Gulf airlines get back to business as flights near pre-war levels

June 20, 2026

The West Asia is home to some of the world's biggest carriers, whose networks have been upended by the Iran conflict, with Iranian missile and drone attacks at times shutting airports in recent months and redrawing traffic routes across the Gulf.

Flightradar24.com data shows that the overall number of flights by major Gulf airlines has now returned to some 82 percent of the level on February 27, the day before the war started. Gulf Air and Kuwait Airways have topped 100 percent of that level in recent days.

Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad - the biggest three - are above or near 90 percent of their pre-war level. Etihad and Qatar Airways were as low as 40-50 percent just a month ago. Emirates, which has spent big to keep flights going, has been higher for longer.

After the US and Iran signed an interim agreement on Wednesday to end the near four-month conflict, and are expected to discuss implementing the ceasefire deal on Friday, the outlook for Gulf airlines is potentially looking much brighter.