How to book Umrah flights

For anyone looking to perform Umrah must firstly observe and follow strict guidelines in accordance with the Muslim faith, although Umrah itself is not obligatory such as Hajj it is an act of virtue and highly rewarded.

Umrah can be performed almost all year round with no specific dates and no requirements to travel as part of a group, however there are certain times when you cannot travel for Umrah mostly during Hajj season and immediately after Ramadan and around 2 months after Hajj.

The rites of Umrah are as below, please note it is up to each individual to ensure they are familiar with the process and strict formalities that need to be observed when performing Umrah.

• Entering the state of Ihram
• Tawaf of Kabah
• Say’ee between the hills of safa and marwah
• Shaving/clipping of the hair

There are various online sources of information available to help with your Umrah planning, please refer to those documents to ensure you are fully aware of the obligatory requirements when traveling to Saudi Arabia for Umrah Purposes.

Below are the 5 conditions which must be observed.

• He must be a Muslim
• Must be an adult
• Must be of sound state and mind
• He Must be free
• Women must have a Mahram

Group Bookings

Group bookings are normally cheaper and offer a greater deal of flexibility in regards to booking and arranging, group bookings on airlines are generally sold well in advance usually from 6-10 months of your preffered travel dates. These type of bookings can be arranged though specialist travel agents and require a small deposit and you dont usually have to provide the traveller names until a couple of ways of the travel date. Not all airlines offer these type of bookings, currently the most popular airlines offering group bookings is Saudi Airlines, Turkish Airlines, British Airways, Gulf Air, Oman Air, Etihad Airways. PIA also offer special rates for saudi however they dont currently offer group discounts and travellers will need to connect via 3 major airports in Pakistan. For PIA Flights call or book online for the best fares to pakistan and beyond.

UK airport facilities – Prayer rooms and Wash Areas

Most UK airports offer multi faith prayer rooms and wudu(ablution) and wash areas making it easy for Umrah and Hajj passengers to accommodate their needs prior to their pilgrimage.

Manchester Airport – Terminal 2 & 3 offer prayer room, changing room and Wudu Facilites.

Birmingham Airport – Main terminal building next to departures have prayer room and wash facilities.

London Heathrow – Departure terminals from 2-5 all have prayer room and wash facilities.

Umrah Checklist – Key things to remember when booking your trip

• A passport valid for 6 months or longer
• Non British passport holders will require proof of residency
• 2 Passport size photos
• Meningitis certificate
• Hotel/Accommodation voucher
• A valid e-ticket confirmation