On the last day of February, the U.S. State Department issued a worldwide caution to all U.S. citizens. The caution follows the joint attack on Iran by Isreal and the United States. The warning indicates that travelers should prepare for delays and cancellations to air travel. Further, the State Department advised Americans worldwide to, “exercise increased caution.”
What Is Impacted
Over the weekend, airspace over large parts of the Middle East was closed. How long those closures will last is unknown but if past is any indication it is likely to last for longer than a week. In June of 2025, when the last joint U.S. and Israeli attack on Iran was launched, the airspace disruption lasted for 12 days.
The only clarity to be found regarding travel disruptions is that they are happening. Airspace has already been closed in the region and passengers have already been stranded. To give a sense of scale to the disruption, the airports in Lebanon, Jordan, Isreal, Qatar, Kuwait, and the UAE were just some of the countries that experienced flight cancellations.
Airlines have already advised passengers to keep a close eye on their flight status. There were a number of airlines that have issued waivers to impacted passengers allowing rebooking their flight without paying additional fees or higher fares.
What To Expect
This is our take on the situation. If you are traveling to the region soon, definitely in the next two weeks, your flight will almost certainly be delayed or cancelled. Be ready to adjust your plans with no notice.
Travelers who are not traveling to the Middle East may not be directly impacted by the disruptions, but it is likely some knock-on effects will be felt. What those effects are remains unknown but there are a few things that could be easily imagined.
Increased security screening could be seen at all airports. The State Department indicated that this was a caution for U.S. citizens worldwide, which means here at home as well. Additional delays in TSA screening and customs is, in my opinion, likely. These delays are on top of any delays from the Department of Homeland Security’s decision last week to suspend Global Entry and TSA PreCheck (they quickly reinstated PreCheck).
The U.S. State Department’s Worldwide Travel Caution Could Herald Many Headaches.
Beyond the security delays, airlines themselves are massive machines and disrupting travel in one region can make things harder in other regions. I guarantee that you’ve had a flight delayed because a flight was delayed from another region. That could be because flight crew was needed from the other flight or it is just causing a disruption in takeoff and landing schedules.
The worldwide travel caution may also mean more crowded airports with more passengers on edge. Last-minute cancellations and delays could mean people stuck at terminals waiting hours or days. Those frustrations compound on everyone in the airport and airplane. Flight crews then have to deal with the additional pressure.
In short, be ready for tension and stress when travelling.
What Can You Do?
I give this advice to every single person who travels, regardless of the circumstances, timing, or destination: “Be aware, be prepared, and be reasonable.”
When you plan for the possibility of delays, it’s less stressful when they happen. If you get travel insurance, it can protect you from losses from disruptions. If you stay reasonable and calm, especially when dealing with employees of companies like Delta (think of gate agents and flight attendants), it will pay dividends.
