Jordan and Egypt in January 2027

I signed up for a March 2027 tour to Dubai and Abu Dhabi two weeks before everything started. I’m watchfully waiting. If my tour company cancels I will get my whole security deposit back, if I bail first I will lose some of it. I’m really not sure what I am hoping for. The deposit wasn’t so large that I can’t afford to lose it, but I would rather not. Last I checked with the tour group, the verdict was “it probably won’t last much longer so we’ll decide later,” but that was several months ago. I haven’t gotten any information on when the full payment is due or when they might decide anything.

From all reports I’ve heard, Dubai is desperate for tourists to come back. I am getting closer to the time where I would need to buy airfare. I have looked at prices and may still buy them in a month or so, but only if they’re fully refundable. If things go completely south, I can always apply that money towards a flight for an RS tour instead.

Thanks for the responses so far! Everyone has different risk tolerance and, risk for different aspects of travel.
In this case, the tour itself is very expensive - like, very! A huge treat for myself. So the issue is that big final payment, mid- November, vs the airfare options to get there, as you describe. Right now the State Dept has Jordan at a 3 and Egypt as a 2 ( except the Western Desert, the borders, etc).
I'm leaning towards cancelling because so much of a trip is looking forward to it and it feels like in this case I am or will be doing more worrying (especially for all those impacted).
"It's a big place." Ummm- not that big! For us in Washington, some of those countries have closer borders than, say, Seattle to Spokane. But don't want to get political.
I look forward to more thoughts, thank you!

Welcome to my world . . . sadly. I have a 3-week trip to Italy on Sept. 30 (postponed from mid-April because of the war) and another 3 weeks in Spain in late November. I am debating daily whether to buy train tickets (my itineraries are set) which probably aren't refundable, but the loss would not be a financial hardship.

Everyone here is on pins and needles constantly, even though Israel hasn't been a target for quite a while. My risk tolerance is pretty low and I would be able to cancel hotels and get flight vouchers. TBH if things heat up here I would probably cancel a trip rather than risk being stuck in Europe with flight home. No one here seems to think things will get worse than they have been for the last month but neither does anyone think there's going to be a resolution to the situation any time soon.

I have been to Egypt three times, the last time three years ago.
I believe Egypt would be safe.
Jordan, not totally sure, but double if Amman or Petra will be a target for Iran.

Sorry, meant to say douable because those places are NOT likely a target of Iran.

We visited Egypt in Jan 2026 and felt perfectly safe. Life in the places we visited appeared to be going on as usual. Indeed our tour guide made a point of emphasizing our safety vis a vis Israel/Gaza. The Iran war had not, of course, begun yet. However, we did opt to get flights that connected in Europe rather than the Miiddle East. And we dropped the Jordan option before final payment. But quite a few tour members did continue on to Jordan. I see that the Jordan extension is still being offered for this year and next. I would return to Egypt at the drop of a hat, but until the US war in Iran ends, I personally wouldn't go to Jordan.

I am with CJean on this one- we visited Egypt in 2024 and felt very safe the whole time, no concerns at all. Right now I would not visit Jordan (tho we did visit in 2019 and had a wonderful time). I also would not book any flights via the gulf (Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, etc) so would look at flights that connect in Europe or Istanbul (which I suppose is also Europe).

Thanks more for the additional personal thoughts and experiences, truly appreciated. The idea of touring only Egypt is a thought to consider and I already planned on connecting through a European airport to Cairo.
There's still the issue of troubled airspace in the skies and the unpredictability and volatility of not just Iran but those acting as its proxies. Or considering the massive damage (Europe and Japan come to mind in WWII) during wars including to cultural and historic sites. Or that UNESCO area Russia bombed in Lviv in March of this year (and hundreds of others across Ukraine)...just not so sure that a respect for these places in Jordan would be carefully avoided in planning an attack! The situation is so tragic for all those impacted- not for a privileged American deciding about a vacation!
Still thinking about what to do- maybe make a decision towards the end of the month? Many thanks again!

Indeed, an attack recently took place very close to a UNESCO-listed crusader castle in southern Lebanon- a country I really want to visit, although I don't know when it will be safe to again! But as you say, the situation is tragic, and interrupting a potential holiday is the least worrisome aspect. Good luck with deciding, I really hope you get to see these places- if not right now, then in the near future.

I lived in Amman and still have very good friends there. They said life is back to normal right now, but it hasn't always been recently.I wouldn't have concerns about being on the ground- the US bases have been the main targets, and they're in the middle of nowhere- but I do think right now there's always a pretty healthy risk of cancelled or delayed flights. Airspaces have been closed regularly. If it were me, I would go, but make sure that I took out good travel insurance. But that's just me, and everyone's risk assessments are different.

Try to do Jordan while you're fit and active- Jordan's best sights (Petra, Jerash, Wadi Rum) all require a lot of walking to do properly. Jordan is a beautiful country. Good luck with your decision!

Thanks to all for your time and insight! I hope peace comes soon...in the meantime, I have decided to go in literally the opposite direction (New Zealand) with the physical demands of the very long flight (business class is not an option) and try for a year from now for Jordan and Egypt.

We are booked Emirates, Australia to Europe next March. Am not cancelling. My neighbours flew with them last month and said the flights was pretty full. Even flying over Europe can be risky - a Malaysian Airlines was accidently blown out of the sky a couple of years ago killing several Australians returning home. We originally wanted to go back to Israel, but we still can’t get travel insurance.