Gulf Airport Delays Hit Dubai, Jeddah, Bahrain Flights

Gulf airport delays Dubai Jeddah are now rippling through long haul itineraries, as November 23 figures show more than 220 flights delayed and a dozen cancelled in a single day across Dubai International Airport (DXB), King Abdulaziz International Airport (JED), Bahrain International Airport (BAH), and King Fahd International Airport (DMM). The disruption affects travelers connecting between Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas on carriers that bank flights through these hubs, including Emirates, Saudia, Turkish Airlines, and Gulf Air. Passengers using these airports over the next 24 to 48 hours should assume longer queues, pad their connections, or reroute through alternative hubs where that is an option.

The core change for travelers is that a background level of congestion at key Gulf airports has spiked into a quantifiable delay event, so tight same day connections through Dubai, Jeddah, Bahrain, and Dammam are significantly riskier than usual for at least one operational cycle.

Travel And Tour World, using FlightAware statistics for November 23, reports 121 delays and 3 cancellations at Dubai, 49 delays and 3 cancellations at Jeddah, and 29 delays and 2 cancellations at Istanbul, alongside smaller but still material numbers at Bahrain and Dammam, for a combined total of 221 delays and 12 cancellations across five linked hubs. While Istanbul is technically outside the Gulf, its inclusion in the same data snapshot matters because many itineraries route Europe to Asia or Africa via a mix of Istanbul, Dubai, and Jeddah, so knock on effects can propagate across the region rather than staying confined to a single airport.

In practical terms, this means that a delayed feeder from South Asia into Dubai can cause missed connections onto Europe or North America, while late arrivals into Jeddah or Bahrain can cascade onto regional links that feed places like Riyadh, Muscat, or Cairo. The Gulf hubs run on tight, banked schedules where multiple flights arrive within a short window and then depart again after relatively brief ground times, and when one bank is heavily delayed it can take several waves to recover. Airlines can and do swap aircraft or crews where possible, but with more than 200 delayed flights recorded in a single day, it is reasonable to expect some residual misalignment in aircraft and crew rotations into November 24.

Recent weather and visibility issues add another layer of stress. Just a few days earlier, dense fog at Dubai forced at least 19 inbound flights to divert to airports such as Abu Dhabi, Muscat, and Dammam, with local and aviation reports noting several hours of reduced visibility and flow restrictions as air traffic control managed holding patterns and slot constraints. While that fog event occurred on November 20, experience shows that major diversion episodes can echo in schedules for days, especially during busy travel periods when spare capacity is limited.

At the same time, the United Arab Emirates National Centre of Meteorology, NCM, has issued a run of orange and yellow alerts for unstable weather from November 23 through November 27, flagging periods of heavy rain, thunderstorms, and possible flash flooding in parts of Abu Dhabi, Al Dhafra, and other regions. Local media footage shared by outlets such as Khaleej Times shows water pooling on some roads and reduced visibility on key intercity corridors, which means that even when flights operate, road access to airports and desert excursions can be slowed or temporarily cut. This is particularly relevant for travelers connecting by car from Abu Dhabi or other emirates into Dubai, or those planning same day transfers from hotels on the outskirts of the city to flights leaving late in the evening.

Background

Gulf hubs like Dubai, Jeddah, Bahrain, and Dammam are designed as connection engines rather than purely local origin and destination airports. Airlines schedule their fleets in banks, where multiple long haul flights arrive during a tight window, passengers connect across the terminal, and then another bank of departures leaves one or two hours later. These systems are efficient when on time but fragile when weather, air traffic control restrictions, or earlier delays steal the buffer from one or more banks. A single bad day can therefore cause missed connections, forced overnights, and scattered delays across multiple continents before schedules reset.

For travelers, the most immediate operational questions are where delays are likely to be worst and when. Based on the November 23 pattern, the heaviest impacts cluster at Dubai and Jeddah, with Bahrain and Dammam seeing fewer, but still meaningful, delays and cancellations. The risk is higher on wide body waves that move traffic between Europe, Asia, and Africa, especially during peak evening and overnight periods when many flights are already near capacity. Short haul regional legs can also suffer, particularly those that rely on the same aircraft coming in late from a long haul sector.

The NCM forecasts suggest that periods of heavy rain and thunderstorms could recur through at least November 27, which raises the chance of further short term disruption, including ground handling slowdowns and restrictions on departures during lightning. Road flooding and low visibility can make it harder for passengers and staff to reach the airport, which can in turn lengthen check in and security lines, especially at times when staffing is already tight. Travelers heading to or from Abu Dhabi, Al Dhafra, or more remote desert resorts should keep a close eye on local road reports and be prepared to leave earlier than usual when rain bands move through.

From a planning standpoint, any itinerary that uses these Gulf hubs in the next couple of days warrants a fresh look. On simple point to point trips, the main adjustment is to allow more time between leaving the hotel and reaching the airport, particularly in the UAE during active weather alerts. For itineraries that involve a connection, especially between long haul flights, a minimum of three hours between scheduled arrival and departure is advisable until operations clearly stabilize again. Shorter legal connection times may still be offered in booking engines, but these assume near perfect on time performance, which is not a safe assumption immediately after a day of widespread delays and a stretch of unstable weather.

Self connecting on separate tickets is especially risky through Dubai, Jeddah, Bahrain, and Dammam during this period. When segments are booked on different records, airlines have less obligation to protect onward travel in the event of a delay, and passengers may have to clear immigration, collect bags, and recheck, which adds more exposure to long lines and weather impacts. Where possible, travelers should book through tickets on a single carrier or alliance, or consider alternative hubs such as Doha or Muscat if schedules and fares are comparable.

Even for travelers who cannot or do not want to change dates, there are practical steps that can reduce stress. Airline and airport apps should be installed and logged in ahead of travel so that gate changes and delay notices are delivered quickly. It is worth identifying same day alternative flights before leaving home, especially from heavily disrupted hubs, and noting which ones are realistic options if a connection is missed. Those with long layovers might consider booking a flexibly cancellable day room or airport hotel, particularly for overnight banks where delays can turn a five hour wait into a much longer stay.

For road based excursions and desert activities in the UAE, operators may cancel or reschedule trips when NCM alerts reach orange level or when local flooding makes routes unsafe. Travelers should expect same day changes, avoid paying upfront for nonrefundable tours during the storm window, and build in an extra buffer day if a critical excursion is the main purpose of the trip. Coordinating with tour providers by messaging app and confirming pickup times on the morning of the activity will give the best chance of catching any last minute adjustments.

Overall, the November 23 spike in delays and cancellations across Dubai, Jeddah, Bahrain, Dammam, and linked hubs is a reminder that even highly capable airports can face short but intense disruption periods when weather, visibility, and tight scheduling combine. By avoiding the tightest connections, allowing extra time on the ground, and staying close to airline and weather alerts, travelers can reduce the odds that this particular disruption wave turns into missed trips or unexpected overnights.

Sources

• Severe Flight Disruptions Paralyze Travel Across Dubai, Jeddah, Istanbul, Bahrain, and Dammam
• Dense Fog Forces 19 Flight Diversions at Dubai Airport
• Dubai Fog Disrupts Operations, 19 Flights Diverted From DXB
• Heavy Rains Hit Parts of UAE as NCM Issues Alerts
• Foggy Mornings, Light Rain Expected as Weather Turns Unstable in UAE
• UAE Weather, Rain Expected in Parts of the Country