Pilgrims whose itinerary connects through Abu Dhabi should note that Etihad has cancelled all of its flights from Abu Dhabi to Riyadh and Dammam, and its EY601 to EY604 Jeddah services, through Saturday 24 October, and says further schedule changes are possible. The position at Riyadh is unchanged: the closure notice ran out on 17 October, The National reported the airport open on 18 October without naming a source, Gulf News listed it as suspended, and no announcement from Saudi Arabia's civil aviation authority has been found. PIA's Riyadh flights remain suspended from 9 October with no date to resume.
The Pakistan Airports Authority's last statement said other flights from Pakistan to Saudi Arabia were operating, so confirm your flight with the airline or your Umrah operator before leaving for the airport.
Sources
- Gulf News, Lekshmy Pavithran gulfnews.com/business/aviation/etihad-extends-abu-dhabi-saudi-flight-cancellations-through-october-24-1.500715424
- Khaleej Times, Waheed Abbas khaleejtimes.com/business/etihad-cancels-abu-dhabi-flights-to-dammam-jeddah-and-riyadh-until-october-24
- The National, Evelyn Lau thenationalnews.com/travel/2026/10/18/riyadh-airport-reopens-which-airlines-are-still-cancelling-flights-to-saudi-arabia/
This update states what the sources above reported on the date shown. It is general information, not legal advice, and the position can change at short notice. Read how our travel advisories are researched and signed.