Planning a Dubai–Canada trip? Air Canada's Dubai route is staying dark for longer than expected. The airline, which had already pushed its return to mid-January 2027 as part of its winter schedule, has now cancelled all flights to and from Dubai International Airport (DXB) until the end of March 2027.
This is the latest in a series of delays. An earlier comeback slated for October was also postponed, and the schedule has been shuffled repeatedly through this year. There's no firm restart date beyond the current end-of-March 2027 cutoff, and the airline says the situation continues to evolve.
Already booked? Air Canada is offering some decent options. Passengers can pull up their booking and change flights free of charge, and anyone whose flight is cancelled will be contacted directly with available alternatives. If you'd rather scrap the trip altogether, you're entitled to a full refund. Worth checking your booking and the airline's travel updates regularly rather than assuming anything, given how often the dates have shifted.
The good news for Dubai travellers: plenty of other carriers are stepping back in sooner. KLM, Singapore Airlines and Lufthansa are all expected to resume Dubai operations from late October as winter schedules kick in, though those plans could still change. Meanwhile, DXB is running as normal, with Emirates and flydubai keeping up extensive networks from the hub — so connections across Europe, Asia and beyond remain largely unaffected.
Why does this matter? The Dubai–Toronto route is a big one for the huge diaspora and family-visit traffic between the UAE and Canada, plus Canadians heading to the Gulf in winter. If you were counting on Air Canada for that leg, you'll need to look at one-stop options via European hubs like London, Frankfurt or Amsterdam, or via the Gulf carriers — or wait until spring 2027 at the earliest. Refund or free rebooking is the safest play if your dates are fixed.
Story via What's On Dubai.
