Air Astana is extending the suspension of its flights between Kazakhstan and Dubai until September 30, 2026, citing continued instability in the Gulf region.
The Central Asian carrier said it has also adjusted its October 2026 schedule for the Almaty-Dubai and Astana-Dubai routes, reducing flight frequency once service does resume.
Affected passengers are being offered free rebooking within the same booking class for travel through November 20, 2026.
Travelers may also request a full refund at their original point of purchase, or rebook onto other Air Astana international destinations without penalty, subject to any applicable fare difference.
Dubai route has faced repeated stops and starts throughout 2026
The latest extension is the newest chapter in a route that has faced recurring disruption throughout 2026 as tensions in the Middle East have escalated.
Air Astana had suspended UAE flights earlier in the year due to airspace restrictions, before resuming nonstop Astana-Dubai service on July 4, 2026 and expanding to daily flights by early August.
That resumption proved short-lived. On July 12, 2026, Air Astana suspended the route again after rising military tensions in the region created fresh safety concerns, with one flight, KC205 from Astana to Dubai, forced to turn back mid-journey and another, KC897 from Almaty, cancelled before departure.
The suspension was subsequently extended multiple times, first to July 21,2026 then through August 31, 2026 as the airline cited what it described as further deterioration of the situation in the Strait of Hormuz and the wider Gulf region.
Air Astana is not alone in adjusting its Gulf operations. Other international carriers, including Air Canada, Air France, KLM, and Singapore Airlines, have similarly extended or maintained suspensions to Dubai and other Middle Eastern destinations in recent months as airlines continue to reassess the safety of operating in the region.