2 October. Almaty starts at four weekly flights and is planned to rise to 12 weekly by month-end; Astana starts at three weekly and is planned to rise to 10. |
| Early October | Philippine Airlines, 2 October |
| Late October | Aegean, 23 October. KLM, airBaltic and ITA Airways are suspended through 24 October; Singapore Airlines resumes daily on 25 October. Wizz Air’s European operations plan to restore selected Dubai and Abu Dhabi routes from 25 October; this does not revive the closed Wizz Air Abu Dhabi joint venture. Lufthansa Munich resumes five weekly from 25 October and Frankfurt up to five weekly from 26 October; SWISS Zurich resumes daily from 27 October. |
| November 2026 onward | British Airways plans to restart London–Dubai with an initial daily service from 3 November; its Abu Dhabi suspension runs longer. Eurowings Berlin daily and Stuttgart four weekly from 1 November, and Cologne/Bonn three weekly from 3 November. Cathay Pacific is cancelled through 30 November. Austrian Airlines Vienna–Dubai starts five weekly on 12 December. Air Canada is due back in mid-January 2027. Finnair has cancelled Dubai flights through 27 March 2027, and Virgin Atlantic has dropped its seasonal Dubai route until winter 2027. |
| No date announced | Korean Air. United has moved its Newark restart more than once and has not settled on a date. |
Treat every one of these as provisional. Air France, KLM, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific and United have each changed their Dubai plans more than once this year.
Why so many airlines picked late October
Two things line up at the end of October. The first is EASA’s conflict zone bulletin for the Gulf, revised on 31 August 2026. It rates the risk over Gulf waters as high, but it exempts flights arriving at or departing from airports in the region, and that exemption is what lets a European airline serve Dubai at all. Each carrier then applies its own safety assessment on top, which is why their dates differ rather than moving as a block.
The second is the airline calendar. The northern winter season starts on 25 October 2026, and restarting a route at a season boundary is far easier than mid-season because the schedule, crews and aircraft are already being rebuilt for that date. Several carriers have written off the rest of summer and rolled their Dubai return into winter.
Getting to Dubai in the meantime
An airline being absent does not close the route. Every city on the suspended list still reaches Dubai on another carrier, and Emirates and flydubai are operating their own networks.
- Check who operates the flight. A codeshare ticket can carry one airline’s code and be flown by another. The operating carrier is the one whose status page matters.
- Connect through a hub that is flying. Istanbul, Doha and Delhi all serve Dubai normally and cover most of Europe and Asia between them.
- Compare the whole journey. Search your route on Wego and sort by total duration as well as price. A one-stop on a carrier that is flying usually beats waiting for a nonstop that returns in October.
Dubai International is open and operating, although individual flights may still be delayed or cancelled at short notice. Live boards are on our Dubai International Airport page.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does British Airways fly to Dubai again?
British Airways plans to restart London–Dubai with an initial daily service from 3 November 2026. Its Abu Dhabi suspension runs longer; check the operating carrier’s live status before travel.
Why are some European airlines still out when Dubai airport is open?
EASA rates Gulf airspace as high risk, and although its bulletin exempts flights landing at and departing from UAE airports, each airline still applies its own safety assessment. Most have chosen to restart at the winter season changeover in late October rather than mid-season.
Is Virgin Atlantic coming back to Dubai?
Not this winter. Virgin Atlantic has suspended its seasonal London to Dubai route until winter 2027, which is a network decision as well as a security one.
Can I get a refund if my Dubai flight was cancelled?
Usually yes when the airline cancelled it, though the terms differ. Cathay Pacific, Lufthansa Group and British Airways are all offering affected passengers a refund or a free change. Go back to whoever issued the ticket.
Sources
- The National, which airlines are flying and which remain suspended, 1 September 2026
- Gulf News, which international airlines are flying to the UAE, 31 August 2026
- Gulf News, Air France resumes Dubai flights
- Gulf News, Lufthansa extends Dubai and Abu Dhabi suspension to 24 October
- EASA, Conflict Zone Information Bulletin CZIB-2026-07R2
- Travel Weekly, Virgin Atlantic confirms winter Dubai route suspension
- Dubai Airports, live flight status
- The National, flights delayed and cancelled at Dubai and Abu Dhabi airports, 3 September 2026
Disclaimer: Wego strives to ensure all information presented in this article is accurate and up to date at the time of publication. Travel policies, prices, visa requirements, and conditions can change rapidly. We strongly recommend verifying critical details with official sources before making travel decisions. Wego does not accept liability for any inaccuracies, oversights, or changes that may occur after publication.
