Most Western airlines no longer fly over Iran. Whether your specific flight does depends on which airline and which route you book. That difference matters more than it used to.
European flight safety authorities issued warnings about Iranian and nearby airspace. Most European and American airlines changed their routes and no longer fly over Iran, British Airways, Lufthansa, Air France and KLM among them.
Some airlines, particularly Gulf carriers, still fly routes that pass near or through parts of that area. The situation is different for each airline, and the path your airline takes determines what your flight actually passes over.
Two big airspace changes happened at almost the same time. Western airlines lost access to Russian airspace in early 2022, which meant they could no longer take the fast northern path to Japan and northeast Asia. Those flights now have to go south, which adds time.
At the same time, European safety authorities raised warnings about airspace over Iran and Iraq. Most European airlines changed their routes to avoid that area too. A London to Bangkok flight that used to go through Central Asia now takes one of three different routes. Each has its own trade-offs.
Via Turkey (e.g. Istanbul)
Goes east through Turkish airspace, which is not inside the flagged area. Whether the onward Istanbul-to-Asia leg stays clear depends on the destination. Flights continuing to India or parts of Southeast Asia can still cross the Iran advisory. Often the least extra time of the three; check the live comparison for your pair.
Via the Gulf (e.g. Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi)
Goes south through the Middle East. The Europe-to-Gulf leg typically crosses airspace covered by an official warning. High daily flight counts mean you have more options to switch flights if something goes wrong. The warning area crossing is still real, and officially documented.
Via East Asia (e.g. Hong Kong, Seoul)
Goes east, avoiding the Gulf warning area entirely. The cleanest airspace of the three options. The trade-off: adds two or more hours to the total trip compared to going via Turkey.
The route your flight takes determines whether it passes through a warning area, how long the trip is, and how many airline options you have if something goes wrong. Two airlines flying the same cities may take very different paths. Most booking sites do not show you this.
FlightDetour compares these routes side by side so you can see the differences before you book: which route goes through a warning area, which one adds more time, and which has better backup options.
These trips show the route difference most clearly. Each has several options with different scores.
Live scores for routes that cross the airspace this guide is about.