Amid the ongoing battle in Iran and vital flight disruptions throughout the Middle East, vacationers with plans to go to neighboring nation Türkiye could also be questioning whether or not to proceed or cancel their journeys.
The Israeli and American navy operations in Iran that escalated on February 28 have triggered retaliatory strikes throughout the area, with drones and falling particles damaging widespread vacationer areas in Dubai and Cyprus. On March 4, NATO air defenses intercepted a ballistic missile heading in the direction of Turkish airspace, according to the Turkish Defense Ministry. There had been no reported casualties or accidents from the incident. The tried assault on Türkiye, which shares a border with Iran, marks the first time a NATO alliance member has been drawn into the battle.
As of Friday, March 6, the State Department’s Türkiye Travel Advisory is positioned at a Level 2, encouraging vacationers to “exercise increased caution” (the similar score as Egypt and France, for instance). A February 28 travel alert from the US embassy in Türkiye notes that “US authorities personnel in Türkiye have been instructed to keep away from journey to the US Consulate Adana consular district, which contains Türkiye’s 22 southeasternmost provinces.”
“Military activity in the Middle East region may disrupt international travel, including air travel to [and] from Türkiye,” the advisory adds.
According to regional travel specialists, most of the country is currently considered safe to visit, including popular vacation destinations such as Istanbul, Antalya, Göreme, Ankara, and Bodrum. “The consensus on the ground in Türkiye is the same as both Egypt and Jordan,” says Chris Bazos, Condé Nast Traveler travel specialist, co-founder, and president of Travelous, a travel agency with operations across the Middle East. “All is well, and it’s business as usual,” he says.
Per the US State Department advisory, the only regions placed at an increased Level 4 rating of “do not travel” in Türkiye are the Sirnak province, Hakkari province, and any area within six miles (10 kilometers) of the Syrian border due to the continued threat of attacks by terrorist groups, armed conflict, and civil unrest.
Because, at the time of writing, the State Department does not advise against all travel to Türkiye, your travel insurance is unlikely to cover trip cancellations, and you’re unlikely to receive a full refund if you decide not to travel. If you want to look into postponing your trip, it’s best to contact your travel insurance provider or airline directly. Should your trip be impacted, see our full guide on what travel insurance covers during airspace closures.
This is a developing news story and will be updated with information as it becomes available. Additional reporting by Condé Nast Traveller UK.