Why So Many Major Airlines Are Still Skipping Dubai This Winter

Dubai is still missing a long list of foreign airlines heading into peak season. Skift counts at least 16 non-Gulf carriers that are not flying to the emirate, with the full list stretching toward 20 depending on how it is measured, and many have extended their absence deep into winter.

KLM announced on October 26 that it will skip Dubai for the entire 2026/27 winter, through March 27. Lufthansa Group delayed its return to November 25, Singapore Airlines is out until February 28, and Air France has extended its Riyadh suspension to December 12. Finnair, United, Air Canada, Wizz Air and Virgin Atlantic are also out until spring or later, while British Airways resumes daily flights in early November.

The effect on the city is measurable. AirDNA data shows Dubai short-term rental booked nights down 36 percent year over year for November as of September 30, and CoStar reports UAE hotel occupancy fell 12.3 points to 67.6 percent in September.

Regional security is the backdrop. An October 10 strike at Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport killed 13 people, and Cirium data shows 86 percent of scheduled Riyadh departures have been canceled since October 8. Travelers with Gulf itineraries this winter should confirm that their airline is actually flying their route.

Sources: Skift