Airlines are still cancelling and delaying flights to Saudi Arabia weeks after attacks on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport, and the restart dates keep slipping. Jeddah is gradually coming back, but many services to Riyadh and Dammam remain on hold into late November, and a few carriers have pushed into 2027. If you’re booked to Riyadh, Dammam, Jeddah, Abha or Madinah this month, including for Umrah, check every sector with the operating airline before you leave for the airport.

Below is where major airlines stood as of Nov. 10, 2026, based on a Travel Monitor roundup that draws on The National and Gulf News. These dates have already moved once and may move again.

Why flights are still disrupted

Yemen’s Houthi forces attacked Saudi aviation sites in October, including Abha International Airport and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) confirmed fatalities and injuries, including in an Oct. 10 strike on the Riyadh airport, Gulf News reports.

The National says King Khalid International Airport partially reopened on Oct. 25 but is still operating under restrictions. Some Saudia flights that serve the capital have been rerouted through Al Qassim or Dammam, with passengers finishing the trip to Riyadh by bus. Gulf News reported that Saudi authorities issued emergency warnings in Yanbu and Sharurah on Nov. 5; Civil Defence later said the danger had passed.

Australia’s Smartraveller advice, cited by Travel Monitor, is to reconsider travel to Saudi Arabia overall and not to travel within 30 kilometers of the border with Yemen.

Which airlines are still suspended, and until when?

Treat these as the latest published end dates, not a guarantee the first flight after that date will operate. Confirm with the airline.

Still cancelled or delayed on Riyadh, Dammam or both

• Etihad Airways: All passenger and cargo flights between Abu Dhabi and Riyadh, and Abu Dhabi and Dammam, cancelled through Nov. 19. Khaleej Times reports Etihad resumed selected Abu Dhabi–Jeddah flights (EY601/EY602 and EY603/EY604) on Nov. 6, with other Jeddah services continuing as scheduled.
• flydubai: Flights to Riyadh and Abha cancelled through Nov. 16, inclusive. Dammam was listed as available from Nov. 10, and Riyadh and Abha bookings appear from Nov. 17, but the airline has said those two cities remain cancelled through the 16th. Jeddah, Gassim, Ha’il, Tabuk, Taif and The Red Sea (RSI) have been listed as operational.
• Lufthansa: Riyadh suspended through Nov. 18; Dammam through Nov. 30.
• KLM: Riyadh and Dammam cancelled through Nov. 27.
• IndiGo: Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Madinah cancelled through Nov. 14.
• Air India: Riyadh and Dammam suspended through Nov. 14. An earlier National report also listed Jeddah in some Air India updates, so check the latest advisory.
• Akasa Air: Riyadh cancelled through Nov. 30. The National earlier said Jeddah was suspended through Nov. 18.
• Philippine Airlines: Riyadh flights PR654 and PR655 cancelled through Nov. 29.
• SalamAir: Riyadh and Dammam cancelled through Nov. 30.
• Air France: Riyadh suspended through Dec. 12.
• Cathay Pacific: Riyadh cancelled through Jan. 31, 2027.
• British Airways: London Heathrow–Riyadh restart pushed back to Jan. 11, 2027. BA has also permanently discontinued London–Jeddah.
• Delta Air Lines: The planned Atlanta–Riyadh launch has been postponed to March 2027; it had been due to start Oct. 23.
• Qatar Airways: Temporary suspension of flights to Riyadh, Dammam, Abha and Taif, with no resume date in the latest National advisory, plus a reduced Jeddah frequency.
• Air Arabia: Sharjah flights to Riyadh, Abha, Dammam and Taif remain suspended, with no restart date listed.

What’s coming back

Jeddah has been the first major city to reopen in a meaningful way. Besides Etihad’s Nov. 6 restart, The National reported that some Emirates Dubai–Jeddah services resumed on Oct. 30, and Emirates services to Madinah had continued. Emirates had also scheduled Dubai–Riyadh and Dubai–Dammam passenger flights to resume on Nov. 8, but Travel Monitor’s Nov. 10 list did not reconfirm that restart. Do not assume those Emirates flights are operating; check emirates.com before you travel.

Oman Air told travel firm GTS that Muscat–Riyadh was scheduled to resume Nov. 8, also worth rechecking today.

Scoot, the Singapore Airlines low-cost carrier, has extended cancellations on Singapore–Jeddah (TR796/TR797) through Feb. 28, 2027, according to The National.

What travelers should do now

1. Check the operating airline, not just the booking site. Codeshares and Gulf-hub connections can look fine on a ticket while the Saudi leg is cancelled.
2. Look up rebooking and refund rules for your fare. If your flight was cancelled, most airlines will offer a change or refund, but policies differ and seats on the first days back will be tight.
3. Allow extra time if you are rerouted inside Saudi Arabia. A Saudia flight that lands in Dammam or Al Qassim, followed by a bus to Riyadh, is not a same-length trip as a direct arrival.
4. Umrah and religious travel: Jeddah and Madinah have more options than Riyadh, but IndiGo’s Madinah cancellation through Nov. 14 shows those cities are not automatically safe bets. Confirm every sector.
5. Review travel insurance and government advice before you decide to go or to postpone.

This is one of several live disruptions on the travel map this month. Naples Airport remains closed for runway work through Nov. 30, with flights moved to Salerno, which we covered in our guide to the Naples Airport closure and how to get there from Salerno. Holiday ticket prices are already elevated, so a forced change can get expensive; see why holiday airfare in 2026 has hit a 10-year high and how to still shop for a replacement seat.

If Europe is part of the same itinerary, it’s also worth remembering last week’s France strike and what it meant for Paris trains, the Metro and Eurostar, because a missed Saudi connection can cascade into a tight European arrival.

FAQ

Is Riyadh airport open?

Yes, but not normally. The National reported that King Khalid International Airport partially reopened on Oct. 25 and is still operating under restrictions. Many international airlines have not restored their Riyadh schedules.

Are Jeddah flights operating?

Some are. Etihad resumed selected Abu Dhabi–Jeddah flights on Nov. 6, some Emirates Dubai–Jeddah flights resumed earlier, and flydubai has been selling Jeddah. Other airlines, including IndiGo, have still been listing Jeddah cancellations. Check your carrier.

When will flights get back to normal?

There is no single date. Some Gulf carriers are targeting mid- to late November for Riyadh and Dammam. Others have pushed into December, January or March 2027. Restart dates have already slipped.

Should I still travel to Saudi Arabia?

That is a personal decision based on your itinerary, your airline’s current schedule and official travel advice. Smartraveller currently tells Australians to reconsider travel to Saudi Arabia overall and to stay at least 30 kilometers from the Yemen border.

What if I have a connecting flight through Dubai or Abu Dhabi?

Check both legs. A flight into the Gulf may still operate while the onward flight to Riyadh or Dammam is cancelled.

We’ll update this if major airlines change their restart dates. Sources: Travel Monitor (Nov. 10, 2026), The National, Gulf News, Khaleej Times.

Featured image: Departures at King Khalid International Airport, Riyadh, August 2019, photo by Kskhh, via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped).