Emirates 24/7 — About 9,000 American citizens in the United Arab Emirates have chosen to remain in the country despite an official offer from the U.S. government to evacuate them via charter flights, according to the U.S. Department of State.
In a statement issued on March 11, Assistant Secretary for Global Public Affairs Dylan Johnson confirmed that the State Department contacted nearly 9,000 Americans in the UAE to offer seats on government-chartered flights. However, these flights departed with available seats due to a lack of demand. The statement noted that many citizens who had initially requested assistance ultimately declined the offer, opting either to remain in their current countries of residence or to book private commercial flight options.
U.S. officials stated that the availability of commercial flights across the region has continued to improve, prompting the State Department to begin scaling down its charter and ground transportation operations launched during the regional crisis. According to the department, more than 43,000 American citizens have returned safely to the United States from the Middle East since February 28, through a combination of government-chartered and commercial flights.
The State Department also highlighted that its 24/7 Task Force has directly assisted more than 30,000 Americans abroad, providing security guidance and travel logistics. Given the declining demand for evacuation services and the successful outcome of the operations so far, the department indicated that this would be its final daily update, though additional updates may be issued if necessary.