Saudi Airspace Crisis: 45% of Flights Grounded as Houthi Attacks Escalate

Yemen's Houthi movement claimed a fresh missile strike on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport on 4 November, as new Cirium data shows Houthi attacks grounded roughly 45% of all scheduled departures across Saudi Arabia in the second half of October.

The numbers tell the scale. Of 17,299 departures scheduled from Saudi airports between 8 and 25 October, 7,802 were cancelled or recorded as no-fly, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium. Riyadh bore the brunt: 4,071 departures disrupted, almost 86% of the capital's schedule. Jeddah lost 1,402 departures, Dammam 823, Abha 297 and Medina 286. On 25 October alone, 448 of 1,013 scheduled departures across the Kingdom never flew.

King Khalid International has reopened after a closure lasting more than a week, but operations still run on prior permission from Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Civil Aviation, with restrictions continuing into November. Dozens of international routes remain suspended.

What are the airlines doing?

Carriers have stretched their suspensions deep into November and, in several cases, into 2027.

• British Airways has postponed its London Heathrow–Riyadh return until 11 January 2027, when it plans a limited daily service.
• Cathay Pacific has suspended Riyadh flights until 31 January 2027.
• Delta Air Lines has delayed its planned Atlanta–Riyadh launch until March 2027.
• KLM has suspended Riyadh and Dammam until 27 November; Lufthansa does not plan to resume Riyadh until 18 November or Dammam until 30 November.
• Air India and IndiGo have extended cancellations covering Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Medina until 14 November.
• Oman Air has suspended Riyadh until 7 November; Qatar Airways continues to suspend Riyadh, Dammam, Abha and Taif.
• Air France and Aegean have cancelled Riyadh until 14 November; ITA Airways until 18 November; Philippine Airlines until 29 November.
• Scoot has cut Singapore–Jeddah until 2 December; Akasa Air has reportedly suspended Jeddah until 10 November and Riyadh until 30 November. Air Arabia has suspended several Saudi routes with no confirmed resumption dates.

Emirates moved fastest among the Gulf carriers, resuming Dubai–Jeddah on 30 October and scheduling Riyadh and Dammam restarts for 8 November. Etihad has cancelled Riyadh and Dammam services through 5 November, with some 6 November flights also affected, while its daytime Jeddah flights continue. Flydubai reports continuing disruption on Riyadh, Dammam and Abha routes.

How severe have the attacks been?

Saudi-led coalition spokesperson Turki al-Maliki said the Houthis launched 20 attacks on King Khalid International alone between 1 and 11 October, using drones, ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and other projectiles. Coalition figures put the death toll across Saudi airport attacks at 19, with 364 injured — including 17 deaths and 333 injuries at Riyadh's main airport between 7 and 11 October.

Abha International Airport suffered two deaths and 28 injuries; King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International in Jizan saw three injured. Najran's airport was also targeted. A 21 October strike on King Fahd International in Dammam killed two and injured eight; operations there have since resumed, according to Saudi aviation authorities.

The strikes mark a serious escalation in a renewed Houthi missile and drone campaign that began in July, hitting Riyadh, Jeddah, Abha, Jazan, Najran, Taif and Yanbu, plus Saudi Aramco facilities including the Shaybah oilfield and East-West pipeline pumping stations. The UK announced on 20 October that RAF Typhoon fighter jets would fly defensive missions over Saudi cities and infrastructure.

What are governments advising?

The UK Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel to the whole Kingdom and against all travel within 10km of the Yemen border, warning further attacks on airports are "very likely" and specifically telling British nationals to stay away from King Khalid. The US State Department rates Saudi Arabia at Level 3 and has ordered non-emergency government employees and their families to leave. Australia, updated 4 November, advises against all travel and names King Khalid, King Fahd and Abha airports specifically. Canada advises against non-essential travel and against all travel to King Khalid.

The economic fallout is compounding. Riyadh Fashion Week has been pushed to 2027, the PIF Saudi International golf tournament postponed, Soundstorm cancelled, and the tenth Future Investment Initiative — set for 26–29 October — delayed until 2027. The EU-GCC summit scheduled for 24 October in Riyadh has also been postponed.

With Houthi claims continuing faster than Saudi confirmation — the 4 November strike remains unverified by Riyadh — carriers planning January and March restarts face the prospect of extending cancellations again.