UAE residents can still travel for Umrah by air and road, despite disruption at some Saudi Arabia airports following recent Houthi attacks.
Travel operators said their groups are continuing as planned, with Jeddah and Madinah now being used as the main gateways for pilgrims. While fresh enquiries and bookings have slowed in recent days, residents who want to travel are still booking flight and bus packages.
For those flying, operators said Saudia and flydubai are the main airlines being used for Umrah packages from the UAE. Pilgrims can fly into Jeddah and travel onwards to Makkah, or begin their journey in Madinah before heading to Makkah.
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Jaseem of Al Shammar Haj and Umrah Service said the current disruption has not stopped their scheduled groups and new bookings. “Umrah flights are operating as planned. Our passengers are travelling through Jeddah and Madinah, and we are mainly using Saudia and flydubai flights for these packages,” he said.
Flight Umrah packages currently start from around Dh2,700 and are generally planned as four or five day trips. The packages include the visa, flights, accommodation, food, ziyarat and local transport.
“After landing, passengers can travel between Madinah and Makkah either by bus or train,” Jaseem said. “It depends on what they prefer and the arrangement made in their package.”
He said residents did not have to separately arrange their pilgrimage travel, visa or local movement once they booked through an operator.
For residents looking for a cheaper option, operators are also continuing to offer Umrah packages by road.
Shihab Perwad of Rehan Al Jazeera Tours and Travels said the company is preparing a bus group for next week. The bus will leave from Sharjah then travel to Makkah and then Madina and return to the UAE.
“Our scheduled bus trips as going as planned,” Perwad said. “The bus will start from Sharjah, collect passengers from Abu Dhabi and then travel to Saudi Arabia through the Al Ghuwaifat–Al Batha border.”
The journey takes around 36 hours one way. A typical bus package takes about 10 days in total, including the outward and return journeys, around four days in Madinah and three days in Makkah.
“The road journey takes around 36 hours one way. Border procedures do not usually take much time, and the full package includes everything needed for the journey,” he said.
Bus packages start from Dh1,100, depending on the hotel accommodation selected. The amount includes visa, meals, accommodation, ziyarat, transport, border charges and Nusuk arrangements.
“Our bus packages start from Dh1,100, depending on the hotel accommodation,” Perwad said. “This includes visa, meals, accommodation, ziyarat, transport, border charges and Nusuk arrangements.”
He said current prices were lower than the usual October rates last year, when road packages generally cost around Dh1,300 to Dh1,400. During the winter rush, prices can go up to between Dh1,700 and Dh2,000, depending on demand and accommodation.
“Last October, the regular package price was around Dh1,300 to Dh1,400,” Perwad said. “During winter, it can go up to Dh1,700 or even Dh2,000 because of higher demand.”
For residents, the choice now comes down to time and budget. Flight packages allow pilgrims to complete the journey in about four days, while the road option takes longer but costs less than half the starting price of a flight package.