Travelling in 2026 suddenly feels far more complicated than it did just a year ago

With conflicts intensifying across West Asia following the escalation involving the United States, Israel and Iran, global travel routes have been thrown into disruption.

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz and restrictions across major regional airspaces have forced airlines to reroute flights, suspend operations and rethink schedules altogether. Airspace over several Gulf and West Asian nations — including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel and Kuwait — has either been closed or heavily restricted because of heightened security threats and military activity.

The impact has rippled far beyond the region itself.

Several airlines, including Air India and IndiGo, have suspended or adjusted flights to West Asia. Even flights heading to Europe or North America have been affected if their routes previously crossed conflict-prone zones.

Passengers are now dealing with growing delays, last-minute cancellations and significantly longer travel times as airlines take safer alternative routes. Ticket prices have also climbed sharply because of increased fuel costs and longer flight paths.

Given the uncertainty, many travel experts are advising Indian travellers to avoid planning trips through West Asia or Europe for the moment unless absolutely necessary.

Instead, destinations east of India are emerging as safer and more reliable options.

Flights routed eastward over the Bay of Bengal and south across the Indian Ocean remain largely unaffected by the geopolitical tensions. Countries in Southeast Asia, East Asia and the Indian Ocean region continue to operate normally and remain well connected to Indian cities.

Popular safer travel options currently include:

Thailand
Singapore
Malaysia
Indonesia
Vietnam
Japan
South Korea
Sri Lanka
Mauritius

Travel experts are also urging passengers to closely monitor advisories issued by the Indian government before making plans. Travellers are being encouraged to regularly check updates from the Ministry of Civil Aviation, airline operators and Indian embassies in their destination countries, as airspace restrictions and security conditions continue to evolve rapidly.