Travellers flying through the Gulf may soon have one less thing to worry about.
In the aftermath of weeks of airspace closures, flight disruptions and heightened geopolitical tensions across the Middle East, both Emirates and Etihad Airways have rolled out new insurance initiatives aimed at restoring traveller confidence. While the two products differ significantly in what they cover, both airlines are effectively responding to a problem that many passengers discovered during the recent crisis: conventional travel insurance often excludes war- or conflict-related disruptions.
The announcements come just weeks after airlines across the Gulf—including Emirates, Etihad, Qatar Airways, Air India and IndiGo—were forced to suspend or reroute flights because of the conflict involving Iran and Israel, leaving thousands of passengers stranded or delayed.
Emirates introduces comprehensive travel cover with conflict protection
Emirates has unveiled what it calls the world’s most comprehensive airline travel insurance product, developed in partnership with Travel Guard.
Unlike conventional travel insurance, which frequently excludes claims arising from war or government-issued travel advisories, Emirates’ new policy specifically addresses this gap.
When itineraries include connecting on other airlines or Emirates services are unavailable, Emirates will also rebook disrupted customers to their destination at no additional cost, including where flights have been cancelled due to conflict-related disruption.
Customers can now plan and travel with even greater peace of mind from the moment they book their journey, with expanded medical cover in the insurance product, supported by Travel Guard, and additional disruption support by Emirates on top of the existing travel insurance offering.
Emirates’ new Comprehensive Travel Cover includes trip cancellation cover, compensation for baggage delay or loss, unlimited medical expense and emergency evacuation cover worldwide, among other generous benefits. Newly added conflict cover provides reimbursement for medical expenses of up to USD 25,000 and a free trip extension of up to 30 days. The cover is not restricted by government travel advice.
Rooted in Emirates’ ‘fly better’ brand promise and its duty of care to customers, airline-managed hotel accommodation is available during disruptions, including airspace closures. This is in addition to existing customer-first benefits such as a free date change for tickets booked from April 2, and the option to ‘hold my fare’ for 24 hours free of charge, giving travellers flexibility, reassurance, and support at every step.
The insurance can be purchased while booking an Emirates ticket or subsequently through the airline’s Manage Booking portal.
Etihad offers complimentary medical insurance for visitors to Abu Dhabi
Etihad has taken a different approach. Instead of selling a new insurance product, the Abu Dhabi-based carrier has partnered with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi and Daman, part of PureHealth, to offer complimentary medical travel insurance to eligible international visitors arriving in Abu Dhabi.
The cover will be available for eligible passengers travelling between July and December 2026 and will automatically apply to qualifying Etihad-operated flights originating outside the UAE. There is no separate enrolment or application process.
The insurance provides medical coverage for up to 15 days in the UAE and also extends to travellers using Etihad’s Abu Dhabi Stopover programme.
Unlike Emirates’ new product, Etihad’s initiative focuses solely on medical coverage for visitors while they are in the UAE. It does not replace a comprehensive travel insurance policy that covers cancellations, baggage, or travel disruption.
Why this matters
The timing of both announcements is hardly coincidental. The recent closure of Middle Eastern airspace exposed a major weakness in traditional travel insurance. Many travellers found that while airlines provided rerouting or refunds where required, their independent travel insurance policies excluded claims arising from war, armed conflict or government travel advisories.
That left travellers exposed to expenses such as hotel stays, medical emergencies and other unexpected costs.
For Emirates, the new product aims to fill that gap by explicitly covering certain conflict-related medical situations and offering additional operational assistance during disruptions. Etihad’s strategy is more destination-focused, encouraging international visitors to choose Abu Dhabi by removing concerns around unexpected medical expenses during their stay.
What should Indian travellers know?
For Indian travellers, both announcements are welcome, particularly because Dubai and Abu Dhabi remain two of the country’s busiest international gateways, both as destinations and as transit hubs to Europe, North America and Africa. However, travellers should read the fine print before assuming these airline offerings replace conventional travel insurance.
Emirates’ policy is a comprehensive insurance product that needs to be purchased separately and supplements existing travel insurance options. Etihad’s complimentary benefit, meanwhile, is limited to eligible visitors travelling into Abu Dhabi and primarily covers medical expenses during a stay of up to 15 days.
Neither offering should necessarily replace a comprehensive standalone travel insurance policy, particularly for travellers with expensive itineraries, multiple destinations or pre-existing medical conditions.
Bottomline
The recent disruptions in the Middle East have highlighted that travel insurance is no longer just a box to tick when booking a flight.
By launching new insurance initiatives, Emirates and Etihad are acknowledging a growing concern among international travellers—that conventional insurance often falls short precisely when it is needed most. Emirates has chosen to tackle the issue by offering an enhanced paid insurance product that includes conflict-related medical coverage, while Etihad is using complimentary medical insurance as an incentive to encourage more visitors to Abu Dhabi.
As competition among Gulf carriers intensifies, don’t be surprised if similar traveller protection initiatives become increasingly common across the region.
What do you think of the moves made by the two prominent Middle Eastern Carriers? Will others follow?
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