Travel in Iran

“The Persians called this square, Naqsh-e Jahan Square, half the world, meaning to see it was to see half the world,” Samira Ahmed explains. The joy of seeing the grand square laid out in front of her speaks stories on her face, a broad grin gradually emerging. She is in Esfahan to tell the fascinating tales of this grand monument for BBC Four’s Art of Persia – an exquisite series looking at the history and culture of the alluring land of Iran, once known as Persia. I may be sat in my London flat right now in a looming lockdown, but I once saw half the world.

Throughout April, we're honoring the ancient Arab tradition of hakawatis, or storytellers, highlighting the writers, performers, and poets who are driving the conversation around what it means to be Arab American today—and celebrating the rich culture and histories of the diaspora.

Much to the astonishment of some of my friends and family, I traveled to Israel on a seven-night press trip, returning home on April 8, less than a week before Iran launched its attack on the country.

Welcome back to another episode of the TravelPulse Podcast!

India is becoming a convenient hub for travel between Southeast Asia and the Middle East, IndiGo Chairman V Sumantran said during his address at a college in Chennai. He also cited the example of several airlines carrying passengers from places such as Bangkok to Jeddah or Dubai by connecting through Indian cities.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Kate Boardman , a 36-year-old former teacher and current content creator from Massachusetts who has lived and traveled all over the world. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

Airlines flying over Iranian airspace promptly rerouted to different airports or returned to their original departure locations early Friday morning following Israel’s retaliatory attack on Iran.

The Indian civil aviation ministry has advised domestic airlines to assess risks before flying on international routes as tensions in the Middle East are growing. The civil aviation regulatory body is working with the airlines and the ministry of external affairs to navigate the situation, civil aviation secretary Vumlunmang Vualnam has said.

Following Iran's missile and drone attacks on Israel late Saturday night, several airlines are canceling flights to and from Tel Aviv, as well as rerouting planes scheduled to fly over the Middle East.

Update: April 15, 2024, at 9:00 PM ET 

More than 1,500 private jets were expected to land in Augusta, Georgia throughout last weekend for the Masters golf tournament. 

Good morning from Skift. It’s Tuesday, April 16. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.

After a tense weekend in the Middle East, airlines are considering what, if any, changes need to be made to their networks and routes. 

The Lufthansa Group is slashing its financial forecast after a series of strikes affected its operations and warned rising tensions in the Middle East could further affect its bottom line.

Flights between Europe and Asia could see significant delays and longer journey times, following the first direct attack from Iran on Israel on Saturday night.

Airlines have been changing routes and canceling flights in response to an escalation in tensions between Israel and Iran.

United Airlines said it was canceling its service to Tel Aviv on Saturday, as reports came out that Iran was launching drones toward Israel.

As Queer Eye’s fashion expert, Tan France built a reputation on the Netflix reboot for giving transformational makeovers, possessing sharp style sensibilities and leading a relentless campaign for people to French tuck their shirts.

Lufthansa has canceled flights to and from Iran as tensions escalate in the region. However, Skift has discovered that the cancellations aren’t universal, even within the same airline group.

Spain, one of the Europe’s most popular and successful granters of residency by investment, better known as Golden Visa, has decided to eliminate the program.

Qatar Airways is developing a new first-class product to introduce aboard its aircraft, according to a new CNBC report.

It’s no secret that visitors to the United Arab Emirates associate the country more with sizzling Dubai than stately Abu Dhabi. Yet the UAE’s capital has never been one to chase pizzazz.