Quick Facts: Umrah from the UK
- Visa route
- Saudi tourist eVisa eligible
- Flight to Jeddah
- 6h 30m – 7h direct from LHR/MAN; 11h – 13h one-stop from regional airports
- Currency
- GBP (£)
- Main airports
- LHR, LGW, MAN, BHX, GLA
Umrah from the UK sits at a specific point on the global pilgrim map — with its own visa rules, flight options, package pricing, and operator landscape. This guide collects the practical detail that does not change with the Islamic calendar: the route to your visa, what a fair package costs in GBP, how long the flight takes, and what local regulators do (and do not) protect you against. The shared content — the rites of Umrah, the supplications, the season guide — lives on our Umrah & Hajj pillar guide.
Your visa route from the UK
UK passport holders are eligible for the Saudi tourist eVisa, which explicitly permits Umrah. It is multi-entry, valid for one year, with up to 90 days per visit. Apply through visa.visitsaudi.com — cost is around £130 including the mandatory health insurance. The Nusuk Umrah visa is an alternative route used by UK Umrah operators when bundling the visa with the package.
For the full breakdown — the three Saudi visa routes (tourist eVisa, Nusuk Umrah, operator-arranged), eligibility country by country, the step-by-step application, and the common rejection reasons — see our Umrah visa requirements complete guide.
Flights from the UK to Saudi Arabia
Direct flights from the UK to Jeddah (JED) take approximately 6h 30m – 7h direct from LHR/MAN; 11h – 13h one-stop from regional airports. The Saudi entry airport for Umrah is Jeddah's King Abdulaziz International (JED), about 80 km from Makkah. Madinah (MED) is the alternative entry, used when starting the pilgrimage with a visit to the Prophet's Mosque.
Direct carriers
- Saudia
- British Airways
One-stop carriers
- Emirates
- Qatar Airways
- Turkish Airlines
- Etihad
Departure airports
- LHR — London Heathrow
- LGW — London Gatwick
- MAN — Manchester
- BHX — Birmingham
- GLA — Glasgow
What Umrah costs from the UK
All figures below are indicative off-season package prices for 2026 in GBP per pilgrim. Last 10 nights of Ramadan pricing can run 3 to 5 times these levels for the same hotel.
- Budget tier: £550–£950 (3-star, 2–3 km from Haram, off-season).
- Mid tier: £900–£1,850 (4-star within 1.5 km, one stop, twin share, half-board).
- Premium tier: £1,800–£3,500 (5-star within 400m, direct or premium one-stop).
- Self-arranged (via tourist eVisa): £865–£1,150 for 8 nights using the tourist eVisa.
For the full cost framework — the four tiers, self-arranged versus package comparison, the red flags that signal fraud, and what value-tier operators actually include — see Cheap Umrah packages: how to find real value.
When to travel from the UK
Recommended window: October to March (cooler Saudi temperatures, off-Ramadan pricing).
The UK is the second-largest English-speaking source market for Umrah after the USA. October to March is the comfortable temperature window in Saudi Arabia; the last 10 days of Ramadan is the most spiritually rewarded but also the most expensive period (5–8× off-season pricing for Haram-front hotels).
The Saudi Umrah season runs year-round except for the approximately 6-week pre-Hajj suspension (mid Dhul Qa'dah to Eid al-Adha). For the full season guide including off-season, mid-season, last-10-of-Ramadan pricing dynamics, and the pre-Hajj suspension window, see the Umrah & Hajj pillar guide.
Regulators & finding a licensed operator
Three bodies have a say in your Umrah from the UK:
- UK Civil Aviation Authority (ATOL protection)
- Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah
The UK has approximately 3.9 million Muslims, concentrated in London, Birmingham, Manchester, Bradford, Leeds, Glasgow, and Cardiff. The Umrah operator market is large, mature, and ATOL-regulated — but several operators have failed in recent years, so ATOL verification is critical.
Looking for a verified Umrah or Hajj operator? Our HalalExpo Directory lists verified pilgrimage operators — filter by country to find those serving the UK.
The rites — what you will actually do
Umrah is four obligatory pillars performed in sequence: entering ihram at the Miqat, tawaf (seven circuits around the Kaaba), sa'i (seven walks between Safa and Marwah), and halq or taqsir (shaving or trimming the hair). The whole ritual cycle takes 2 to 4 hours of active time. For the practical detail — the specific supplications at each station, the prohibitions of ihram, the rules for women in menses, and the expiation for mistakes — see our step-by-step guide:
Umrah step-by-step: a practical guide to the rites
Hajj from the UK
Hajj is a completely separate system from Umrah. The visa is different (quota-allocated, single-purpose, bundled with accommodation), the cost is higher (USD 4,000+ even at the most subsidised tier), and the calendar is fixed (only 5 days of Dhul Hijjah). Performing Hajj on a tourist or Umrah visa is illegal and aggressively enforced. For the full country-by-country quota table, the Nusuk Hajj application, national-mission routes, and cost breakdown, see:
Editorial note: Saudi visa regulations, airline routes, exchange rates, and Umrah package pricing change frequently. Figures in this guide reflect the position as of May 2026 in GBP. Always verify the latest information with the official Saudi authorities (visa.visitsaudi.com, nusuk.sa), with your origin-country regulator, and with a licensed Umrah operator close to your travel date.