This is an April 2026 travel advice update for everyone planning their next trip after the war in the Middle East started.
I am planning my next adventures, and I am sure many of you are doing the same. However, with the USA/Israel-Iran war, a lot of flights are getting cancelled or diverted, with travellers being stranded around the globe, or asked not to travel to specific countries. This is why I composed a quick guide, based on the Foreign Travel Advice provided by the UK Government.
Even if you only need to make a connection in one of the transport hubs in the Middle East, such as Doha or Dubai, your trip can be significantly impacted, so checking before you travel is crucial nowadays.
What I have noticed as the conflict develops and more countries get involved is that a lot of air traffic gets diverted and changes its original route, leading to longer travel times, more last-minute changes and higher prices.
Alternatives:
There are some things you can change in your planning that could save you money, time and headaches:
- Use an alternative airport hub. Istanbul is a great example – you can fly in from Europe and then change on a flight to Asia or Africa easily. Sometimes, however, you would have to fly into Istanbul Airport (IST) – on the European side, and fly out of Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW) on the Asian side. Both airports are well connected with the city via Metro trains, so you can still transfer between the two airports without much hassle.
- Change your perspective on the destinations – this is where you can use your creativity. You can decide to fly out to Canada, the Caribbean or explore Europe by train or bus, which will give you access to places that planes don’t land and you tourists usually never get to.
For full advice and updates, check here: Foreign travel advice – GOV.UK or with your local government.
Asia:
Armenia: Avoid all travel to within 5 km of the border with Azerbaijan.
Bahrain: Avoid all but essential travel.
Cyprus: No advice to avoid travel but reiterating that “regional escalation poses significant security risks and has led to travel disruption”.
Georgia: Avoid all travel to the Russian occupied regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia and all but essential travel to near their administrative borders.
Kuwait: Avoid all but essential travel.
Lebanon: Avoid all travel to the following areas of Beirut and its southern suburbs (with exceptions), Mount Lebanon Governorate (with exceptions), South and Nabatiyeh Governorates, Beqaa Governorate, Baalbek-Hermel Governorate, city of Tripoli and to the rest of Northern governorate (with exceptions), Akkar Governorate and the 12 Palestinian refugee camps. Avoid all but essential travel to the rest of Beirut and Mount Lebanon Governorate, and the rest of the Northern Governorate.
Iran: Avoid all travel.
Iraq: Avoid all travel.
Israel: Avoid all travel.
Maldives: Your trip might be affected by travel disruptions.
Oman: Exercise caution and follow advice from the local authorities. Flights can be affected.
Palestine: Avoid all travel.
Qatar: Avoid all but essential travel.
Saudi Arabia: Avoid all but essential travel to the Eastern Province, Riyadh Province and within 80 km of the border with Yemen. Avoid all travel within 10 km of the border with Yemen.
Syria: Avoid all travel.
Türkiye: Avoid all travel to within 10km of the border with Syria.
United Arab Emirates: Avoid all but essential travel.
Uzbekistan: Your travel plans might be affected by the regional conflict in the Middle East.
Africa:
Egypt: Avoid all travel to within 20km of the Egypt-Libya border and to the North Sinai Governorate. Avoid all but essential travel to the northern part of the South Sinai Governorate (with exceptions). Avoid all but essential travel to the Ismailiyah Governorate east of the Suez Canal. Avoid all but essential travel to the area west of the Nile Valley and Nile Delta regions (with exceptions such as Luxor, the Valley of kings and more).
Morocco: No travel warnings.
Seychelles: No travel warnings.
Tunisia: Avoid all travel to Western Tunisia, the Tunisia-Algeria border, the Tunisia-Libya border. Avoid all but essential travel in the areas surrounding the borders.
