Flights to the Middle East from the US

Quick answer: Qatar Airways, Emirates and Etihad fly nonstop from more than a dozen US airports to Doha, Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and El Al flies nonstop to Tel Aviv from New York JFK, Newark, Boston, Miami, Los Angeles and San Francisco, as of recent schedules. From the East Coast the flight takes about 10 to 13 hours. US citizens need no visa in advance for Qatar or the UAE, but Israel requires an approved ETA-IL before you fly.

Facts checked November 2026. Schedules and entry rules change, so confirm with the airline and the official government site before you travel.

Middle East flights at a glance

Where you can fly in Middle East

Each city links to every route guide we publish into that airport; each guide covers the airlines, connections and baggage rules, with live fares when the page loads.

• Flights to Dubai (DXB)8 route guides
• Flights to Abu Dhabi (AUH)9 route guides
• Flights to Doha (DOH)9 route guides
• Flights to Tel Aviv (TLV)26 route guides

Which US airports fly nonstop to the Middle East

The Gulf carriers do most of the flying. As of recent schedules, Qatar Airways flies nonstop to Doha from 12 US airports: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago O'Hare, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York JFK, Philadelphia (restored in August 2026), San Francisco, Seattle and Washington Dulles. Check with the airline for the current schedule.

Emirates had restored all its US gateways by May 2026, with some frequencies adjusted since, and serves Dubai from Boston, Chicago O'Hare, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York JFK, Orlando, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington Dulles. Its Newark flight stops in Athens, so it is not a nonstop.

Etihad flies to Abu Dhabi's Zayed International Airport from New York JFK, Washington Dulles, Chicago O'Hare, Boston, Atlanta and, since March 2026, Charlotte. Schedules in the region changed several times in 2026, so check with the airline before you book.

Flights to Tel Aviv

El Al is the airline that has kept flying between the US and Ben Gurion Airport. As of recent schedules it serves New York JFK, Newark, Boston, Miami and Los Angeles, and it restarted San Francisco on October 25, 2026, a few times a week.

The US airlines have come and gone. Delta resumed New York JFK to Tel Aviv and United resumed Newark to Tel Aviv in September 2026, and American has said it will not return before 2027. These flights have been suspended at short notice before, so check with the airline that your flight is operating close to departure and keep the airline's app notifications on.

If your trip combines Israel with Jordan or Egypt, check each country's entry rules separately, because the ETA-IL covers Israel only.

Entry rules for US citizens

Qatar: US passport holders get a visa waiver on arrival at Hamad International Airport, so there is nothing to apply for in advance. Visit Qatar describes stays of up to 90 days. If you hold a US emergency passport, check the State Department's Qatar page before you book, because it may not be accepted for entry.

United Arab Emirates: US citizens with a regular passport receive a visa on arrival. Your passport should be valid at least six months beyond the date of entry. If you hold an emergency passport or a passport with an X sex marker, read the State Department's UAE page before you book, since you could be refused boarding or entry.

Israel: the Electronic Travel Authorization, ETA-IL, has been mandatory for US citizens since January 1, 2025. Apply only on the official site, israel-entry.piba.gov.il, at least 72 hours before you fly. An approval covers multiple visits of up to 90 days each for two years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first. Dual US-Israeli citizens enter on their Israeli passport and do not need one.

For safety information on any country in the region, read the current travel advisory on travel.state.gov before you book and again before you leave, and consider enrolling in the State Department's STEP program.

Gateway airports and onward connections

Doha, Dubai and Abu Dhabi are built as transfer hubs, so many travellers use them to reach India, Africa or Southeast Asia on one ticket. Inside the Gulf, the three hubs are a short flight apart, and Dubai and Abu Dhabi are also linked by road.

Abu Dhabi has one feature no other airport in the region has: US Customs and Border Protection Preclearance. On Etihad's flights to the US you clear US immigration and customs in Abu Dhabi and land as a domestic passenger, which saves time on arrival, especially if you have a connecting flight.

For Israel, Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv is the main international gateway. Jerusalem is about an hour away by train or road.

Best and quietest months to fly

In the Gulf, the comfortable season runs from November to March, when daytime temperatures suit the beach and the desert. June to September is very hot, and demand from US leisure travellers drops, so it is usually the quieter time to fly. Ramadan, which moves about 11 days earlier each year, changes opening hours for restaurants and attractions; in 2027 it is expected to begin in early February.

In Israel, spring and autumn are mild. The Jewish holidays bring heavy demand: Passover in the spring and the High Holidays in September or October fill flights from New York weeks ahead. Midsummer and January are usually quieter.

Booking tips

If you live far from a nonstop gateway, a Gulf carrier's domestic partner may get you there: Qatar Airways is in oneworld with American and Alaska, and Emirates has a codeshare with United. Booking both flights on one ticket protects your connection if the first flight runs late.

A stopover can turn a long trip into two short ones. Qatar Airways and Emirates both let you break the journey in Doha or Dubai for a few days on the way to Asia or Africa, which is worth pricing against a one-stop ticket via Europe.

Open-jaw tickets work well here: fly into Dubai and home from Abu Dhabi, or the reverse, and travel between the two by road. For Israel, compare the nonstop with one-stop options through European hubs, which can be the fallback when the nonstops are disrupted.

Route guides to Middle East

Frequently asked questions