Despite heightened tensions following the outbreak of war between Israel and Iran on June 13, air traffic in the UAE has remained largely stable, while Saudi Arabia has seen a dramatic surge in overflights, according to real-time aviation data.
Flightradar24, a Sweden-based flight tracking service, reported that while UAE airspace continues to see consistent volumes, the closure of Iranian and Iraqi airspace has significantly altered flight paths across the region. Overflights above Saudi Arabia — aircraft passing through without landing or departing — have doubled from an average of 700 per day in mid-May to approximately 1,400 daily since June 13. Meanwhile, Afghanistan has witnessed a 500% rise in overflights, jumping from 50 to 280 per day.
The UAE, a major global aviation hub, has maintained an average of 2,725 flights per day this week, only slightly down from 2,838 flights per day before the conflict began. “We measured no appreciable difference in air traffic to, from, or through the UAE,” Flightradar24 told Khaleej Times.
However, several Gulf carriers have been forced to reroute or cancel flights due to airspace restrictions. Qatar Airways and Emirates, the two largest regional carriers, are among the most affected. A large number of Qatar Airways’ flights to Europe and North America previously flew over Iraq, while Emirates used both Iraqi and Iranian corridors. Flydubai, meanwhile, has had to redirect flights over Pakistan and Afghanistan, adding significant time to routes such as Dubai to Moscow, which now takes nearly seven hours instead of five.
“The limited options for air travel between Europe, the Middle East, and Asia have further narrowed, with airspace over Ukraine and Russia already off-limits,” said Flightradar24. This has funneled commercial air traffic over the Black Sea to the north and Saudi Arabia to the south, creating congestion and pushing carriers into longer, costlier routes.
The longer detours are already impacting airline operating costs. Saj Ahmad, chief analyst at UK-based StrategicAero Research, noted that longer flight paths are raising fuel consumption — and, with oil prices climbing from $60 to $74 per barrel over the past month, the economic toll could grow.
“If this conflict persists and oil prices rise to $100 a barrel, we will likely see increased airfares as airlines introduce fuel surcharges,” Ahmad warned.
From May 11 to 17, Emirates led international carriers with 1,354 flights, followed by Qatar Airways (1,225), flydubai (841), and Etihad Airways (542), underscoring the region’s critical role in global aviation. Yet, with more airspace closures possible if the conflict escalates, experts warn of deeper disruptions to flight schedules and pricing in the weeks ahead.
