Travel In and Out of the Middle East: What the US Government Is Telling Americans?

This weekend, President Donald Trump’s administration joined Israel in launching coordinated strikes against Iran, with combat operations targeting Iranian military infrastructure and leadership.

In response, as reported by Iranian state media, the country retaliated with missile strikes against U.S. bases in countries including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan.

Hundreds of protesters in San Francisco rallied to condemn the United States and Israel for launching what many experts consider unlawful attacks in Iran over the weekend, which also killed leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and civilians. Trump has refused to offer a firm timeline for the bombing campaign in Iran, suggesting it could last over a month and beyond.

The ongoing conflict has led to closed airspace over the Middle East region and a slew of travel advisories from the United States government, which is urging Americans to immediately leave the affected countries.

Keep reading for what to know about traveling in and out of the Middle East, what advice the federal government is offering Americans in the region and what airlines are saying.

• Jump straight to: Where can U.S. citizens in the Middle East get official advice and assistance?

What should Americans know about air travel right now?

The Gulf countries are major hubs for international travel, with carriers including Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways offering layovers to many other countries. Some flights from San Francisco to New Delhi, for example, may have a stop in Doha or Dubai.

Several airports in the region have been hit by the strikes, resulting in damage, suspended flights or severely limited departures, including:

• Dubai International Airport in Dubai: According to the DXB X account, “If your airline has not confirmed your flight is operating, please do not travel to the airport. You will be turned away without confirmation.” The airport provides more information on its social accounts.
• Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi: According to a notice on the AUH X account, “passengers are advised not to travel to the airport unless they hold a confirmed ticket and have been explicitly advised by their airline to do so.”
• Kuwait International Airport in Kuwait: Local media reported over the weekend that arrivals and departures are postponed. 

Many airlines have said they are either canceling or suspending flights to the region entirely, causing panic and confusion for travelers. Flight tracking website Flightradar24 offers a real-time map of regions where airspace is closed, as well as updates on social media.

Passengers and airlines can expect airspace in the region “to be shut for quite some time,” Eric Schouten, head of aviation security advisory Dyami, told Reuters on Saturday.

Countries impacted by the strikes may have also closed their airspace and limited their airlines’ operations. The latest post on the social media platform X from Hamad International Airport, one of the busiest airports in the world, based in Qatar, stated that “passengers are advised not to proceed to the airport.” (Etihad Airways reiterated similar guidance on Tuesday.)

On Tuesday, Qatar Airways confirmed that “flight operations remain temporarily suspended due to the closure of Qatari airspace,” and that the airline “will resume operations” once the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority announces the airspace’s “safe reopening.”

The airline said that Qatar Airways bookings between Feb. 28 and March 10 are eligible for “complimentary date changes of up to 14 days from the original travel date, or a refund of the unused value of your ticket” — but urged passengers to “only contact us if you’re travelling within the next 48 hours,” warning of “high call volumes.”

In a Tuesday update, Emirates said they are continuing “to operate a limited number of passenger repatriation and freighter flights” and are accommodating “customers with earlier bookings as a priority on these limited flights.”

In an advisory to customers, the airline added that people should not go to the airport unless notified and should regularly check on the status of their flight. Passengers can also rebook “another flight to your intended destination for travel on or before 20 March” or request a refund directly with Emirates. If a customer booked with a travel agency, they need to contact the agency.

What travel advisories is the U.S. government issuing to Americans in the region right now?

According to a Monday social media post from the State Department’s Assistant Secretary Mora Namdar, Americans are urged to “DEPART NOW from the countries below using available commercial transportation, due to serious safety risks.”

Those countries listed are:

• Bahrain
• Egypt
• Iran
• Iraq
• Israel
• The West Bank and Gaza
• Jordan
• Kuwait
• Lebanon
• Oman
• Qatar
• Saudi Arabia
• Syria
• United Arab Emirates
• Yemen

An earlier travel advisory on Monday also included Pakistan, where Americans were being urged to “exercise caution” and “avoid large gatherings — with “some areas” of the country categorized under “do not travel for any reason.”

You can find the latest travel advisories on the Department of State’s website.

Where can U.S. citizens who are currently in the Middle East get official advice and assistance?

On Tuesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio released a video message saying that at his direction, the Department of State “has activated a 24/7 task force that is providing American citizens with up-to-the-minute safety and security information.”

The video repeated the Department’s previous guidance issued earlier in the week, which stated that Americans in the “Middle East region who need consular assistance” can contact the agency by calling +1-202-501-4444 from overseas. Callers from within the U.S. or Canada should call +1-888-407-4747.

The Department of State also maintains a “Security Updates for U.S. Citizens” WhatsApp channel, where American citizens can join a chatroom and get direct messages and notices.

Updates are also being shared on the Department of State Consular Affairs’ social media accounts. The agency also recommended that Americans in the Middle East enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive updates from the nearest U.S. embassy. It takes around 20 minutes to create a free account.

The Trump administration has faced criticism for its response to U.S. citizens living in the region. In an interview on Monday with CNN, Randy Manner, a retired major general who is currently unable to leave the UAE, said that Americans “feel abandoned,” in contrast to citizens of the United Kingdom, which was considering arranging transportation out of affected countries for its nationals.

Manner said the State Department was “in survival mode … because as we know, the administration reduced their budget by almost one half over the past year.”

In a Tuesday post on X, California congressman Ted Lieu pointed to the Italian government’s evacuation of its citizens in the Middle East, asking Rubio, “Why are other countries able to get their citizens out of danger?” and demanding the federal government arrange similar charter flights.

KQED has reached out to the State Department for more information on any actions it’s taking around U.S. citizens living in these countries.