Qatar Airways trims US routes as Doha hub recovery continues

Qatar Airways is gradually rebuilding its US network after one of the most disruptive periods in the carrier’s recent history.

Schedule data shows that the airline’s US flights in Q2 2026 have been reduced by 49% compared with the same quarter last year, with more than 1,300 flights removed across its 11 US destinations, News.Az reports, citing Simple Flying.

The sharpest reductions occurred in April, when Qatar Airways remained heavily affected by Middle East conflict conditions.

The schedule then showed a gradual recovery through May and June. However, the airline is still expected to operate at around 25% below normal capacity by the end of the quarter, highlighting the complexity of restarting a long-haul network after the Iran war led to the closure of Qatari airspace and disrupted operations at Doha Hamad International Airport (DOH), a key global connecting hub.

The immediate reason for the reduction was the airspace crisis around Doha. Qatar Airways was forced into limited operations after Qatari airspace was closed. While services have been returning, the recovery has been gradual rather than immediate. This is reflected in the US schedule: April saw severe reductions, May showed partial restoration, and June is closer to normal levels but still significantly below last year.

Qatar Airways has stated that the rebuilding process is being carried out in stages. The airline said its revised schedule would gradually increase flights to and from Doha to more than 120 destinations by mid-May across its network. A subsequent update indicated that it is targeting expansion to more than 150 destinations from June 16, with the updated schedule valid through September 15. The airline emphasized that it is restoring its network step by step rather than returning instantly to its previous timetable.

The situation is particularly significant for the United States, where Qatar Airways’ network relies heavily on long-haul connections via Doha. Disruptions at the hub make US routes more difficult to restore quickly, as they depend on long aircraft rotations, crew availability, premium-cabin demand, and consistent onward connectivity to regions such as South Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia.

As a result, US flights cannot be fully restored in isolation, since their viability depends on the broader functionality of Qatar Airways’ Doha hub and its connecting flight banks.

News.Az 

By Nijat Babayev