Amid US-Iran War, Middle East Flight Cancellations Exceed 23,000 As Airline Losses Near $1 Billion

The U.S.-Iran war has had a major impact on the global aviation sector as multiple countries announced airspace closures and flight cancellations, leaving thousands of travelers stranded. 23,000 Flights Canceled On Wednesday, The Kobeissi Letter took to the social media platform X, sharing the impact of escalating tensions in the region. "Global flight cancelations to the Middle East exceed 23,000 since February 28th," the post said, adding that the flight disruptions have cost nearly $1 billion since the start of the conflict. BREAKING: Global flight cancelations to the Middle East exceed 23,000 since February 28th, with airline disruption costs nearing $1 billion. pic.twitter.com/Im3jU5o1sq— The Kobeissi Letter (@KobeissiLetter) March 5, 2026 According to a report by Simple Flying on Thursday, flight disruptions have cost $1 billion for Gulf carriers like Fly Emirates, Qatar Airways and more. However, on March 6, Etihad Airways announced that it will resume limited commercial flight operations between Abu Dhabi and key destinations, including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago and New York's JFK airport. American Carriers Cancel Flights To The Middle East Multiple U.S. airline carriers canceled flights to the Middle East following the war. Delta Airlines Inc. (NYSE:DAL) has suspended its flight operations from JFK airport to the Israeli city of Tel Aviv through March 8 and from Tel Aviv to JFK through March 9. United Airlines Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:UAL) also announced that it was suspending flights to Tel Aviv through March 6, while also announcing that it was suspending flights to Dubai through March 4. American Airlines Group Inc. (NASDAQ:AAL) also cancelled its Philadelphia-Doha flight through March 4. US-Iran War The escalating tensions in the region come as a U.S.-Israeli joint operation launched ballistic missile strikes on Iran, which led to the death of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The strikes were followed by retaliatory strikes by Iran on U.S. assets in the region across multiple countries, including the UAE. The conflict has also led to an oil spill in the region, with the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) sharing that it had received reports of an oil tanker being hit off the coast of Kuwait, which had led to an oil spill. Iran had earlier said that it would be closing the Strait of Hormuz, a key trade route in the global crude oil supply chain. Lawmakers Slam The Conflict Several lawmakers have expressed concern about the ongoing conflict with Iran, with Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass), admitting that she was concerned following a classified briefing by the President Donald Trump administration on the situation. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) also slammed the Trump administration following the war, delivering sharp criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Trump. House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) also called on Congress to pass the War Powers resolution as a means to end Trump’s “illegal regime change war. Check out more of Benzinga's Future Of Mobility coverage by following this link. Photo courtesy: VanderWolf Images via Shutterstock