Holiday booked for Dubai or Abu Dhabi this summer? Here’s the latest advice

As summer approaches, many British travellers are unsure whether their trips to destinations like Dubai and Abu Dhabi will go ahead, following months of airspace closures and travel warnings.

Each year, over a million British tourists visit the UAE for holidays in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. In 2025, 1.3 million visited Dubai alone.

After US and Israeli strikes on Iran led to the closure of Gulf airspace on February 28, airspace across the Middle East was shut, causing thousands of flight cancellations.

The conflict is still causing major travel problems beyond the Middle East, since the region is a key hub for flights to places like Southeast Asia and Australia.

Jet fuel prices are rising, and peace talks between the USA and Iran remain stalled. As a result, many airlines, including British Airways, Emirates, and Air France, are extending flight cancellations to the Middle East.

Right now, the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO) still advises against all but essential travel to the United Arab Emirates, including Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Stay in the know by making sure you’re receiving our daily newsletter

It’s guidance, as of 1 June 2026, on travel in the Middle East states: “Regional escalation poses significant security risks and has led to travel disruption.”

“The Iranian regime has publicly stated its intention to target locations associated with the United States and Israel. This includes US or Israeli-linked organisations, businesses, facilities and institutions.”

“Stay away from areas around security or military facilities, and US or Israeli-linked locations.”

“Iranian strikes against civilian infrastructure across the region, such as ports, hotels, roads, bridges, energy facilities, oil production sites, water systems, and airports, have decreased. However, the risk of renewed strikes remains, and further attacks could occur at short notice.”

If you travel against this official advice, your travel insurance will likely be invalid. Authorities strongly recommend that British, Irish, and Australian citizens in the UAE think about leaving if it is safe to do so.

It states, “If your presence in the UAE is not essential, you may wish to consider departing if you judge you can access these options safely.”

The FCDO also advises travellers to check the latest updates from airlines or tour operators, as well as the instructions from local authorities.

It is still unclear when the FCDO will change or lift its current travel advice for the UAE, leaving many Brits concerned their holiday to Dubai may not go ahead this summer.

Before you travel, check the latest FCDO travel advisories. If you travel against FCDO advice, especially when it is “all but essential travel” or “no travel,” your travel insurance may not be valid.

Insurers usually see this as a high-risk situation, so they are unlikely to pay claims for medical treatment, cancellations, or repatriation. Check your policy now to make sure you are still covered.

Travellers are advised not to cancel their flights and holidays due to the conflict, but to check with their airlines and travel providers first.

If travellers cancel a ticket, rather than the airline or package provider, they may lose some of their consumer rights and their ability to claim refunds.

If you have booked a trip but no longer want to travel, the Association of British Insurers suggests contacting your airline and accommodation provider to see what they can offer.

Some airlines, like Emirates, are offering flexible rebooking and refund options for passengers travelling to Dubai, with specific conditions depending on when your ticket was issued and whether your flight was disrupted.

Check all the latest FCDO updates here.



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