In the wake of major military escalations in the Middle East, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has significantly expanded its “No-Go” list as of Friday (March 6). In total, 81 countries now face warnings, with widespread flight suspensions affecting several major international hubs.

The FCDO currently advises against all travel to 15 countries in their entirety due to extreme risks such as active warfare, high threat of kidnapping, or significant military instability. The remaining 62 countries fall into the “Essential Only” category, upgrading several nations due to recent tensions. Such a move often invalidates standard travel insurance for holidaymakers. As of this week, travel in and out of the Middle East is facing the largest disruption since the pandemic. Many key airlines to the region have suspended most scheduled services to hotspots like Dubai, Doha and Tel Aviv, while a number of airspace closures are in place.

The FCDO advises against all travel to 19 countries or specific territories within them due to active conflict, missile strikes, or extreme security risks. If you are currently there, you are urged to leave by commercial means if it is safe to do so. Standard travel insurance is invalid for these destinations.

The remaining countries on the list of 81 fall into this category. For some, the warning applies to the entire country, while for others, it only applies to specific provinces or border zones. Due to the recent escalations, several major hubs have been moved to the “All But Essential” list, including the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait.

Other areas face partial warnings, in which the FCDO warns against travel to specific regions – often borders or conflict zones – while other areas remain technically safe.