What time of year is Umrah the cheapest?

Posted by Muminah Tannous on July 26th, 2024

What time of year is Umrah the cheapest in UK? This question arises in the mind of every UK Muslim traveller who wants to make a lesser pilgrimage with limited resources. To answer this question, knowing about those factors that make a particular time of year the cheapest for Umrah is critical.

Performing Umrah is a beautiful wish of every Muslim worldwide, whether they belong to any nationality, colour, language, or race. However, making a holy journey to Mecca successful is critical for every Muslim traveller. You can complete this challenging task when planning before leaving for Saudi Arabia. Careful planning before going to Mecca contains several extraordinary factors, including cost. For budget-conscious travellers, the cost of an Umrah trip is an essential factor. Moreover, budget-conscious travellers frequently worry about the cost of travel arrangements for the pilgrimage to Mecca. However, tackling this situation is easy for these travellers if they know about the cheapest time to go Umrah 2024.

Knowing about the Umrah season

Firstly, learn about the Umrah season and its various aspects. Acquiring information about the Umrah season is essential to determining the cheapest time for the pilgrimage to Mecca.

Typically, the Umrah season contains two parts:

  1. Peak Season
  2. Off-Peak Season

Peak Season:

Generally, Ramadan, the 9th month of the Islamic lunar calendar, is considered the peak season for Umrah. Millions of Muslims travel to Mecca during this auspicious month to fulfil their religious obligations. A major factor in the expensive cost of travel arrangements, including flights and lodging, is the large crowds that exist in Mecca and Medina during Ramadan. Besides Ramadan, several Islamic events and school holidays are considered the busiest seasons for the lesser pilgrimage.

Off-Peak Season:

Off-peak season for Umrah typically lasts outside of Ramadan and school holidays. A few travellers travel to Mecca for religious purposes during this time. Due to the reduced number of travellers, travel arrangements have become affordable for pilgrims to Mecca. The summer is also considered the off-peak season for the lesser pilgrimage to Mecca. The weather in Mecca and Medina during summer is very humid.  So, this humidity results in a fewer crowd for Umrah.

Furthermore, Muharram and Safar, the first two months of the Islamic lunar calendar, are regarded as the off-peak months for Umrah. This is because they occur after the Hajj season. This results in lower demand for booking travel arrangements for Umrah, including flights, accommodation, etc.

The Cheapest Time of Year for Umrah

Travellers should remember that the time of year with lower demand for Umrah is considered the cheapest. This most affordable time of year contains several months that generally fall outside of Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr, school holidays, etc. Let's delve into the months that are included in the cheapest time of year for Umrah below:

Post Hajj Season (Muharram and Safar)

Remember, a new Umrah season begins after the completion of the Hajj season. Muharram, the first month of the remarkable Hijri calendar, typically marks the beginning of this season. During Muharram and Safar, a few travellers go to Mecca to complete their religious duties. During this time, this is one of the main reasons why the cost of travel arrangements for Umrah is cheap. So, travelling during the post-Hajj season is beneficial if you want to find a better availability of flights, lodging, and other travel-related amenities at affordable prices.

Summer Months (June, July, and August)

Summer months are the months that are included in Umrah's cheapest time of year. Because of the hot weather in Saudi Arabia during these months, a few travellers go to Mecca for religious purposes. So, it is not wrong to say that the intense heat in Mecca and Medina during summer can cause less demand for Umrah. Let's look at the overview of temperatures in Mecca and Medina during the summer months below:

Month

Temperatures High/Low (°C)

Average precipitation days

June

48° / 33°

0.0

July

47° / 32°

0.3

August

46° / 31°

1.5

The table of temperatures and average precipitation days in Mecca during the summer months

Month

Temperatures High/Low (°C)

Average precipitation days

June

44° / 29°

0.1

July

43° / 28°

0.2

August

42° / 27°

0.6

The table of temperatures and average precipitation days in Medina during the summer months

It is important to remember that the Hajj season 2024 happened this year during June. Remember, Umrah is not open during the Hajj season. Knowing about this information is advantageous for those individuals who want to find out which months is Umrah closed 2024. In 2024, the Umrah season has reopened in the first 10 days of July.

Many travel agencies offer reasonable discounts on their travel packages to increase the number of bookings because Umrah is in less demand. While making the Umrah in the summer is a tranquil experience, the intense heat can be demanding on pilgrims, particularly the elderly. Thus, follow several extraordinary recommendations to ensure a successful pilgrimage in the summer.

Moreover, travellers must remember that extreme heat makes performing Umrah in summer during the day difficult. During summer, the best time to do Umrah in day is early morning or late night. During this time, travellers can complete their religious duties without facing any intense heat.

Shoulder Seasons (April, May, September, October, and November)

The shoulder season is also included in Umrah's cheapest time of year. This season typically falls between peak and off-peak periods. The shoulder season contains various months, including April, May, September, October, and November. During this time, the weather in Mecca and Medina is more relaxed than in summer. During this particular time of year, the cost of Umrah travel arrangements is lower than in peak season (Ramadan) but higher than in summer.

Moreover, for budget-conscious travellers, travelling to Mecca during shoulder seasons is the best option. Many travellers go to Mecca during this remarkable time of year, considering the moderate weather in Mecca and Medina and the cheapest cost of travel arrangements for Umrah.

If you want to perform Umrah in October, one of the remarkable months of the shoulder season, you must make careful planning to make your pilgrimage successful.

To Finalize

The cheapest time of year comprises various months, including May, October, Muharram, Safar, etc. During these months, the cost of travel arrangements makes an Umrah affordable for Muslim travellers. However, knowing about Umrah time duration is also essential for a better experience throughout the pilgrimage.

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Muminah Tannous

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Muminah Tannous
Joined: February 15th, 2020
Articles Posted: 75

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