Umrah from the USAWhat it costs
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- Maqam e Haram
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Short answer
Umrah from the USA costs your round-trip flight plus a land package for hotels and transport in Makkah and Madinah, the Saudi tourist e-visa, travel insurance and spending money. Advertised "from $695" prices are usually land only, four people to a room. Your real total depends on the flight, the hotel's distance from the Haram and room sharing.
Travel advice changes. Before you book, check the latest US State Department travel advisory for Saudi Arabia (opens in a new tab) and make sure your travel insurance covers your trip. Checked 20/10/2026.
On this page
What a "from $695" price leaves out
One large US Umrah site leads with "Starting from $695" per person. Its own city pages say the prices are based on quad occupancy, and the figure is for the ground only. A low "from" price can be fair for what it covers. Rebuild it for your own family before you compare:
| What the low price assumes | What to ask for your family |
|---|---|
| No flight | Add your own fare. From the US it is often the biggest line |
| Four adults in one room | The price for a double or triple room, per person |
| The cheapest hotel in the range | The hotel name and the metres on foot to the nearest gate |
| The quietest dates | The price on your dates, such as Thanksgiving or Christmas |
| Shared bus transfers | The price with a private car for the whole family |
Get the answers in writing. A quote with hotel names can be checked; "near the Haram" can't.
Flights from US airports
We don't sell flights to travellers in the USA. You book with the airline or US agent you prefer, and we arrange the ground.
New York JFK lists Saudia among its airlines, at Terminal 1. Search saudia.com for your dates to see which US airports have a nonstop flight that season and whether it lands in Jeddah or Riyadh. From Chicago O'Hare, Houston, Dallas, Detroit and most other airports, you will usually connect in Europe, Istanbul or the Gulf. For Umrah, a flight into Jeddah or Madinah is the one you want; the UK and Canadian governments both flagged King Khalid airport in Riyadh in their October 2026 advice.
Fares change daily, so we don't quote them here. They move with:
- Your city. East Coast airports usually have more choice and shorter journeys than the Midwest or the West Coast.
- US holidays. Thanksgiving (26/11/2026), the Christmas break and spring break are the busy weeks for families.
- Ramadan. Ramadan 1448 is expected to begin about 08/02/2027, depending on the moon. The last ten nights fall roughly from late February to early March 2027.
- The connection. A long layover cuts the fare and wears out children. With parents in their seventies, a single short connection is worth paying for.
Many families add a rest night before they start Umrah. That is one more hotel night in the land package. Flying into Madinah and home from Jeddah saves a long road trip at the end.
Medicare, health plans and travel insurance
If your parents are on Medicare, read this part first. Medicare.gov says Medicare usually doesn't cover health care outside the US, and in most cases you pay all of the costs. Some Medigap policies may cover emergency care abroad. Check what your own employer or marketplace plan pays abroad, too.
For older parents especially, buy a travel medical policy that covers hospital stays and medical evacuation, and declare every condition.
The State Department's advisory for Saudi Arabia is Level 3, "Reconsider Travel", issued 12/10/2026, with "Do Not Travel" for the Yemen border area. We read this from the official page's search listing on 20/10/2026, because the page itself blocked our direct check. Policies differ on what they cover under an advisory like this, so ask your insurer in writing whether Saudi Arabia is covered on your dates. Insurance cost depends on age and health. We don't sell it.
The Saudi visa
US citizens are on the list for the Saudi tourist e-visa, applied for online at visa.visitsaudi.com. The portal describes it as a one-year, multiple-entry visa allowing stays of up to 90 days, and it covers Umrah but not Hajj. Check the current fee on the portal before you pay; we don't quote it because it has changed over the years. Green card holders on another passport have their own route; see our Umrah visa guide for UK, USA and Canada residents.
After you have the visa, you still need an Umrah permit in the Nusuk app before you go to Masjid al-Haram for Umrah.
We don't issue visas and can't promise one. The Saudi authorities decide. We make the hotel and transport bookings the application needs and help you through it.
The land package, and what moves its price
The land package covers hotels in Makkah and Madinah, private transport from the airport, between the cities and back, ziyarat if you want it, help with the visa paperwork, and our team on the ground. See Umrah services without flights.
On the same nights, these are the things that move a US land quote, roughly in order:
| What you choose | What it does to the price |
|---|---|
| Hotel band: front row next to the Haram, a short walk, or a shuttle ride | The biggest swing. Front-row 5-star hotels cost the most |
| Room plan: quad, triple or double | Four in a room costs less per person than two |
| Your dates | Thanksgiving, Christmas and Ramadan cost more than quiet weeks |
| Nights in Makkah against nights in Madinah | The two cities are priced differently, so the split matters |
| Private car or train | A car is priced per car, so it suits families |
Ask us for today's price on your dates. Your written quote states the currency and exactly what it includes.
The shuttle band is where most low "from" prices sit. It saves money and costs time and energy every day, up to five times a day if you walk back between prayers. For the top end, see 5-star Umrah packages and luxury Umrah packages.
For one or two travellers, the Haramain train runs between Makkah and Madinah; fares show only when you search a date on sar.hhr.sa. For a family with luggage, a private car is door to door.
Spending money sits outside the package: meals, a Saudi SIM or eSIM, laundry on longer trips, and wheelchair or cart hire at the Haram if a parent needs one. A card with no foreign transaction fee and some SAR in cash cover the small shops.
When US families go
| Window | Price effect | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Thanksgiving week 2026 | High | Short break; a 7-night land package fits it |
| Christmas break 2026 | High | Book early; see December Umrah |
| Ramadan 1448 (expected from about 08/02/2027) | Highest in the last ten nights | See Ramadan Umrah 2027 |
| Spring break 2027 | Depends on your district | Umrah-visa entry closes 23/03/2027 |
| Quieter weeks | Lower | More hotel choice near the Haram |
Spring break is the honest unknown. It varies by district, from March into April, and much of it falls after the last Umrah-visa entry date of 23/03/2027. New York City public schools' spring recess, for example, is 22/04/2027 to 30/04/2027, after even the last departure date of 07/04/2027. Their midwinter recess, 15/02/2027 to 19/02/2027, falls in the first half of Ramadan. The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah's 1448 calendar covers Umrah visas only, and as of 20/10/2026 we have not seen a separate rule for tourist e-visa holders in that period. Check your district's calendar and Nusuk before you book, and keep the booking flexible. See the Umrah calendar 1448 and Umrah in the school holidays.
Three US trips, line by line
Picture three families. Each pays for the same five lines: the flight they book, the land package, the e-visa, insurance and spending money.
A couple from New Jersey, 7 nights over Thanksgiving in a 4-star hotel a short walk from the gate. They can look for a nonstop from JFK, which suits a short break. Their land package is small because it is two people in one double room for a week.
A family of four from Houston, 10 nights, 4-star. They connect, so a rest night belongs in their plan. A quad room and a private car keep their land cost per head down.
Parents and an adult daughter from Chicago, 14 nights, 5-star. For them, the travel medical policy and the front-row hotel are the two lines we would not cut. A triple room keeps them together.
Send us any of these shapes with your own dates and we price the land package for you.
If your parents live in Pakistan, it is often simpler for them to fly from there on a full package while you join them on a land package. See gift Umrah to your parents.
How Maqam e Haram helps
Send us your flight times, how many are travelling and the children's ages. We reply with a written land quote: hotel names, metres to the gate, nights in each city, room plan and transport. Our own team is on the ground in Makkah and Madinah, and we plan around families, including parents who need a short walk and a slow pace. We work with US families on WhatsApp, email and phone, across the time difference.
WhatsApp or call +92 309 9022120.
Questions and answers
How much does Umrah cost from the USA?
Your flight plus our land package, the e-visa, insurance and spending money. Send us your dates and we give you today's land price in writing.
Do you sell flights from the US?
No. We don't sell flights to travellers in the USA. You book the flight and we arrange the hotels, transport and ground support.
Why are some US prices "from $695"?
Low "from" prices are usually land only, four to a room, in the cheapest hotel on quiet dates. Ask what your family's dates and room plan would cost.
Is Umrah cheaper from the East Coast?
Flights from the East Coast are often shorter and have more choice. Land costs are the same wherever you fly from.
Can US citizens get a visa for Umrah online?
Yes. US citizens can apply for the Saudi tourist e-visa at visa.visitsaudi.com, and it covers Umrah outside Hajj. Check the fee on the portal on the day.
Does Medicare cover me in Saudi Arabia?
Medicare usually doesn't cover care outside the US. Buy a travel medical policy with hospital and evacuation cover.
When is the best time to go from the USA?
Quiet weeks cost least. Families often use Thanksgiving, Christmas or spring break; check spring break against the 23/03/2027 last entry date.
How many nights do US families usually book?
It depends on your leave. A Thanksgiving week fits about 7 nights. Add a night to rest after the long flight.
Do you have an office in the USA?
No. Our office is in Islamabad, Pakistan, and our team is on the ground in Makkah and Madinah.
Related pages
Sources
The official pages and references we used, with the date we checked them.
- Medicare.gov, travel outside the U.S. (usually no cover; you pay all costs in most cases; Medigap may cover emergencies): www.medicare.gov/coverage/travel-outside-the-u.s (opens in a new tab). (checked 19/10/2026)
- US State Department, Saudi Arabia travel advisory (Level 3, issued 12/10/2026, Do Not Travel to the Yemen border; read from the official page's search listing, direct fetch blocked): travel.state.gov/en/international-travel/travel-advisories/saudi-arabia.html (opens in a new tab) (checked 20/10/2026)
- Saudi eVisa portal (one-year multiple-entry visa, stays up to 90 days, covers Umrah excluding Hajj; read from the portal's search listing, direct fetch blocked): visa.visitsaudi.com (opens in a new tab) (checked 20/10/2026)
- Gulf News, who is eligible for the Saudi eVisa (USA, UK and Canada on the list): gulfnews.com/gulfnews/living-in-uae/visa-immigration/saudi-evisa-who-is-eligible-for-visa-on-arrival-in-saudi-arabia-1.1673617485700 (opens in a new tab) (checked 20/10/2026)
- JFK Airport, all airlines (Saudi Arabian Airlines, Terminal 1): www.jfkairport.com/flights/airlines (opens in a new tab) (checked 20/10/2026)
- UK FCDO and Government of Canada travel advice for Saudi Arabia (King Khalid International Airport, Riyadh): www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/saudi-arabia (opens in a new tab) and travel.gc.ca/destinations/saudi-arabia (opens in a new tab) (checked 20/10/2026)
- Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, Umrah season calendar for 1448 AH: haj.gov.sa/en/Media-Center/Ministry-News/2026/Ministry-of-Hajj-and-Umrah-Announces-the-Umrah-Season-Calendar-for-1448-AH (opens in a new tab) (checked 19/10/2026)
- New York City public schools calendar 2026 to 2027 (midwinter recess 15 to 19/02/2027, spring recess 22 to 30/04/2027): www.schools.nyc.gov/calendar/2026-2027-school-year-calendar (opens in a new tab) (checked 20/10/2026)
- Haramain High Speed Railway, booking and timetable: sar.hhr.sa/ (opens in a new tab) (checked 19/10/2026)