Victoria Coates, vice president of National Security at the Heritage Foundation, discusses Iran’s increasing isolation from its regional neighbors, concerns about U.S. supplies and the impact on the Strait of Hormuz on ‘Varney & Co.’
The unrest in the Middle East is paralyzing global air travel and disrupting the flight schedules of many airlines, leaving passengers stranded at foreign airports.
Airlines around the world have canceled flights after Israel and the US launched a joint attack on Iran as part of Operation Epic Fury.
Emirates has temporarily suspended flights to and from Dubai due to the unrest in the region. It said it will resume operations for a “limited number” later on Monday and give priority to customers with previous bookings.
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Etihad said in a statement that all commercial scheduled flights to and from Abu Dhabi will remain suspended until 2pm UAE time on March 4. The airline said some “repositioning, cargo and repatriation flights may be operated by UAE authorities and are subject to strict operational and safety approvals.”
Emirates and Etihad Airways have temporarily suspended flights to and from Dubai. (Johannes Christo/Reuters)
Both airlines urged passengers not to travel to the airport unless the airline was notified.
Major US airlines with operations in the Middle East have canceled flights and granted travel exemptions to customers.
US airlines
The US and Israel launched a joint attack on Iran as part of ‘Operation Epic Fury’. (Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
American Airlines said passengers traveling to, through or from Abu Dhabi, UAE; Amman, Jordan; Bahrain, Bahrain; Doha, Qatar; Dubai, UAE; and Larnaca, Cyprus, are eligible for a change fee waiver if they:
- Are you traveling on an American Airlines flight?
- Can be booked in any fare class, including Basic Economy
- I purchased a ticket before February 27, 2026
- The trip is scheduled from February 28, 2026 to March 15, 2026
- Can travel from February 28, 2026 – March 29, 2026
- Do not change the place of origin or destination
- Rebook in the same cabin or pay the difference
- Cancel the trip and request a refund
Delta Airlines
Delta canceled flights to and from Tel Aviv due to unrest in the Middle East. (Patrick van Katwijk/Getty Images)
Delta Air Lines canceled flights from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport to Tel Aviv, Israel, through March 8, and from Tel Aviv to JFK through March 9. The airline said customers affected by flight cancellations will receive notifications. Customers traveling between February 28 and March 31 can reschedule their trip or cancel their reservation.
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Passengers who choose to cancel their reservation can receive a refund for the portion of their ticket not flown through Delta’s website, or the unused value of the ticket will be issued as an e-credit that can be applied to a new ticket.
The fare difference will be waived for passengers who rebook their trip on or before April 15, 2026 in the same cabin as originally booked. A fare difference may apply if the original booking class is not retained in the rebooked itinerary. If traveling after April 15, 2026, the airline says the change fee will be waived, but a fare difference may apply.
United Airlines
United canceled flights to Dubai and Tel Aviv through March 4 and March 6, respectively. (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
United Airlines canceled flights from the US to Dubai until March 4 and those from the US to Tel Aviv until March 6. The airline has issued two waivers in connection with the unrest in the Middle East.
Customers who purchased tickets on or before February 27, 2026 for flights to or from Dubai or Tel Aviv with original travel dates through March 7, 2026, can reschedule the trip and will not be charged any golf fees or fare differences.
However, the new flight must be a United flight departing between February 28 and March 15. The airlines said the tickets must be in the same cabin and between the same cities as originally booked.
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Customers who book a new trip or to a different destination after February 27, 2027 will not be charged a change fee, although they may be charged a fare difference. Travelers can receive a full refund if they cancel or do not make the trip.
The second notice covers Dubai and Tel Aviv, as well as airports in Abu Dhabi, Beirut, Lebanon and Erbil, Iraq.
Customers who purchased tickets on or before February 28, 2026 with original travel dates between March 8 and March 31, 2026 can reschedule without any change fees or fare differences.
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The new flight must be a United flight departing between March 1 and March 31, 2026. The airlines said the tickets must be in the same cabin and between the same cities as originally booked.
Change fees will be waived for customers who book a new trip, or to a different destination, after March 1, 2027, although they may be required to pay a fare difference.
