Flight Centre welcomes Middle East travel warning downgrade for Aussies

Flight Centre has welcomed the federal government’s decision to ease travel advice for five Middle East hubs, saying the move should lift confidence among Australians looking to book overseas trips.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade lowered advice on June 17, 2026 for Bahrain, Israel, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates from Level 4, or do not travel, to Level 3, meaning reconsider your need to travel.

DFAT said the security situation in the region remains unpredictable and stressed that Level 3 also applies to transit through those locations. Australians who must pass through were urged to keep stopovers as short as possible and avoid unnecessary activities.

What changed

The updated advice follows the latest easing in the Middle East after conflict-related disruption to airspace, flight schedules and traveller confidence. Smartraveller’s Middle East conflict page now lists Bahrain, Israel, Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE at Level 3, while Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria and Yemen remain at Level 4.

Israel’s country page was also lowered to Level 3 overall on June 17, although border areas with Gaza and Lebanon remain do not travel. Smartraveller warns flights can be suspended and border crossings can close without notice.

The UAE page says airspace may open or close at short notice, affecting flights through Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Kuwait’s advice says limited flights to and from Kuwait International Airport on Kuwait Airways and Jazeera Airways have resumed.

Industry reaction

Flight Centre chief executive Graham Turner said the downgrade should improve traveller confidence, capacity and fares, and help Australians secure travel insurance. His comments suggest the advisory change could remove one of the barriers to booking itineraries that route through Gulf hubs.

Webjet also said the update should give travellers more confidence when booking long-haul trips via the Middle East. The companies’ response points to a likely rebound in demand after a period in which higher warnings complicated both booking choices and insurance coverage.

Why it matters

The change is significant for Australians heading to Europe and the United Kingdom, where Doha and Dubai are major transit points. A Level 3 warning can still affect the willingness of travellers to route through those airports, even if the final destination is elsewhere.

The advice shift also matters for travel insurance. Industry comments indicate that lower warning levels can improve access to cover, which is often a key issue when travellers are weighing whether to book flights through a region under strain.

Airline capacity is also beginning to recover. Adelaide Now reported on June 16 that Qatar Airways had resumed daily Doha-Adelaide services and that Emirates was due to return to daily flights from June 23, linking the move to the lower Australian travel advice.

The Australian reported the downgrade followed a ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran. DFAT has not described the region as safe or stable, but the advisory change suggests officials see the immediate risk as reduced.

For now, the practical effect is likely to be improved confidence for some travellers and a better outlook for long-haul routes that depend on Middle East hubs. Further changes remain possible if the security situation shifts again.