Is Jeddah airport open? Flights at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia's busiest airport and the main gateway for pilgrims heading to Mecca, appear to have stopped on Tuesday afternoon, October 27. It comes about an hour after flights at Dammam, on the other side of the country, were paused for nearly two hours over a reported airspace security alert. Here's the latest.
The Latest
October 27, 4:35 p.m. local: Flights are moving again at Jeddah. Departures resumed at about 4:20 p.m. local time after a pause of about 45 minutes, and the first plane landed at about 4:34 p.m. No reason has been given for the halt.
October 27, 4:15 p.m. local: Flight tracking data shows no planes have taken off from Jeddah since about 3:35 p.m. local time (8:35 a.m. ET), and none have landed since about 3:45 p.m. About 10 flights are on their way in, including from Amman, Karachi and Sharjah, and several are already past their expected landing times. No reason has been given yet.
October 27, earlier: Flights at Dammam's airport stopped for nearly two hours over a reported airspace security alert, before resuming just before 4 p.m. local time.
Saudi Arabia · Live · Oct. 27
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Why Jeddah Matters
Jeddah has been carrying more of the load as the rest of Saudi Arabia's airports struggle. Riyadh's main airport reopened on Sunday after a two-week closure but is still barely operating, and Saudia has been moving flights from Riyadh to Jeddah and Dammam through the end of November. That means a pause at Jeddah affects travelers from all over the country, and pilgrims flying in for Umrah, many of whom land here.
Jeddah has had disruptions before. Earlier this month, flights there were cut back sharply in a single afternoon, with roughly a quarter canceled, according to Al-Monitor.
Which Airlines Are Flying
Saudia, flynas and flyadeal are flying in and out of Jeddah, along with many airlines from the Middle East, Africa and Asia. But several foreign airlines have cut back or stopped flying here for now:
- IndiGo: canceled through October 31
- Emirates: Dubai–Jeddah flights resume October 30
- Etihad: Abu Dhabi–Jeddah flights canceled through November 5
- Air India and Air India Express: suspended through November 7
- Akasa Air: suspended through November 10
- Eurowings: back November 12
- Scoot: Singapore–Jeddah canceled through December 2
- Qatar Airways: cut from seven flights a day to four, with no end date given
Airlines have been extending these dates as they go, and today's pause could push some of them back. Check with your airline directly.
If You're Flying to or From Jeddah
- Check your exact flight with your airline before heading to the airport, since pauses like today's can hold planes on the ground or in the air with little warning.
- Expect knock-on delays for the rest of the day even after flights resume, as planes and crews get back into position.
- If your airline cancels, you're usually entitled to a refund or a rebooking. If you're traveling for Umrah, ask about Medina as an alternative arrival airport.
- Read your government's travel advice. The UK and Canada advise against all but essential travel to Saudi Arabia, and the US has told Americans to reconsider travel and warned of possible attacks on airports.
