Wealthy people are chartering planes and hiring drivers to evacuate the Middle East

"Demand is definitely increasing, there are an increasingly limited number of aircraft willing and able to fly to and from the area. On Monday, two days after the start of the US and Israel's war against Iran, flights out of the United Arab Emirates - whose two main airports were damaged by Iranian air strikes - were still few and far between, and major hubs, including Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait, had to shut down due to airspace restrictions."

"That left wealthy people in financial hotspots like Dubai and Abu Dhabi - hubs for monied tourists and Western expats in recent years - scrambling to reach Oman or Saudi Arabia, two countries with less interrupted airspace. They're spending hours in the car to reach airports, with border-crossing waits increasing by the day."

"Once there, charter flights can cost as much as $200,000, Jay Smedley, the owner of luxury concierge firm Dubai Key, told Business Insider. The company has arranged short-haul private charter flights to Istanbul, Cairo, and the Maldives for clients since requests began to increase on Saturday."

Following air strikes and escalating tensions in the Middle East, wealthy travelers and expats in the UAE are evacuating the Gulf region through various means. Major airports in Dubai and Abu Dhabi sustained damage, resulting in severely limited commercial flights. Regional hubs including Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait closed airspace, forcing evacuees to travel overland to Oman or Saudi Arabia for flights. Private charter flights have become the primary evacuation method, with costs reaching $200,000 for short-haul flights and significantly more for European destinations. Border crossings experience increasing delays as demand surges, while charter flight availability remains constrained.

Read at Business Insider