The UK government has updated its travel advice for Jordan, now recommending against all but essential travel to Aqaba International Airport and its seaport. This change follows the interception of missiles in the immediate vicinity of these key transport hubs on 19 July 2026. The advice specifically highlights the King Hussein International Airport and Aqaba's port due to the security incident.
This latest update comes just over a month after the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) removed its blanket advice against non-essential travel to most of Jordan on 3 June. That earlier decision had aimed to open up opportunities for British tourists to return to the country. However, the FCDO continues to advise against all travel within 3km of Jordan's border with Syria, and the broader regional situation remains volatile, with Jordan, Bahrain, and Kuwait reporting the interception of Iranian drones and missiles as attacks across the Middle East have intensified. Recent weeks have also seen at least two US service members killed in action in Jordan while defending against Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks.
Aqaba's King Hussein International Airport is a relatively small facility located near the Gulf of Aqaba, within a few miles of the borders with Israel, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia. Currently, Royal Jordanian is the only airline operating from Aqaba, with flights to Amman and Cairo. Despite the missile interceptions, a limited number of flights continued to operate from Aqaba on 19 and 20 July.
The FCDO maintains that the situation in the region remains unpredictable, with previous Iranian attacks on Jordan occurring recently and the potential for further incidents at short notice. British nationals in Jordan are urged to consult the FCDO's 'if you are affected by a crisis abroad' document, adhere to instructions from local authorities, and sign up for FCDO travel advice email alerts. The FCDO has previously warned that Iran has stated intentions to target US and Israel-linked locations in the Gulf, including civilian infrastructure such as ports, hotels, roads, and airports.
For British travellers, the FCDO's previous relaxation of advice for most of Jordan meant that travel insurance policies were more likely to be valid for trips to those areas. However, any travel against current FCDO advice, such as to Aqaba's airport and seaport, could invalidate insurance. Travellers with package holidays booked to the affected Aqaba area should contact their tour operator, as advice against 'all but essential travel' typically allows for penalty-free cancellations and refunds for package holidays. For other parts of Jordan where the FCDO does not advise against non-essential travel, refunds for cancellations may not be guaranteed unless individual policies state otherwise.