Most of the carriers still overflying Russia, however, are based in Asia and the Middle East — many of which are household names like Qatar Airways, Air China, Etihad Airways, and Emirates. And, some of these routes are even flying to and from the US.

Yes, as of early 2026, Emirates continues to utilize Russian airspace for many of its routes between Dubai and North America (specifically the U.S. West Coast) and parts of Europe and Asia. Because the UAE has maintained a neutral political stance, Emirates is not subject to the same airspace bans as Western carriers like British Airways or United. By flying over Russia, Emirates gains a significant competitive advantage in fuel efficiency and flight time, as they can take more direct "polar" routes that Western airlines must now bypass. While the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has issued safety advisories for Western Russian airspace, Emirates—along with other major carriers like Air India and Qatar Airways—regularly uses these corridors under the approval of Rosaviatsiya (Russia's aviation authority). For 2026 passengers, this means a flight from Dubai to San Francisco on Emirates is often 2–3 hours shorter than a comparable flight on a Western-aligned carrier.