Which Airlines Are Resuming Flights After the US-Iran Ceasefire? Here’s Who Moved First

Last updated: Apr 15, 2026

Iraqi Airways, Israeli carriers, and flydubai were among the first airlines to announce flight resumptions within hours of the 7 April 2026 US-Iran ceasefire, while most major Gulf and European airlines are taking a slower, more cautious approach to restoring services.

The two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran, announced just before the 8 p.m. ET deadline on 7 April, ended over five weeks of airspace closures, mass cancellations, and rerouted flights across the Middle East. The ceasefire is set to expire around 21–22 April, and peace talks in Islamabad ended without a deal on 12 April — though a second round of talks is under active discussion.

But who actually moved first?

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Iraqi Airways: First National Carrier to Announce Full Resumption

Iraq was the fastest country to reopen its airspace, with the Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority announcing the immediate reopening of all commercial airports — Baghdad, Erbil, Basra, and Najaf — on 8 April, ending a 40-day closure.

Iraqi Airways resumed both domestic and international flights on Friday 11 April, starting with domestic routes linking Baghdad, Erbil, Sulaimani, and Basra, and international services to Istanbul, Cairo, and Amman. The airline has since added Dubai to its resumed routes.

The reopening matters beyond Iraq. The Baghdad Flight Information Region sits at the intersection of the major routing corridor connecting Europe with the Gulf, South Asia, and the Far East.

flydubai: First Foreign Airline to Resume Tel Aviv Flights

flydubai became the first foreign airline to announce the resumption of flights to Tel Aviv, restarting its twice-daily Dubai–Tel Aviv service on the night of 8 April, hours after the ceasefire took effect.

The move made flydubai one of the earliest international carriers to signal confidence in the reopening of Israeli airspace, and the twice-daily schedule remains in operation.

Israeli carriers also moved quickly. El Al has expanded from eight gateways to around 40 destinations as of mid-April, gradually increasing frequencies. Israir has resumed flights to Athens, Larnaca, Budapest, Tbilisi, Batumi, Rome, Berlin, and Rhodes. Arkia is operating flights to Athens, Larnaca, Rome, Vienna, London, Amsterdam, Paris, Bangkok, and New York, with full operations planned from 3 May.

Ben Gurion Airport fully reopened at midnight on 15–16 April, with a growing number of international airlines restarting Tel Aviv services. Etihad resumed two daily Abu Dhabi–Tel Aviv flights on 15 April.

Gulf Carriers: Cautious Recovery

Emirates

Emirates is operating at roughly 70% of its pre-conflict schedule, serving around 125 destinations with approximately 145–150 daily departures from Dubai — the busiest performance since the crisis began. Some routes, including Los Angeles, Houston, and Orlando, remain suspended, with a provisional return date of 1 May.

Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways has ramped up significantly since the ceasefire, operating around 110 daily departures from Doha to 90+ destinations. The airline resumed services to Amman and Beirut on 14 April. Qatar Airways aims to serve more than 120 destinations by mid-June, and plans to return its grounded A380 fleet to service on 1 June.

Etihad Airways

Etihad is operating to around 80 destinations from Abu Dhabi at roughly 65% of pre-crisis capacity. The carrier resumed 5x weekly service to Amman from 1 April, and restarted two daily Abu Dhabi–Tel Aviv flights on 15 April. Passengers holding Etihad tickets for cancelled flights can rebook or request a refund for travel up to 15 June 2026.

Saudia

Saudia resumed daily exceptional flights from Jeddah to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Amman from 11 April. Domestic services and long-haul international routes to Europe, Africa, and South Asia continue to operate normally. Routes to Doha, Bahrain, Kuwait City, Sharjah, Baghdad, and Damascus remain suspended until further notice.

flydubai

flydubai has been more aggressive in rebuilding its network, with over 100 active routes from Dubai. The airline was also the first foreign carrier to restore Tel Aviv service after the ceasefire.

Gulf Air

Gulf Air resumed flights from Bahrain International Airport on 8 April, initially serving 13 destinations including Dubai, Jeddah, Riyadh, London Heathrow, and several South Asian cities. The airline’s temporary operations via Dammam’s King Fahd International Airport continue in parallel through 30 April, maintaining wider connectivity while the full Bahrain schedule is restored.

Air Arabia

Air Arabia launched a brand-new twice-daily Sharjah–London Gatwick route on 29 March — its first-ever UK service — using Airbus A321neo LR aircraft. The route was planned pre-crisis and went ahead regardless, signalling long-term confidence in the market.

Who’s Still Waiting?

Most European carriers remain cautious, with restart timelines extending into May and beyond. The EASA Conflict Zone Information Bulletin — advising airlines to avoid most Middle East and Gulf airspace — was extended on 9 April and remains in effect at least until 24 April 2026.

Lufthansa Group has suspended flights to the region through 30 April, with Tel Aviv suspended through 31 May.
British Airways has cancelled flights to Dubai, Amman, Bahrain, and Tel Aviv through 31 May, and Doha through 30 April.
Air France has extended its Dubai and Riyadh suspension to 3 May.
Wizz Air has suspended flights to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Amman, and Jeddah from mainland Europe through mid-September 2026.

North American carriers including United and Air Canada have not announced resumption plans for Tel Aviv, with suspensions running through September 2026.

The ceasefire is due to expire around 21–22 April. Airlines need sustained stability — and a confirmed diplomatic outcome — before committing aircraft and crew to full schedules. Infrastructure restoration at some airports is expected to take a further 4–8 weeks, pushing meaningful schedule normalisation into late May or early June.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which airline was the first to resume flights after the ceasefire?

Iraqi Airways was the first national carrier to announce a full domestic and international restart, with flights resuming on 11 April. flydubai was the first foreign airline to resume Tel Aviv service, restarting on the night of 8 April.

Is Iraqi airspace fully open now?

Yes — the Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority reopened airspace on 8 April 2026. Baghdad, Erbil, Basra, and Najaf airports are all operational, and Iraqi Airways has resumed both domestic routes and key international services including Istanbul, Cairo, Amman, and Dubai.

Are Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Etihad back to normal?

Not yet. Emirates is at roughly 70% capacity, Qatar Airways is operating 110+ daily flights to 90+ destinations and resuming more routes, and Etihad is at about 65% of pre-war levels. Full normalisation is expected by late May or June 2026.

Is Saudia flying again?

Saudia resumed daily services from Jeddah to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Amman from 11 April. Domestic flights and most long-haul international routes are operating normally. Routes to Doha, Bahrain, Kuwait City, Sharjah, Baghdad, and Damascus remain suspended — check Saudia’s official channels for the latest schedule updates.

When will European airlines resume Middle East flights?

Lufthansa Group has suspended regional flights through 30 April (Tel Aviv through 31 May). British Airways has cancelled Dubai, Amman, Bahrain, and Tel Aviv flights through 31 May. Air France has extended its Dubai and Riyadh suspension to 3 May. Wizz Air has suspended Middle East routes from mainland Europe through mid-September 2026. The EASA conflict zone advisory remains in effect at least until 24 April.

What happens when the ceasefire expires?

The US-Iran ceasefire is due to expire around 21–22 April 2026. Peace talks in Islamabad ended without a deal on 12 April, though a second round of talks is under active discussion. Airlines and airport authorities are monitoring the situation closely — passengers with upcoming travel to the Middle East should check their airline’s latest advisories before the ceasefire deadline.

Sources

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