With everything flaring up around Iran, travel in the whole region is getting messy and a lot riskier.
In the last few days there have been U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran and Iranian retaliation, on top of ongoing internal protests and crackdowns inside the country. Governments are now mostly at “avoid all travel” levels for Iran, which usually kills your insurance and limits what embassies can do for you if something goes wrong.
For travel, the main effects are:
Practical tips:
In the last few days there have been U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran and Iranian retaliation, on top of ongoing internal protests and crackdowns inside the country. Governments are now mostly at “avoid all travel” levels for Iran, which usually kills your insurance and limits what embassies can do for you if something goes wrong.
For travel, the main effects are:
- Many airlines have suspended flights to/from Iran and nearby countries or are avoiding that airspace.
- Big hubs like Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi have had waves of delays and cancellations because of reroutes and airspace closures.
- Even if you’re just transiting, you can get stranded if your connection relies on routes over Iran/Iraq or through Gulf hubs.
Practical tips:
- Check your airline’s alerts and see if your route crosses Iranian or Iraqi airspace, or relies on hubs in the Gulf.
- Read your government’s current travel advisory for Iran and surrounding countries.
- Build extra buffer into connections, and have a backup routing between Europe and Asia if possible.