Dubai travellers reroute via Bahrain and Dammam as Saudi airport disruptions continue

Residents travelling between the United Arab Emirates and Riyadh are facing longer journeys, additional planning and road transfers as direct flight options remain suspended following recent attacks on Saudi airports and energy infrastructure.

The disruptions have forced many travellers to reconsider their usual routes. Some are flying into alternative destinations within Saudi Arabia, such as Dammam, before continuing by road. Others are using Bahrain as a transit point, crossing into the kingdom by land after landing in Manama.

Travellers adapt with road transfers

A 59-year-old British professional based in Riyadh, who asked not to be named, is among those taking a longer route after visiting family in the United Kingdom. She travelled to Dubai and plans to fly to Manama, then drive to Riyadh — a journey she expects to take an additional five to six hours.

“I had gone to the UK to meet my family, but with the airports closed, I had to find an alternative way to get back to Riyadh, where I am based. I have now travelled to Dubai and will take a flight from here to Manama in Bahrain. From there, I will travel by road to Riyadh, which is expected to take around five to six hours. It is a longer journey than usual, but this is the route I have to take to get back to work in Riyadh,” she said.

Vijayan R., a 46-year-old marketer, flew from Dubai to Dammam on Sunday to attend the World Petroleum Congress 2026 before driving to Riyadh, a trip that took about four hours. “It was a big event in Riyadh’s calendar, so I had to travel to Riyadh anyway. I took a flight from Dubai to Dammam in Saudi Arabia and then travelled by road to Riyadh, which takes around four hours,” he said.

With the congress now over, Vijayan plans to return by road from Riyadh to Dammam, then continue to Bahrain — a one-hour drive — before flying back to the UAE. “But now I am done and intend going back to Dammam by road and then go to Bahrain by road, which takes around one hour. After that, I’ll fly out from Bahrain, back to the UAE,” he added.

Some residents choose to wait

Not all travellers are willing to make the extra road transfers. Rishi Joshi (name changed), who holds dual residency, arrived in Dubai on Friday to meet his family and is now uncertain how to return to Riyadh. He is keeping his plans open.

“I am figuring out a way to return to Riyadh after the airports shut down in the Kingdom. It’s a temporary shutdown, and I am hoping things will open up soon and I’ll be able to travel back by air to at least one of the airports in Saudi Arabia from the UAE. For now, I am here. It’s just a matter of ‘wait and watch’,” he said.

For those with work commitments in Riyadh, finding an alternative route has become a practical necessity. Others currently in Dubai are keeping their plans flexible, hoping to return by air once regular flights resume.