Americans across the Middle East are scrambling to find flights back to the United States after regional airspace disruptions followed military strikes by the US and Israel on Iran over the weekend.The US Department of State has urged American citizens in several countries, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Israel, and Qatar, to “depart now.” However, many travelers say they are struggling to leave due to canceled flights, closed airspace, and limited assistance from diplomatic missions.The travel chaos has left thousands of Americans unexpectedly caught in the middle of the rapidly escalating situation, as President Donald Trump said the strikes were aimed at eliminating what he described as “imminent threats” from Iran.
Flight diverted during escalating tensions
One American traveler, Carissa, a dating coach with more than 180,000 followers on TikTok, shared her experience of being stranded while traveling to the Middle East. “I just escaped the madness that’s going on in the Middle East,” she said in a video recounting her trip.Carissa said she departed John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City on Friday night on a 14-hour flight bound for Abu Dhabi.“I left JFK airport Friday night on a 14-hour flight to Abu Dhabi,” she explained.
“Everything started going down with Iran while we were in the air.”Passengers began following breaking news during the flight, which increased tension onboard. “You could tell everyone was starting to kind of panic on the plane because people were reading the news,” she said. “Maybe like 30-45 minutes before we were supposed to land in Abu Dhabi, the pilot comes on the intercom, and he says, ‘We’re going to make an emergency stop in Cairo, Egypt.'”
Passengers left waiting in Cairo
The plane eventually landed in Cairo, where it remained on the tarmac for roughly an hour while airline staff attempted to determine whether passengers could return to New York the same evening.After disembarking, travelers were left inside the airport with little information.“Nobody knows what’s going on,” Carissa recalled. “People are yelling at the poor flight attendants, like demanding to know when they’re gonna get to go to Abu Dhabi.”Airport officials eventually issued temporary visas and transported passengers to a nearby hotel by bus for the night. Despite the arrangements, Carissa said passengers still received no clear updates about when flights might resume. “There’s no information” about the situation or how long they might remain in Egypt, she said.
A costly last-minute escape
Concerned that the regional conflict could widen, Carissa decided to book her own flight home.
“I book a new flight with a different airline through Switzerland and back to Boston,” she said, explaining that it was the only available destination she could secure in the United States.“It costs me $2,000 because it was so last-minute,” she added. “At that point, I’m afraid Egypt might get involved, like you just don’t know – everything is happening so fast.” She ultimately managed to return to the United States safely and later said she felt fortunate to have left when she did.According to the US Department of State, more than 9,000 American citizens have already been evacuated from the region, including over 300 from Israel. US officials say military aircraft and charter flights are being organized to help remaining Americans leave the Middle East. While some flights have resumed from cities such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi, disruptions continue as airlines adjust routes and airspace restrictions remain in place.
