Bahrain's Airspace Is Open Again After 39 Days

Bahrain's airspace closed on February 28, 2026, after regional tensions escalated and it stayed shut for 39 days. That's a long time. The Civil Aviation Affairs authority officially reopened on April 8, 2026, making Bahrain, turns out, the first Gulf country to restore full airspace access following a temporary US-Iran ceasefire announced the day before.

Gulf Air resumed limited operations from Bahrain International Airport starting April 9, initially covering 13 routes with 26 weekly departures. The first three inbound flights landed on the evening of April 8, which is honestly a faster restart than most expected given how fragile the ceasefire reportedly is.

Who's Affected

Expats and digital nomads using Bahrain as a transit point between Europe, the Gulf and the Indian subcontinent took the hardest hit during the closure, rerouted flights added hours to journeys that are already long. Tourists and transit passengers connecting onward to India, East Africa or the UK were also caught in the disruption.

Current Route Schedule

• April 9: Dubai, Jeddah, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram
• April 10: Delhi, Hyderabad, Islamabad, London Heathrow, Mumbai
• April 11: Dhaka, Lahore, Nairobi
• April 29: Riyadh (delayed from original schedule)

Gulf Air is, frankly, still running parallel temporary services out of King Fahd International Airport in Dammam through April 30, so don't assume Bahrain is your only option just yet.

What to Do Now

Check your flight status directly with your airline before heading to the airport, additional security coordination is in place and delays are possible as operations stabilize. Gulf Air is honoring flexible rebooking and refund options for passengers affected between late February and mid-April, worth checking if your trip was disrupted. Arrive early, the security process isn't back to normal yet.

One important caveat: the ceasefire is described as temporary and fragile, with reported violations within hours of it taking effect, airlines still need approval before operating into Bahraini airspace. Keep an eye on nomad news if the situation shifts again.

Read our full Bahrain guide for the complete picture on getting in, getting around and staying connected.