New Airline Routes Widen Global Access for Umrah Pilgrims
New carriers and routes, including a flynas Jeddah-Rabat link, Mukhtara Air in Indonesia and resumed Uzbekistan flights, are expanding air access for Umrah pilgrims in the 2026 season.
Latest updates from top global and Saudi news sources
Last updated: 20 Jun 2026, 12:02 PM (Saudi time)
New carriers and routes, including a flynas Jeddah-Rabat link, Mukhtara Air in Indonesia and resumed Uzbekistan flights, are expanding air access for Umrah pilgrims in the 2026 season.
Bangladesh has released its Hajj 2027 roadmap, requiring pilgrims to register by September 26, 2026, with visas issued from January 28 and flights from April 8, 2027.
Saudi specialists are carrying out the final stages of replacing the Kaaba's Kiswah, the embroidered black silk covering, in the annual operation that marks the start of the new Hijri year.
Saudi Arabia's rail network carried millions of pilgrims during Hajj 2026, with the Mashair Metro shuttling worshippers between the holy sites and the Haramain high-speed line linking Makkah, Madinah and Jeddah.
The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has set the key dates for the 1448 AH Umrah season and reminded pilgrims that visa holders must now enter the Kingdom within a shorter window after issuance.
Saudi statistics show more than 11.2 million pilgrims performed Umrah in the fourth quarter of 2025, split almost evenly between visitors from abroad and worshippers already inside the Kingdom.
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