Riyadh airport closed: how to get from the UAE to Riyadh (updated 12 October 2026)

Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport (RUH) is closed as of 12 October 2026. Saudi Arabia’s civil aviation authority has extended the suspension and hasn’t given a reopening date. UAE airlines have cancelled their Riyadh flights and most Dammam flights. For now, the main way from the UAE to Riyadh is by road through the Ghuwaifat border, about 1,000 km from Dubai.

If you have to make the trip, we arrange Dubai to Riyadh by road with a driver. If it can wait, we’d wait. The UK advises against all but essential travel to Riyadh province, and the US and Canada have told their citizens to stay away from the airport. The facts below are as of 12 October and change daily, so check the official sources before you set off.

Is Riyadh airport open? Status on 12 October 2026

No. RUH has been closed since Saturday 10 October 2026 and was still closed on Monday 12 October, with no confirmed time for passenger flights to resume.

• Saturday 10 October: a missile attack claimed by Yemen’s Houthis hit a passenger terminal. Saudi authorities said at least 12 people were killed and more than 300 wounded, as reported by Al Jazeera and Reuters. The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) suspended operations.
• Sunday 11 October: a projectile struck a passenger terminal again. The Houthis also claimed an attack on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam and warned travellers against using Saudi airports.
• Monday 12 October: GACA extended the suspension while it inspects damaged facilities.

How to check live status: GACA’s official site carries the authority’s statements. Your airline’s app or website shows whether your own flight is operating, and the airport has asked passengers to confirm with their airline before going to any airport. For UAE carriers, that’s emirates.com, etihad.com, flydubai.com and airarabia.com.

Are flights from the UAE to Saudi Arabia cancelled?

Yes, on most routes. Gulf News listed these cancellations on 12 October for 12 and 13 October:

Airline	Routes with flights listed as cancelled	Listed as operating
Emirates	Dubai–Riyadh, Dubai–Dammam, Dubai–Jeddah, Dubai–Medina	None reported
Etihad	Abu Dhabi–Riyadh, Abu Dhabi–Dammam, Abu Dhabi–Jeddah	None reported
flydubai	Dubai–Riyadh, Dubai–Dammam	Jeddah, AlUla, Neom
Air Arabia	Sharjah–Riyadh, Sharjah–Abha, plus Gassim and Taif on 12 October	None reported

The same report cites Cirium data: 353 of 354 scheduled departures from RUH didn’t fly on 11 October. The lists go by flight number, so check your own flight, not just the route.

How to get from the UAE to Riyadh while the airport is closed

The road from the UAE is the one option that doesn’t depend on a Saudi airport. The flight-plus-ground routes work on paper, but most are disrupted this week.

Option	Route	Time to Riyadh	Status on 12 October
Car with a driver, or drive yourself	E11 to Ghuwaifat, then via Al Batha, Salwa and Al Hofuf	10–12 hours from Dubai, plus the border	No airport involved; one border
Fly to Dammam (DMM), then train or road	SAR train, or about 400 km by road	About 4 hours after landing	Emirates, Etihad and flydubai cancelled DMM flights for 12–13 October
Fly to Bahrain, then the King Fahd Causeway	25 km causeway, then about 470 km from Manama	About 5 hours after landing	Depends on your flight and the causeway being open
Fly to Jeddah, then road	About 945 km by road	10 hours or more after landing	flydubai lists Jeddah as operating; Emirates and Etihad cancelled some flights
Intercity bus	SAPTCO lists the UAE among its international routes	Check the timetable	No schedule confirmed for this week

By road via Ghuwaifat

Ghuwaifat is the UAE border post at the far western end of Abu Dhabi emirate, on the E11. The Saudi side is Al Batha, and from there it’s about 600 km to Riyadh via Salwa and Al Hofuf. The UAE stretch is the same E11 we use for Dubai to Abu Dhabi transfers, continued west through Al Dhafra.

If you drive yourself, UK government guidance notes that a car taken across the border must be wholly owned and registered in your name. With a car and driver, the vehicle’s papers are the operator’s job and your own documents stay with you. Our UAE–Saudi border crossing guide covers the crossing step by step.

Fly to Dammam, then the train

Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR) runs trains from Dammam to Riyadh via Abqaiq and Al Hofuf, about 4 hours end to end, bookable at sar.com.sa. Driving the Dammam–Riyadh highway takes about as long. This week the route is on hold for most UAE travellers: Emirates, Etihad and flydubai have cancelled Dammam flights, and the UK advises against all but essential travel to Dammam city. Check the trains are running before you rely on them.

Fly to Bahrain, then the King Fahd Causeway

Bahrain’s airport isn’t covered by the Saudi closure. The King Fahd Causeway runs 25 km into Saudi Arabia, and Riyadh is about 470 km from Manama by road. You clear immigration twice, so check both countries’ visa rules for your passport, and confirm the causeway is open on the day.

How far is Dubai from Riyadh by road?

About 1,000 to 1,060 km, depending on where you start in Dubai and finish in Riyadh. Expect 10 to 12 hours of driving, plus time at the border. From Abu Dhabi it’s about 950 km. Approximate figures:

From	To	Distance (approx.)	Driving time (approx.)
Dubai	Ghuwaifat border	460 km	4–4.5 hours
Abu Dhabi	Ghuwaifat border	350 km	3–3.5 hours
Ghuwaifat / Al Batha	Central Riyadh	600 km	6–7 hours
Dubai	Central Riyadh	1,000–1,060 km	10–12 hours, plus the border
Abu Dhabi	Central Riyadh	950 km	9.5–11 hours, plus the border

Plan it as a full day with an early start, so most of the Saudi stretch is in daylight.

What to check before you leave

1. Official travel advice. Read the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs advice at mofa.gov.ae; Emirati citizens can register their trip through MOFA’s Twajudi service. Other nationalities should check their own embassy too. The UK Foreign Office advice for Saudi Arabia, updated 11 October, advises against all but essential travel to Riyadh province, the cities of Jeddah and Dammam, and every Saudi airport except Medina.
2. Your visa. Many UAE residents can apply for the Saudi eVisa for GCC residents at visa.visitsaudi.com, the official portal. Check eligibility and passport validity rules, and wait for approval before you leave.
3. Documents. Carry your passport, Emirates ID and visa, printed and on your phone. Self-drivers also need the car’s registration and insurance that covers Saudi Arabia.
4. The border and the road. Check the Ghuwaifat crossing is operating normally on the day, share your route with someone at home, and in Saudi Arabia follow instructions from the authorities, including National Early Warning Platform alerts.

Rebooking and refunds for cancelled Riyadh flights

If your airline cancelled your flight, the airline (or the agent who sold you the ticket) handles rebooking or refunds. Don’t go to any airport unless your flight shows as operating. What the UAE carriers told Gulf News:

• Emirates is rebooking affected passengers to their final destination; updated itineraries are on emirates.com.
• Etihad says further changes are possible; etihad.com lists local phone numbers and live chat.
• flydubai customers can choose a refund or rebooking under Manage Booking on flydubai.com.
• Booked through an agent? Contact the agent, not the airline. Air Arabia passengers can check their booking on airarabia.com.

Settle the flight booking before switching to road travel, and keep cancellation notices for any insurance claim. If you’re rebooked out of Abu Dhabi instead of Dubai, or the other way round, our chauffeur service across the UAE covers the run between airports.

Frequently asked questions

Is Riyadh airport open now?

No. As of 12 October 2026, King Khalid International Airport is closed after attacks on 10 and 11 October. GACA has extended the suspension while it inspects damaged facilities and hasn’t announced a reopening date. Check gaca.gov.sa and your airline before you travel.

Are the flights from Riyadh cancelled?

Yes. Cirium data reported by Gulf News show 353 of 354 scheduled departures from RUH didn’t fly on 11 October. Emirates, Etihad, flydubai and Air Arabia have all cancelled Riyadh flights for 12 and 13 October.

Is Saudi Arabia airport shut down?

Not every airport. Riyadh’s King Khalid International is the one that’s closed. Dammam, Jeddah and others had flights operating on 11 October, but more than half of all departures across Saudi Arabia didn’t fly that day, according to Cirium. Several UAE airlines have also cancelled Dammam and Jeddah flights.

How long is the drive from Dubai to Riyadh?

About 10 to 12 hours of driving for roughly 1,000 to 1,060 km, plus time at the Ghuwaifat–Al Batha border. From Abu Dhabi it’s about 950 km.

Is there a bus from Dubai to Riyadh?

SAPTCO, Saudi Arabia’s public transport company, lists the UAE among its international destinations, bookable at saptco.com.sa or in its app. We couldn’t confirm a timetable for this week, so check before you plan around it. For a private trip on your own schedule, a car with a driver takes the same road.