Middle East in Travel Stress as Saudi Arabia, UAE, Jordan and Egypt Faces 14 Flight Cancellations with 924 Delays by Saudia, Egypt Air and others at Riyadh, Dubai, Amman, Cairo and more, New Update

Published on December 8, 2025

The daily rhythm of air travel across the Middle East has been disrupted. Today, major airports in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Jordan and Egypt faced a sudden wave of operational stress. In total, 14 flights were canceled and an alarming 924 flights were significantly delayed. This widespread trouble immediately affected key regional hubs. For example, the bustling airports of Riyadh, Jeddah, Medina, Dubai, Amman and Cairo all registered setbacks. National carriers like Saudia and Egypt Air bore the brunt of these issues.

Major Airports Affected

The operational stress was registered across six primary international airports, spanning four key countries in the Middle East: Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Jordan and Egypt.

• Dubai International Airport (DXB), UAE: This vital global hub recorded 2 cancellations alongside a staggering 271 delays, representing the highest volume of delayed services among the affected airports.
• King Khalid International Airport (RUH), Riyadh: The capital city’s main gateway experienced 4 cancellations and 132 delays, placing a considerable burden on travel into and out of Riyadh.
• King Abdulaziz International Airport (JED), Jeddah: A major transit point, particularly for pilgrimage traffic, this airport registered 3 cancellations and 226 delays, making it the second most affected in terms of schedule interruptions.
• Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz International Airport (MED): This key airport for the holy city of Medina recorded 2 cancellations and 57 delays.
• Cairo International Airport (CAI), Cairo: The primary air gateway to Egypt saw 2 cancellations and 191 delays.
• Queen Alia International Airport (AMM), Amman, Jordan: Jordan’s central air hub reported 1 cancellation and 47 delays.

Impacted Airlines

• Saudia: As the national carrier of Saudi Arabia, Saudia was heavily impacted, being attributed with a combined total of 7 cancellations (4 at King Khalid Int’l, 3 at King Abdulaziz Int’l) and 112 delays (34 at King Khalid Int’l, 78 at King Abdulaziz Int’l). This demonstrates the airline’s significant involvement in the operational setbacks across Riyadh and Jeddah.
• Egypt Air: The Egyptian flag carrier was linked to 2 cancellations and 107 delays in total (2 cancellations and 102 delays at Cairo Int’l and 2 cancellations and 5 delays at Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz in Medina).
• Ariana Afghan: This airline was cited for 2 cancellations and 2 delays at Dubai Int’l in the UAE.
• Royal Jordanian: The national airline of Jordan was responsible for 1 cancellation and 18 delays at Queen Alia Int’l in Amman.

Beyond these specific figures, delays were being experienced by several other Airlines, like FlyDubai, Emirates, flyadeal, Flynas, Air Arabia and more.

Probable Impact on Local Tourism

The volume of operational interruptions across major international airports in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Jordan and Egypt is expected to result in measurable negative pressure on local tourism and business travel. The cities of Riyadh, Jeddah, Medina, Dubai, Amman and Cairo, which rely heavily on efficient air connectivity, will feel the effects of this aviation stress.

The 271 delays at Dubai Int’l, for example, would have led to numerous missed connections, reducing the accessibility of the city for transient travelers and potentially impacting local accommodation and ground transport arrangements. Similarly, the extensive delays across the three main Saudi Arabian airports—Riyadh, Jeddah and Medina—suggest a restricted flow of both tourists and business professionals entering the Kingdom. For religious tourism, particularly to Jeddah and Medina, operational setbacks can create significant logistical challenges for large groups of pilgrims. Overall, these widespread travel disruptions invariably translate into a reduction in visitor-friendly conditions, posing an immediate challenge to the hospitality and travel sectors in these prominent regional destinations.

What Affected Passengers Can Do Now

Passengers whose travel plans were compromised by these 14 cancellations and 924 delays across Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Jordan and Egypt are advised to take immediate, proactive steps.

• Immediate Contact: Passengers are strongly recommended to contact their respective airline—Saudia, Egypt Air, Ariana Afghan, or Royal Jordanian—through official customer service channels, such as dedicated mobile applications or call centers, prior to traveling to the airport.
• Monitoring Status: Regular monitoring of the flight status is essential, as the situation at airports like Dubai, Riyadh and Cairo remains fluid.
• Rebooking and Refunds: In instances where a flight cancellation was processed, travelers are typically entitled to rebooking options on the next available flight or a full refund, as dictated by standard passenger rights regulations.
• Flexibility: Due to the large number of affected passengers, processing times for rebooking or alternative routing may be extended. Maintaining flexibility with accommodation and ground transport plans is advised while the operational schedules are stabilized by the airlines and authorities in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Jordan and Egypt.

-The information provided is sourced from FlightAware.