Why have over 500 IndiGo flights been canceled recently
IndiGo, one of India's largest carriers, has canceled more than 500 flights to the Middle East and select international destinations between February 28 and March 3, 2026, because of the ongoing Middle East crisis.
Airspace closures around Iran have forced the airline to halt many routes, especially since IndiGo usually runs more than 65 daily round-trips to the Gulf.
Cancelations across the Middle East and some European destinations
Flights to popular spots like Dubai, Jeddah, Doha, Abu Dhabi, Dammam, Sharjah, and Kuwait were suspended.
IndiGo canceled more than 500 flights to the Middle East and select international destinations between February 28 and March 3, 2026.
Even some Europe-bound flights from Delhi and Mumbai to London and Amsterdam got caught up in the chaos.
Flights had to detour over the Red Sea
With airspace shut down, long-haul routes had to detour over the Red Sea.
This added up to three extra hours per trip—too much for crew limits—so some flights were simply canceled or needed technical stops.
What are your options if your flight is canceled?
As of March 3, 2026, the Civil Aviation Ministry reported 1,221 cancelations by Indian carriers (and 388 by foreign carriers).