The UK Foreign Office has issued a warning to travellers considering a trip to Abu Dhabi amid rising tensions in the Middle East and US strikes on Iran.
With its skyline of towers, theme parks and shopping districts, Abu Dhabi is rapidly rivalling Dubai as the UAE destination of choice for British tourists.
Dubbed by some as the ‘Orlando of the Middle East’, families have been flocking to Ferrari World, Warner Bros. World and Abu Dhabi’s answer to the Louvre, with Disney set to launch a brand new resort.
Despite its strict rules on alcohol and women’s clothing, Abu Dhabi welcomed 1.4 million overnight guests in the first quarter of 2025 – an enormous 18% increase since last year.
Now, the Foreign Office says there is a ‘possibility of travel disruption’ across the UAE, including in both Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
Here’s what you need to know if you’ve got a holiday planned.
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Where is Abu Dhabi and why is it related to Iran and Israel?
Abu Dhabi is the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), located on the Persian Gulf. It shares borders with Saudi Arabia and Oman. It’s 2,100 miles from Iran and 2,500 Km from Israel.
Amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran, some global airlines are avoiding areas of the Middle East.
On June 22, British Airways suspended flights between the UK and Dubai and said it was ‘monitoring’ the conflict following US strikes to determine when a regular timetable would resume.
Etihad Airways, the UAE’s national carrier, has said it ‘continues to experience disruption to several services due to airspace closures and the ongoing regional situation’.
Etihad flights between London Heathrow and Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport appear to be running as usual, with some minor delays on Monday morning, according to Heathrow’s website.
What is the advice for British travellers going to Abu Dhabi?
Disruption may include ‘short-notice airspace closures, delayed and cancelled flights, and other unanticipated travel impacts,’ according to the UK Foreign Office.
In an update posted this weekend, the FCDO warned travellers: ‘Ongoing hostilities in the region and between Israel and Iran have the potential to deteriorate further, quickly and without warning including since US military strikes against Iran on 22 June.’
The FCDO advises those who have a valid or expired Israeli visa or stamp in their passport that they ‘shouldn’t face difficulties entering the UAE’ – as long as they don’t have any plans to work.
‘Further checks may be needed and there is a risk you may be refused entry,’ it says.
‘If you are a British-Israeli dual national and have any concerns about entering the UAE, contact the UAE Embassy in the UK.’
What are my rights if I cancel a holiday to Abu Dhabi?
The Foreign Office has advised against all travel to Israel. However, it has not advised against travel to the UAE, and this directly impacts refund rights.
You likely won’t be able to cancel a trip and swap it out for a full refund, and travel insurance likely won’t help since insurers will potentially argue that there’s no reason not to go.
As Grant Winter, compliance officer at specialist travel insurance provider Goodtogo, previously told Metro: ‘No airline is obligated to refund you for a flight you choose not to take.’
There’s also bad news if your flight gets cancelled. If you received less than 14 days’ notice of the cancellation, you may be able to claim compensation. However, this depends on what caused the cancellation – if it wasn’t the airline’s fault, don’t expect to receive any compensation.
Disruptions caused by things like extreme weather, airport or air traffic control employee strikes or other ‘extraordinary circumstances’ (ie air strikes) are not usually eligible for compensation.
As a goodwill gesture, your airline may offer you an alternative date.
So, with this in mind, if you choose not to travel for your holiday in Abu Dhabi you might just have to suck up the loss.
