07.03.2026 12:31
The war that started between the US-Israel and Iran in the Middle East triggered a massive wave of migration in Dubai. As tens of thousands of white-collar workers in global companies tried to leave the country, plane tickets quickly ran out. Those unable to find flights are heading to the Oman border to attempt to return to their countries by land.
As the eighth day of the war between the US-Israel and Iran begins, a noticeable wave of migration is occurring in Dubai, the financial center of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). In a city that has been regarded as one of the safest financial centers in the world for years, especially foreign professionals and senior executives are taking action to leave the country.
1 MILLION WHITE-COLLAR WORKERS
With the movement that started in the first days, it is estimated that between 50,000 and 150,000 foreign workers have left or are trying to leave the country. However, limited flights and the risky road conditions make evacuations difficult.
Approximately 3.9 million people live in Dubai, and foreign workers make up 92% of the population, which is about 3.5 million. Due to the concentration of finance, technology, and international companies, it is estimated that there are between 700,000 and 1 million white-collar professionals in the city.
INTERNATIONAL COMPANIES BEGIN TO TAKE PRECAUTIONS
International companies have started to take precautions to ensure employee safety. Nvidia temporarily closed its Dubai office. Amazon transitioned its employees to remote work, and some data centers were reported to be affected by attacks. Some Google employees were included in the evacuation plan. KPMG organized special evacuation flights for personnel in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Neolix halted its operations in Abu Dhabi for security reasons. WeRide suspended its robotaxi services in Dubai.
According to a report by Metin Can from Sabah; after the war, especially US technology companies closed their offices in Dubai and activated emergency plans for employee safety. However, due to limited flight capacity, those wishing to leave the city faced a serious ticket crisis.
ONE OF THE MOST PREFERRED DESTINATIONS: ISTANBUL
One of the most preferred routes for those wanting to leave Dubai is flights to Istanbul, and due to high demand, tickets sell out as soon as they go on sale. According to checks on flight search platforms, while the nearest flight date on the Dubai-Istanbul route appears to be March 10, it is reported that finding a seat is quite difficult. It is stated that there are no seats left on most flights on earlier dates.
CROWDING AT BORDER GATES
Foreign workers and tourists who cannot find plane tickets are turning to road travel. These individuals are trying to cross into Oman using the Hatta-Al Wajajah border gate, which is about 90 kilometers away from Dubai. The journey from the border gate to Oman’s Sohar and Muscat cities takes about 4.5 to 5 hours, and there has been congestion in the region in recent days.
The wealthy individuals wishing to leave the city are turning to private jets. Private jet companies announced that the price of charter flights via Oman and Saudi Arabia has risen to as much as $200,000.
During this process, UAE-based airlines have also started to implement limited flight schedules. Emirates announced that it would operate flights to 82 destinations until further notice, stating that passengers connecting through Dubai could only travel if their connecting flights were confirmed. Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways reported that it would conduct limited flights to approximately 70 destinations, including Frankfurt, London, and Paris, until March 19.