How the Iran war is affecting global travel

Australia has issued a “reconsider-your-need-to-travel” advisory, Canada has the country at “avoid non-essential travel” and the UK is advising to “stay inside” due to the threat of missile and drone activity.

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Jordan

The US Embassy in Amman has been evacuated due to an “unspecified” security threat. The country has partially closed its airspace from 18:00 to 09:00. Australia has issued a “reconsider-your-need-to-travel” warning, while Canada and the UK advise to “avoid non-essential travel”. The US State Department has urged its citizens and those visiting to depart from Jordan immediately.

Iraq

Iraq’s airspace is closed. The US has a Level 4 (Do Not Travel) advisory in place and had already ordered the departure of non-emergency embassy personnel before the current strikes began. The UK, Canada and Australia all advise against any travel, while the US is urging its citizens to depart immediately. 

Cyprus

A drone struck the UK’s RAF Akrotiri base early on 2 March, causing minor damage and no casualties but marking the first impact of the conflict in Europe. Paphos International Airport (a joint civil and military public airport) was evacuated after a suspect object appeared on radar, and around 60 flights were cancelled across the island. EasyJet suspended their UK-Cyprus services until 5 March. 

While the UK doesn’t have a travel warning in place for Cyprus, it is instructing British nationals near the base to follow local instructions. 

Egypt

Egypt has not been directly targeted by retaliatory strikes, though the US State Department included the country on the list it shared on X, advising citizens to “depart now via commercial means”. Australia and Canada both advise travellers to exercise a high degree of caution, and the UK has regional-specific advice.

Rose, who is planning his own family trip to Egypt this summer, sees no reason to postpone a trip here in particular. “I’m not going to take my daughters somewhere I feel is high risk,” he says. At the moment, he believes, “It’s not.”

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