Before a U.S. and Israeli attack on Iran in February 2026 triggered a wave of ongoing instability across much of the Middle East, Saudi Arabia was emerging as an emerging tourist destination rivaling the nearby United Arab Emirates.
Since the Covid-19 pandemic hit in 2020 and 2021, the number of international tourists to the Gulf country has grown by about 6% every year, to 29.3 million in 2025.
This growing demand has caught the attention of major US airline Delta Air Lines, which had planned to launch a new route from Atlanta to Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport (RUH) later this month in October 2026.
U.S. State Department’s Saudi Arabia travel advisory urges Americans to ‘reconsider travel’
However, the Islamic paramilitary Houthi group continues to launch attacks on Saudi Arabia’s main airports (the most serious attack occurred on October 10, killing 13 passengers and injuring hundreds), and King Khalid International Airport remains closed to passenger traffic. Most international airlines, including Delta Air Lines, have canceled flights to the country until 2027.
The U.S. State Department also raised its travel advisory for Saudi Arabia to Level 3 “Reconsider Travel,” while releasing regular updates on the situation on the ground and the dangers facing Americans who choose to stay there.
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Before the violence broke out, Saudi Arabia was classified as a “more cautious” country in the second tier of a four-tier system that rates countries based on how safe or dangerous the government considers them to be for U.S. travelers.
In addition to warning of “possible attacks on airports, airspace closures, flight cancellations and travel disruptions,” the State Department told Americans to avoid filming or photographing any drones, missiles or locations that could be targeted by them.
“Do not photograph, film or share information about missile or drone interception or impact sites,” the travel advisory reads, adding that “U.S. citizens have been detained for failing to comply with these regulations, including taking photos of government buildings, airports, and impact sites.”
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“Don’t film, film or share information about missile or drone interceptions:” Saudi Arabia travel advice
While past travel warnings have focused on strict laws regarding social media content that could be deemed offensive or critical of the Saudi Arabian government, the new addition warns travelers that war-related posts in particular could lead to problems, including detention.
In the past, penalties for U.S. travelers who violated Saudi Arabian law have included “deportation, fines, imprisonment, or bans from the country.”
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“If Saudi authorities consider your social media posts or other online activities to be critical, offensive or disruptive to public order, they may detain you,” the updated advisory reads.
In deciding to delay the launch of Atlanta-Riyadh flights until March 2027, Delta cited “evolving developments in the region” and “the safety and security of our customers and employees” as factors that “continue to guide” decisions on whether and when to launch the planned route.
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