Saudi Airports: What the Travel Advice Says Now
After a serious incident at Riyadh's main airport, the UK, Canada, New Zealand and the US have tightened their Saudi advice. What each says, and what it means for your insurance.
Governments have moved quickly since a serious incident at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh at about 3 p.m. local time on 10 October. The UK now advises against all but essential travel to every airport in Saudi Arabia except Medina’s. Canada and New Zealand say to avoid Riyadh’s airport altogether.
If you have a trip booked to Saudi Arabia, or a connection through it, this is what each government says. The advice is changing, so check the official page before you leave for the airport.
What each government says
United Kingdom. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office updated its advice on 11 October. It now advises against all but essential travel to Jeddah and Dammam, and to all airports in the country except Medina International Airport. That is on top of existing advice for Riyadh, Aseer, Najran and Jizan provinces and the city of Taif, and against all travel within 10 km of the Yemen border. It tells British nationals to stay away from King Khalid International until the airport is secure. It also warns that “further attacks against airports are very likely,” citing Houthi missiles and drones since 13 July.
Canada. The Government of Canada (updated 11 October, 09:58 ET) says avoid non-essential travel to Saudi Arabia, and avoid all travel to King Khalid International Airport. It says military activity has affected operations and caused flight disruptions there. Travellers should have departure plans that don’t depend on government help.
New Zealand. SafeTravel (updated 12 October) advises against non-essential travel overall and tells New Zealanders not to travel to King Khalid International Airport, citing security incidents that are disrupting operations.
Read next · Trade DeskRiyadh Air Opens a Jakarta Door2 min →United States. The State Department reissued its advisory on 12 October at Level 3, Reconsider Travel, citing drone and missile threats.
Australia. Smartraveller has advised Australians to reconsider their need to travel to Saudi Arabia since 1 March. It warns that airports and aircraft are more vulnerable to strikes and that airlines may stop flying at short notice.
Flights
Delta said on 12 October that it is delaying its planned Atlanta–Riyadh nonstop to March 2027. Affected customers can review options, including a refund of the unflown portion, in My Trips on delta.com.
KLM says it will not fly to Riyadh or Dammam until 31 October inclusive. Other airlines have reported suspensions too. Check your carrier’s own travel-updates page. The UK advice is to confirm your booking and flight status before setting off for the airport.
Your travel insurance
This is the part most travellers miss. The FCDO warns that travel insurance “could be invalidated if you travel against advice.” Many UK policies exclude travel to places the FCDO advises against, and many Canadian, Australian and New Zealand policies have similar clauses tied to their own governments’ advice.
- Already booked? Call your insurer before you change anything, and ask whether cancellation cover applies now that the advice has changed.
- Connecting through a Gulf hub? Transit counts. Check whether your routing touches an airport covered by the advice.
- Going anyway for essential reasons? Ask for specialist cover in writing.
For advisors
- Who’s affected: Umrah and pilgrimage groups, AlUla and Red Sea Project bookings, business travel to Riyadh, and clients connecting through Saudi airports.
- What to do today: pull every booking touching a Saudi airport, check it against the client’s own government advice, and get insurer positions in writing.
- What to watch: further FCDO updates, airline suspensions confirmed by the carriers themselves, and the Riyadh airport’s reopening.
This story will be updated as the travel advice changes.
Sources
Alicia Loveday is Senior Editor at Not An Atlas. She's a mom who works in fashion and AI, which means she can style a look, prompt a model and pack a carry-on for the whole family before the coffee's done. She leads our travel guides and bigger stories, and firmly believes every itinerary needs one more outfit than strictly necessary.