The news that one of Emirates’ African routes is under review has sparked understandable concern among travelers with upcoming plans to the continent. Africa is central to Emirates’ global network, and any potential suspension or reshaping of services has ripple effects on tourism, business travel, and onward connections through Dubai. With the airline both ramping up capacity in some markets and temporarily suspending flights in others due to political or operational pressures, travelers are now asking a key question: should you book now, or wait for clarity?
What Does “Route Under Review” Really Mean?
When an airline places a route “under review,” it rarely means an automatic, permanent cancellation. Instead, it signals that the carrier is reassessing the viability and safety of operating that service within its current schedule. That review can be driven by several factors, including political instability, civil unrest, regulatory changes, currency and revenue repatriation issues, or simple supply and demand trends.
In Emirates’ African portfolio, recent months have illustrated the full range of possibilities. The airline has temporarily suspended flights to Dar es Salaam amid civil unrest in Tanzania, while simultaneously resuming or expanding services to other African gateways when conditions improved. In practice, “under review” can lead to anything from a short-term pause and rerouting of passengers via partner airlines to a full restoration with adjusted timings, aircraft types, or frequency once the situation stabilizes.
For travelers, that means a route under review occupies a gray zone. Tickets can still be on sale; schedules may appear normal several weeks out; yet behind the scenes, operations teams are running different scenarios. Whether you should book now depends on how comfortable you are with uncertainty, how flexible your plans are, and how critical that specific routing is to your itinerary.
Emirates’ Recent Track Record Across Africa
To judge the risk of booking, it helps to look at how Emirates has been treating its African network over the past couple of years. Far from retreating from the continent, the airline has been steadily reinforcing its presence in many key markets. Capacity has been increased on routes such as Johannesburg, Cape Town, Nairobi, Cairo, and Mauritius, often in response to robust demand from both leisure and corporate travelers.
In South Africa, Emirates has restored and then expanded frequencies to Johannesburg and Cape Town, bringing its schedule back to and beyond pre-pandemic levels. Additional daily flights translate into thousands of extra seats each week, signaling strong confidence in demand from both local travelers and international visitors connecting through Dubai. Capacity enhancements have also brought upgraded aircraft and the introduction of premium economy cabins on certain rotations, reflecting investment rather than retrenchment.
In East Africa, Kenya has emerged as one of the biggest winners. Emirates has announced a third daily flight to Nairobi, due to operate from early March 2026, marking three decades of operations to the Kenyan capital. The new rotation is designed to improve connectivity to and from Europe, the United States, and Asia, while catering to Kenya’s ambition to grow international visitor numbers sharply over the rest of the decade.
North Africa has seen similar signals of confidence. On the Dubai–Cairo corridor, Emirates is adding a fifth daily frequency, in stages, from late 2025 into early 2026. That represents a major uplift in capacity between the United Arab Emirates and Egypt, as well as more options for travelers connecting onward to destinations in Asia and beyond. In the Indian Ocean, the launch of a third daily service to Mauritius in December 2025 further underlines how Emirates is betting on sustained tourism growth to African and adjacent island destinations.
When Things Go the Other Way: Suspensions and Political Risk
These expansion stories coexist with more fragile situations elsewhere on the continent, highlighting why some routes are under review. In Tanzania, Emirates recently suspended flights to and from Dar es Salaam in response to civil unrest and a deteriorating local security picture. The airline halted services on short notice, blocking new connections via Dubai and leaving affected travelers reliant on rebooking options or refunds.
Earlier, Nigeria provided a different kind of case study. Emirates withdrew from the Nigerian market in 2022 after protracted difficulties in repatriating ticket revenue due to foreign currency controls. For close to two years, its flagship Dubai–Lagos route remained suspended, underscoring how macroeconomic and regulatory issues can be just as decisive as pure passenger demand. Only in late 2025 did Emirates confirm that it would resume operations, following an improvement in relations between the UAE and Nigerian authorities and movement on the financial impasse.
These examples matter because they show how quickly a route’s status can change. Where tensions are primarily operational or commercial, as in Nigeria, a suspension can last far longer than many leisure travelers are willing to wait. Where issues relate to short-term security conditions, as in Tanzania, operations may resume more quickly, but timing remains unpredictable. In both scenarios, a route can be tagged as “under review” for weeks or even months before a final decision is made.
How Likely Is a Complete Withdrawal?
A complete, long-term exit from an African market is relatively rare for Emirates, especially on routes that have historically performed well or feed into broader network strategy. The airline has been present in Africa since the mid-1980s and now connects 20 or more passenger and cargo gateways across the continent. Africa continues to be a growth focus for both its passenger and cargo divisions, with rising trade volumes and tourism flows underpinning new partnerships and route launches.
More often than not, adjustments take the form of frequency changes, aircraft swaps, or seasonal reductions, rather than outright cuts. Johannesburg, for instance, has seen Emirates switch between different Boeing 777 configurations and tweak flight timings as part of a wider optimization drive. Cape Town and Nairobi have experienced stepwise increases in capacity when demand warranted it, while other cities have had incremental upgrades or downgrades depending on load factors, yields, and local conditions.
Security crises or sudden policy shifts are the main triggers for full suspensions, and even then, Emirates tends to frame them as temporary measures subject to review. The restoration of flights to five African countries in early 2022, after an earlier wave of restrictions and health measures, is a reminder that today’s closure can be tomorrow’s reopening once conditions change. For a route currently under review, a complete and permanent withdrawal is possible but not the default expectation.
Booking Now vs Waiting: The Key Trade Offs
For travelers eyeing an Emirates ticket to or within Africa, the decision to book now on a route under review comes down to balancing risk with reward. The upside to booking early is clear. You can still lock in attractive fares, secure your preferred travel dates, and enjoy the convenience of Emirates’ extensive global network. If the airline ultimately keeps the route operating as planned, you benefit from a seamless experience on a carrier renowned for consistency.
The downside is the chance that your flight will be rescheduled, rerouted, or canceled if the review ends in a temporary suspension or a cut in frequency. In that case, even though Emirates generally offers rebooking, vouchers, or refunds, you may not be able to replicate your original itinerary, particularly if you are traveling during peak seasons to popular African destinations. Alternative flights may involve longer layovers, additional connections, or even different airlines entirely.
If your travel is discretionary, dates are flexible, and you could easily pivot to another African gateway that Emirates is actively growing, waiting a few weeks for the outcome of the review might make sense. On the other hand, if you are planning a safari, business trip, family event, or honeymoon that depends on traveling during specific dates or to a specific region with limited capacity, booking now and relying on Emirates’ rebooking and refund policies may still be the better bet.
How to Protect Yourself if You Decide to Book
If you do choose to book on an Emirates African route that is under review, there are several practical steps that can limit your exposure to disruption. First, examine the fare conditions in detail. Fully flexible or semi-flexible tickets are more expensive upfront but can pay off if changes become necessary. Check what penalties apply for date changes, what the refund rules are, and whether your fare allows rerouting via other African hubs if your original gateway is suspended.
Second, consider your payment method. Using a credit card often provides an extra layer of consumer protection and can make it easier to obtain a refund in the event of a major schedule change or cancellation. Some premium cards also bundle in travel insurance that covers disruptions, missed connections, or additional accommodation costs, although you should always read the fine print to confirm what is and is not included.
Third, purchase independent travel insurance that specifically includes cover for airline schedule changes and political or civil unrest, where available. Not all policies treat these scenarios the same way, and some exclude known events that were already in the news at the time of booking. A policy that recognizes the evolving nature of travel to certain regions of Africa can be a useful safety net if you have significant nonrefundable land arrangements such as safari lodges, domestic connecting flights, or tours.
Alternatives and Backup Plans Within the Emirates Network
One of Emirates’ key strengths in Africa is the breadth of its network. Even if a particular city’s route is under review, neighboring gateways often continue to grow and can serve as practical alternatives. For East Africa, for example, Nairobi’s increasing connectivity makes it a strong entry point for travelers heading to Kenya, neighboring Tanzania, or even onward to Rwanda and Uganda with regional carriers. An adjustment in one market does not necessarily cut you off from the wider region.
In Southern Africa, Johannesburg and Cape Town function as powerful hubs, both for Emirates and for regional airlines. A traveler bound for a safari in Botswana or a beach stay in Mozambique may find it relatively simple to reroute via one of these cities, even if another route closer to their final destination faces uncertainty. Similarly, in North Africa, Cairo’s five daily flights and strong links to Dubai can serve as an alternative gateway for certain itineraries linking Europe, the Middle East, and sub-Saharan Africa.
For island and coastal escapes, Mauritius and other Indian Ocean destinations connected by Emirates offer additional options for travelers who want to pivot away from areas experiencing unrest. In practice, that means you can still plan an African or Indian Ocean trip via Emirates, even if the specific city under review remains in limbo. The key is to work closely with an informed travel advisor or monitor Emirates’ schedule updates to see where capacity is increasing, not just where it might be reduced.
So, Should You Book Now?
Ultimately, the decision about whether to book an Emirates flight on an African route under review is a personal one, shaped by your risk tolerance, flexibility, and the importance of your trip. The broader context across the continent suggests that Emirates is still strongly committed to Africa, investing in new frequencies, upgraded aircraft, and deeper partnerships even as it navigates political and economic volatility in select markets.
If your journey is time sensitive and hinges on specific dates, booking now with robust protections in place can be reasonable, particularly when alternative Emirates gateways in the same region remain strong. Make sure you choose fares and insurance options that allow for changes, and keep a close eye on airline advisories in the months and weeks before departure.
If, however, you have the luxury of waiting and you are eyeing a route that has been subject to recent unrest or regulatory tension, patience can pay off. The outcome of Emirates’ review, whether a restoration of normal service, a cut in frequency, or a temporary suspension, will make your options clearer and reduce the need for complex rebooking later.
The one certainty is that Africa will remain a priority for Emirates in the medium term, with new capacity coming on stream in multiple markets. Whether you book now or later, the practicality of reaching the continent via Dubai is unlikely to disappear. What will change is which city pairs provide the smoothest route to the safari plains, beaches, business hubs, and cultural capitals that continue to draw travelers to Africa in ever greater numbers.