Dubai: A Situation Update (March 2026)

Schools

Every school and university in the UAE moved to remote learning from March 2, the first working day after the conflict began. Authorities moved spring break forward to March 9, and by March 17 remote learning had been extended for another two weeks after the break ended on March 22. No children were physically in school, and the situation was being reviewed weekly.

Schools appeared to be managing the shift, with blended arrangements for students and staff who had already left the country. Admissions continued across UAE international schools, which suggested institutions were planning for a return even while the timeline remained unclear.

At university level, several international branch campuses went remote for an extended period. The disruption also raised wider questions about the resilience of transnational education in the Gulf during regional security shocks.

The UAE also revoked the licences of five Iranian schools, leaving around 2,500 Iranian students without a clear path forward.

What's Happening on the Ground

Public reporting described extensive air-defence activity across the UAE, with missile and drone interceptions from late February onward. The interception rate was high, but strikes or debris still affected airports, hotels, ports and business districts. Reported casualties were mostly linked to falling interception debris rather than direct hits.

Residents described a city still functioning but tense. Supermarkets were stocked, the internet worked and beaches remained open, but phone alerts, GPS disruption and work-from-home orders changed daily life. Authorities also warned residents against sharing unauthorised security content online, which made public information harder to interpret.

Flights

Flight disruption was the most immediate problem for relocating families. Major airlines suspended, reduced or repeatedly adjusted UAE services during March 2026. For families outside the UAE, getting there reliably became difficult. For families already in Dubai and considering leaving, outbound capacity was also uncertain.

Economy and Expat Life

Tourism and business travel took the first obvious hit. Hotels reported heavy cancellations, lower occupancy and reduced operations. Business districts also emptied out as major firms moved staff to remote work or reviewed evacuation plans.

Tax residency became a practical concern for expatriates who had left the UAE and might miss normal day-count requirements. Authorities signalled flexibility, which showed how many residents were outside the country or planning contingencies.

Not everyone left. Many long-term residents stayed because work, family life and financial ties were already embedded in Dubai. The best description of the period was functional but tense.

The US State Department issued a Level 3 "Reconsider Travel" advisory for the UAE and ordered non-emergency staff and families out as of March 2.

The best international schools in Dubai guide is now live. Use this situation note as dated context for March 2026 only.