- Affected country
- Kuwait
- Location / route
- Kuwait International Airport (KWI)
- Official source
- Google News — Middle East travel disruption
- Published by source
- September 28, 2026 5:02 PM CST
- Effective period
- September 28, 2026 12:00 AM CST
- Last verified
- October 23, 2026 8:40 AM CST — verification pending
- Status
- Updated
Official guidance
Kuwait airspace reopened to international overflights via NOTAM with a mandatory minimum altitude of FL280 (approx. 8,500m). EASA continues to advise civil operators against using Kuwaiti airspace.
Summary of official information. Always check the official source and follow the guidance of the authorities. UECN does not issue risk ratings; the absence of an alert does not mean that a destination is safe.
Update — October 23, 2026 8:40 AM CST: Kuwait's aviation authorities have reopened the country's airspace to international overflights under an official NOTAM requiring a minimum altitude of FL280. The measure restores a major transit corridor linking Europe, the Gulf, and Asia, cutting flight times on select routes. Carrier adoption remains inconsistent, with Turkish Airlines and Qatar Airways resuming flights while Emirates continues routing around Kuwait.
Update — October 23, 2026 8:40 AM CST: Kuwait's aviation authorities have reopened the country's airspace to international overflights under an official Notice to Airmen requiring a minimum altitude of Flight Level 280. The move restores an air corridor between Europe, the Gulf, and Asia, though carrier adoption remains uneven. Flight tracking data indicates airlines such as Turkish Airlines and Qatar Airways have resumed overflights, while Emirates and European carriers continue to bypass Kuwaiti airspace.
Update — September 28, 2026 9:14 PM CST: Kuwait International Airport is open and handling scheduled flights via Terminals 4 and 5 on reduced schedules, while Terminal 1 remains closed for repairs following earlier strikes. Kuwait Airways operates from Terminal 4, Jazeera Airways from Terminal 5, and foreign carriers are consolidated across both facilities. Flight-tracking data recorded low disruption on Monday, though regional airspace advisories remain active.
Update — September 28, 2026 9:14 PM CST: Kuwait International Airport remained operational on September 28, 2026, processing scheduled flights through Terminals 4 and 5 on reduced schedules. Terminal 1 remains closed for ongoing repair work following earlier security incidents. Flight-tracking data recorded minimal delays, with passengers advised to reconfirm terminal assignments before travelling.
Kuwait International Airport was open and handling scheduled flights on Monday, September 28, 2026, operating on reduced timetables via Terminals 4 and 5 while Terminal 1 remained closed for repairs following damage sustained earlier in the year, according to International Business Times Australia. Flight-tracking data on the morning of September 28 indicated minimal disruption, with average delays of approximately five minutes, delayed flights at about 1 percent, and zero cancellations.
Passenger services remain confined to Terminals 4 and 5, which utilize separate access roads. Kuwait Airways has been operating out of Terminal 4, while Jazeera Airways operates from Terminal 5, with returning foreign airlines allocated between these two facilities. The report noted that boarding passes or bookings still displaying Terminal 1 are not accurate due to the main international facility's continued closure.
A public summary from Kuwait's Directorate General of Civil Aviation dated September 20 listed NOTAM A0338/26 indicating the Kuwait flight information region was available. However, travel and airspace tracking sources, including Wego and OPSGROUP, observed that flights continue on reduced schedules, no October 1 restart of transit through Terminal 5 had been approved, and European Union Aviation Safety Agency guidance advising European carriers to avoid Gulf waters in the Kuwait region remained listed through September 30.
Revision history
- Updated Official update applied: Kuwait's aviation authorities have reopened the country's airspace to international overflights under an official NOTAM requiring a minimum…
- Updated Official update applied: Kuwait's aviation authorities have reopened the country's airspace to international overflights under an official Notice to Airmen requiring…
- Updated Official update applied: Kuwait International Airport is open and handling scheduled flights via Terminals 4 and 5 on reduced schedules, while…
- Updated Official update applied: Kuwait International Airport remained operational on September 28, 2026, processing scheduled flights through Terminals 4 and 5 on…
- Active Published automatically from the official source
Sources
- International Business Times Australia · 2026-09-28
- Gemini News Search — Middle East Travel Alerts · 2026-10-22



