Iran protests spark weekend flight cancellations: Which international airlines are impacted?
January 10, 2026
Against the backdrop of Iran’s most intense economic crisis in its modern history. anti-government protests are raging across the country forcing foreign airlines to suspend flights to the capital, Tehran. Hundreds have been killed and many injured.
Many airlines have suspended flights to Tehran, including regional players Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways and Emirates. Elsewhere, international carriers from Europe have also cancelled flights to the Iranian capital, including Austrian Airlines.
Local airlines are continuing to operate as normal for the most part.
International airlines cancel flights to Tehran over security concerns
Airlines have begun cancelling flights to Tehran since Friday over security concerns. Aside from the safety-related uncertainty associated with the protests, last-minute demand for flights to Tehran is likely very little. Additionally, customers might also choose not to board the flight despite holding a booking (“no-shows”) due to the situation in Iran.
The following is a list of all international airlines, their routes, and flight status this weekend given the demonstrations.
Disruption on flights to Iran this weekend
| Airline | Origin | Destination (Iran) | Status (correct at time of publication) |
| Armenia Airways | Yerevan | Tehran (IKA) | Friday flight operated as normal. Future flights currently listed as normal. |
| China Southern Airlines | Beijing Daxing | Tehran (IKA) | Flights cancelled due to “public safety”. Beijing services cancelled Friday and Monday; Urumqi service cancelled Sunday. Next listed flights currently unchanged. |
| Urumqi | Tehran (IKA) | ||
| Emirates | Dubai | Tehran (IKA) | All flights cancelled on Friday with heavy disruption on Saturday. Some services now operating. |
| flydubai | Dubai | Bandar Abbas (BND), Bushehr (BUZ), Isfahan (IFN), Tehran (IKA), Kerman (KER), Lar (LRR), Mashhad (MHD), Shiraz (SYZ) | All flights cancelled on Friday with heavy disruption on Saturday. Some services now operating. |
| Air Arabia | Sharjah | Tehran (IKA), Lar (LRR), Mashhad (MHD), Shiraz (SYZ) | Flights cancelled on Friday, all services resumed on Saturday. |
| Azerbaijan Airlines | Baku | Tehran (IKA), Tabriz (TBZ) | Tehran flights suspended Thu–Sat, listed as normal on Sunday. Tabriz flights suspended on Thursday; next flight Sunday listed as normal. |
| Jazeera Airways | Kuwait | Ahvaz (AWZ), Tehran (IKA), Mashhad (MHD), Shiraz (SYZ) | All listed services cancelled on Saturday. |
| Medina | Ahvaz (AWZ), Shiraz (SYZ) | ||
| Jeddah | Shiraz (SYZ) | ||
| Kuwait Airways | Kuwait | Tehran (IKA), Mashhad (MHD) | Flights cancelled on Friday and Saturday, services from Sunday listed as normal. |
| Lufthansa | Frankfurt | Tehran (IKA) | Route has not yet begun. Scheduled to resume on 16 January – no cancellation listed yet. |
| Austrian Airlines | Vienna | Tehran (IKA) | Flights cancelled on Friday and Sunday. Tuesday service listed as normal. |
| SalamAir | Muscat | Tehran (IKA), Shiraz (SYZ) | All flights on Saturday and Sunday suspended. |
| Pegasus Airlines | Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen | Isfahan (IFN), Tehran (IKA), Mashhad (MHD), Shiraz (SYZ), Tabriz (TBZ) | All flights cancelled on Friday and Saturday, most also on Sunday though airline website not fully updated. |
| Qatar Airways | Doha | Tehran (IKA), Mashhad (MHD), Shiraz (SYZ) | All flights cancelled on Friday and Saturday. Tehran listed as normal on Sunday; Mashhad and Shiraz still cancelled. |
| Aeroflot | Moscow Sheremetyevo | Tehran (IKA) | Aeroflot website not up to date; Saturday evening flight listed as normal. |
| Turkish Airlines | Istanbul | Isfahan (IFN), Tehran (IKA), Mashhad (MHD), Shiraz (SYZ), Tabriz (TBZ) | All flights suspended on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. |
| AJet (AnadoluJet) | Ankara | Tehran (IKA) | All flights suspended on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. |
| Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen | Tehran (IKA) |
What is happening in Iran?
Different population groups are involved in the anti-government action, ranging from university students to shopkeepers. The protests began at the end of December over economic discontent given high inflation rates.
According to International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimates, the country’s consumer prices inflated by 42.4% in 2025, and are set to remain above the 40% level this year.
More than 200 people have been killed after the government responded violently to protests, particularly in Tehran. Despite condemnation by the likes of the European Union and the United States, the violence against protesters has continued into the weekend. An internet blackout is also in place.
The protests began in Tehran, but have spread across cities in Iran.
