The Canadian flag carrier had been scheduled to resume flights to Dubai in mid-January as part of its winter schedule, but has now postponed the restart of the service.

The move comes as foreign airlines continue to face difficulties securing insurance for operations in the region. Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths has said the issue is affecting international carriers, leading several airlines to delay their return to Dubai. Local carriers Emirates and flydubai, however, continue to operate normally from DXB.

Dubai International Airport has remained busy in recent months, handling millions of travellers during the summer holiday period. Emirates also continues to operate direct flights between Dubai and the Canadian cities of Montreal and Toronto.

Air Canada has now joined fellow North American carrier United Airlines in suspending its Dubai services until March 2027. Several other major airlines, including UK-based Virgin Atlantic, have also said they will not resume Dubai flights until 2027.

At the same time, some international carriers are planning to restart services to Dubai as part of their winter schedules. KLM, Singapore Airlines and Lufthansa are all expected to resume flights by the end of October, according to the latest travel advice.

Passengers booked on Air Canada’s cancelled Dubai services can use the airline’s flexible booking policy. They can rebook for a later date without paying an additional fee, change their destination at no extra cost, or cancel the booking and receive credit for a future Air Canada trip.