Dubai to Riyadh via Bahrain: Travellers take longer routes amid airport disruptions

Residents travelling between the UAE and Riyadh are facing longer journeys and additional road transfers as they look for alternatives to their usual flight routes.

With direct air travel options temporarily suspended, some travellers are flying to other destinations before continuing to the Saudi capital by road. Popular alternatives include travelling through Dammam in Saudi Arabia or using Bahrain as a transit point before completing the journey to Riyadh.

The changes follow recent attacks on Saudi airports and energy infrastructure, which have disrupted flight operations, including at Riyadh airport.

For residents with work commitments in Riyadh, finding alternative routes has become a necessity. Others currently in Dubai are keeping their plans flexible and hoping regular flight services will resume soon.

Travellers Turn to Bahrain and Dammam

A 59-year-old British professional based in Riyadh, who requested anonymity, is among those taking a longer route to return to Saudi Arabia after visiting family in the UK.

After travelling to Dubai, she plans to fly to Manama in Bahrain and then continue to Riyadh by road. The final leg of her journey is expected to take around five to six hours.

She explained that the airport closures had forced her to find another way to return to Riyadh, where she is based professionally.

Although the alternative route involves additional travel time, she considers it necessary to return to work.

Dubai Resident Travels Through Dammam for Riyadh Event

For 46-year-old marketer Vijayan R., travelling to Riyadh was essential because of a professional commitment.

He flew from Dubai to Dammam on Sunday to attend the World Petroleum Congress 2026 before completing the journey to Riyadh by road. The road transfer took approximately four hours.

With the event now over, Vijayan plans to return to the UAE using another combination of road and air travel.

His return journey involves travelling by road from Riyadh to Dammam, followed by a road transfer to Bahrain, which he estimates will take around one hour. From Bahrain, he intends to catch a flight back to the UAE.

His experience highlights how travellers are combining flights and road journeys to reach their destinations while direct travel options remain disrupted.

Some Residents in Dubai Wait for Flights to Resume

While some travellers are taking alternative routes, others prefer to wait for more convenient flight options before returning to Saudi Arabia.

Rishi Joshi, whose name has been changed, arrived in Dubai on Friday to meet his family. He is now considering how best to return to Riyadh but has not yet finalised his travel plans.

He hopes the airport closures will be temporary and that flights from the UAE to at least one Saudi airport will resume soon.

For now, Joshi is choosing to remain in Dubai and monitor the situation rather than commit to a longer journey involving multiple road transfers.

Travellers Keep Plans Flexible Amid Uncertainty

The flight disruptions have forced UAE residents travelling to Riyadh to reconsider their usual routes and allow more time for their journeys.

While connections through Dammam and Bahrain offer possible alternatives, these routes involve additional transfers and longer travel times.

For professionals with fixed commitments, making alternative arrangements is essential. Others are choosing to wait for updates on flight operations before deciding how to proceed.

As the situation develops, travellers are keeping their plans flexible and assessing available options before beginning their journeys between the UAE and Saudi Arabia.