Umrah Packages from Top UK Cities: Choose Your Perfect Starting Point
You’ve decided to perform Umrah. Brilliant. Now for the fun part — where do you actually fly out of?
I think most UK-based Muslims are not aware of how much the city they leave from has implications for their entire experience. We’re not just talking semantics and convenience here. We actually prefer one airport over another significantly but it depends on the packages you get, which impacts your travel time and your rest periods before Makkah.
At Aqdas Travel, we have assisted thousands of pilgrimages in selecting the perfect departure city. Let’s go through what actually counts.
Why Where You Start and End a Flight Is More Important Than You Think
The one thing travel agents won’t tell you is this. The same 7-night booking can cost £150 to £300 per person.It depends on which airport you fly from.
London Heathrow tends to have the best deals due to high flight volume and competition. But if you live in Manchester or Birmingham, say, the added expense of getting to and staying over in London is likely to negate savings. You would be better paying a little more and going direct from your local airport.
There’s another piece of the puzzle that most people ignore fully: flight times. Sure, a 2am flight from Luton may be £100 cheaper than a 10am one from Manchester, but you will arrive in Saudi Arabia shattered and perhaps lose an entire day of worship as a result. Is that all worth the saving?
Understanding UK Umrah Departure Options
The UK has six main departure points for Umrah flights, all with distinct advantages.
London Airports
The air traffic is dominated by the London airports (Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton). Heathrow has the most nonstop flights to Jeddah and Madinah, especially on Saudia and British Airways. There are multiple daily departures in the peak season, so you have some flexibility when it comes to dates. The downside? London airports are crowded, stressful places, and if you’re coming from the north of England or Scotland doing so is an expedition in itself.
Manchester
For the past five years Manchester has exploded into a Umrah departure market. Regular direct flights to Jeddah operate, and for anyone north of Birmingham it is infinitely more convenient than schlepping down to London. Package prices from Manchester are typically £50-100 above those in London, although most northern families make that saving in not having to get to and from the city.
Birmingham
Birmingham is ideal for the Midlands and there have been more flights available for Umrah. It’s also very handy for Leicester, Coventry and Nottingham, or Muslim areas. Flight frequency isn’t quite there yet, although the airport itself is considerably less insane than anything London offers.
Glasgow and Edinburgh
Some direct Umrah flights leave from Glasgow and Edinburgh. However, you usually need to connect in London or the Middle East. Scottish Muslims often have to choose between two options. They can pay high prices to leave from Scotland. Or they can travel to Manchester or London to get better deals. However, those trips take longer.
Aqdas Travel works with every major UK airport to ensure that our clients are offered the best rate and flight connections possible.
What Really Matters When Comparing Departure Cities
Forget generic comparison charts. Here’s what actually matters to your experience.
Direct vs Connecting Flights
Direct London to Jeddah flights are 6 hours long. That same trip via Istanbul or Dubai is now 9-12 hours with layover. Sure, they’re cheaper (sometimes by £200 to £300) but you’ll arrive more knackered, can have your luggage mislaid and wasted a good six hours you could’ve instead spent in prayer.
I’ve spoken with hundreds of pilgrims over the years. Nearly every respondent who booked connecting flights to save says they would pay more for a direct flight next time. The false economy is clear when you’re in Istanbul airport at 3am waiting for your next flight.
Package Flexibility by City
London departure dates normally provide the most flexibility in choice of packages available as this is where we get flight availability. You can easily find 7-night, 10-night, 14 nights, and longer or shorter packages. Up at the regional airports and time outside of the peak months is not always that easy to get a package with. Departures from Glasgow and in February or November, for example, maybe limited to one or two package options rather than dozens from London.
Aqdas Travel provides various departure dates and times departing from most major UK airports offering you a range of options to choose from.
Group Travel Considerations
The family or 6-8 people groups will mean that your departure city matters more. Bigger groups usually receive better per-person prices at regional airports the agents have allocations on. A group of eight from Manchester could actually end up spending less per person by booking together than if you went solo and booked from London.
Seasonal Patterns You Should Know About
Flight availability and prices are relatively consistent through the year for UK cities.
January for UK airports is huge, Ramadan is massive. Prices will be 40-60% higher than in February or November. Direct flights fill months in advance, especially from London and Manchester. If Ramadan Umrah is your target, 3-4 months in advance isn’t too early, it’s mandatory.
School holidays (Easter, summer, Christmas and half-term) lead to price surges on family-friendly routes. The best value are all UK cities in December and February, they are the only months that do not have to suffer skate premium or Islamic premiums. You’re looking at great value December packages or budget-friendly February deals for travelling families which will save them £500-800 on peak prices.
In Saudi Arabia, winter months (November through February) usually provide good value for money and weather. Most UK airports see good availability at this time of year, although centre particularly when flying from regional point-to-point destinations though may reduce compared to peak season.
Making Your City Choice Practical
Stop overcomplicating this decision. This is the simple way which Aqdas Travel recommends all its customers.
Figure out your actual cost for each of the alternatives. Don’t just compare package prices. Add in:
| Cost Factor |
Considerations |
| Airport travel |
Train, parking, taxi costs |
| Overnight hotel |
If it’s an early morning flight |
| Time cost |
Is saving £100 worth 4 more hours of travel time? |
| Stress factor |
Some of us just like our local airport |
If the difference between your local airport and London is less than £150 per person, go local every time. It’s worth it for the convenience and decreased stress.
If the saving is £200-300 or more (and with a family of four taking part, this multiplies considerably), then London probably makes financial sense. You just have to do the London stuff accessible bit properly.
Regional Considerations for Groups and Families
Since you’re travelling with young kids and elders, I would not prioritise the little savings over convenience. It’s just not worth saving £100 to have a breakdown from your 3-year-old after three hours on the train to London, followed by stress at the airport.
Likewise, if you have elderly parents and their travel stress is high: it’s worth paying that little extra for a regional departure that saves four hours on the journey. The fact of the matter is, in Saudi you’re going to be staying at your parents’ place and that will make more difference than package price difference.
When more than 6 persons travelling, please obtain the quote from Aqdas Travel for different departure cities. Grouping allocations and bulk booking discounts can also make under-the-radar airports the best-value choice sometimes.
The Final Word on Selecting Your Departure City
It all depends on you, and not general “best cities” advice; that’s why it makes a difference what city you leave from.
You live in Leeds with family? Manchester is probably your answer. Based in London or the south east? Heathrow or Gatwick make sense. Midlands-based? Birmingham hits the sweet spot between convenience and price.
The “best” departure city is what gives you the right combination of price, convenience, and overall flight experience for your unique travel needs. But there is no one-size-fits-all answer, and anyone who imposes one on you is oversimplifying.
What’s important is that with Aqdas Travel, you choose trusted Umrah packages. They offer strong support, no matter your departure city. Where you fly from is key, but the value of your package is much more important when it comes to determining how good your overall experience will be.
Keen to see packages from your closest airport? Aqdas Travel can get quotes for all possible departure dates and group sizes, assisting you to make the decision that makes sense for you whereas many people simply work with the first and cheapest headline rate.
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