Key Takeaways
- Jet fuel prices jumped 82% per liter on March 6, pushing airlines to pass costs directly onto passengers.
- Economy class Umrah tickets rose by 45%.
- Saudia and Flynas have warned of surcharges per ticket, with further hikes possible if fuel prices hold.
Global pilgrims planning Umrah are facing a considerably heavier financial burden as a dramatic surge in jet fuel costs.
On March 6, jet fuel prices climbed an 82% increase.
The trigger was disruption to oil supplies worldwide, linked directly to escalating tensions across the Middle East.
For airlines already operating on tight margins during high-demand periods, a cost spike of this scale leaves little room to absorb the difference.
Saudia and Flynas, the two carriers handling the majority of Umrah flights into Jeddah and Madinah, have both cautioned passengers of ticket price hikes per flight on international routes.
In practice, the actual increases passengers are experiencing far exceed that figure.
At Ramadan’s start on March 5, economy class tickets on Umrah routes climbed from a previous range of $480–$520 to $670–$740 — a jump of roughly $200 per seat.
Business class fares have pushed close to $1,860, driven by both the fuel crisis and tightening seat availability as capacity constraints bite across key routes.
If jet fuel prices fail to stabilize, Saudia and Flynas may introduce additional surcharges on top of already elevated fares, pushing costs even further out of reach for budget-conscious pilgrims.
Pilgrims are advised to book as early as possible, compare fares across both carriers, and monitor any official surcharge announcements from Saudia and Flynas directly.
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