Airfares to Asia from both Europe and Australia have surged sharply following the closure of key Middle Eastern airports amid the war involving the United States, Israel, and Iran.

According to media reports, airline websites show that tickets on many popular routes are sold out several days in advance.

Airfares to Asia reach record highs

The temporary shutdown of major Gulf airports, including Dubai — the world’s busiest international hub handling more than 1,000 flights daily — has significantly reduced capacity on high-demand routes such as Australia–Europe. Airlines like Emirates and Qatar Airways traditionally dominate this market segment.

Amid the disruption, Australia’s Flight Centre Travel Group reported a 75% increase in calls to its retail outlets and emergency assistance lines. Global CEO Andrew Stark said staff are working around the clock to support affected travelers.

“Australians are proving resilient and are already rebooking trips to the UK and Europe via alternative routes through China, Singapore, and other Asian hubs, as well as to North America through airports such as Houston,” he explained.

Meanwhile, carriers operating direct Asia–Europe services are rerouting flights to avoid restricted Middle Eastern airspace. Some are flying north via the Caucasus and Afghanistan, while others head south through Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Oman.

Long-term impact on ticket prices

These detours extend flight times and increase fuel consumption, raising operational costs at a time when oil prices are climbing. As a result, airlines may be forced to maintain higher ticket prices over the longer term.

“With much of the Middle East effectively closed to aviation, airlines are paying a high price. If serving Europe becomes significantly more expensive, profitability will suffer. Ultimately, travelers will bear the cost through reduced connectivity,” said Subhas Menon, head of the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines.

However, Alton Aviation Consultancy noted that airlines operating nonstop routes or relying on hubs outside the affected region — including Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, and Turkish Airlines — could benefit in the short term as passengers shift away from Gulf carriers.

A review of several airline booking platforms on Tuesday showed limited seat availability in the near term and exceptionally high fares for flights from Asia to London.

For example, Cathay Pacific showed no available economy seats on its Hong Kong–London route until March 11. A one-way ticket on that date cost at least HK$21,158 (about US$2,705), while later departures in the month were priced closer to the more typical HK$5,054 (around US$646).

On routes from Sydney to London, Qantas Airways had no economy seats available on standard Perth–Singapore connections until March 17, when a one-way fare was listed at AU$3,129 (approximately US$2,220). Earlier options involved costly and unconventional stopovers, such as Los Angeles or Johannesburg.

Thailand’s Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit said Thai Airways flights to Europe are currently operating at full capacity, as European travelers increasingly favor direct routes over Middle Eastern transit hubs.

Search results for Bangkok–London flights showed seats sold out through the end of next week, followed by a spike in prices. An economy one-way ticket on March 15 cost 71,190 baht (about US$2,265), while fares for March 18 dropped to 27,045 baht (around US$858).

Taiwan’s EVA Airways also reported a sharp rise in bookings to Europe as passengers from both continents seek alternative routing options.

Chinese airline websites likewise displayed unusually high fares on China–UK routes, with economy seats nearly unavailable in the short term.

Typically, a round-trip economy ticket from Beijing to London costs under 10,000 yuan (around US$1,453). However, Air China listed only a business-class option for Wednesday, with a one-way fare priced at 50,490 yuan (approximately US$7,317).

How the war in Iran disrupted global aviation

Following the launch of a US military operation in Iran on February 28, 2026, global air travel experienced immediate disruption. The next day, Iranian missile and drone strikes targeted airports in the UAE, Kuwait, and Bahrain, leading to thousands of flight cancellations and leaving tens of thousands of travelers stranded.

Ongoing hostilities across the Middle East have forced airlines to urgently revise flight paths. Many carriers have been funneled into the so-called Caucasus corridor — a narrow airspace over Armenia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan that now serves as a critical link between Europe and Asia.