Oct 21, 2026 · @Adeel Kang
“Cheap” is a risky word when it comes to Umrah. Some of the lowest-priced deals I have seen advertised in Britain were genuinely good value. Others left families in a hotel a 25-minute walk from the Haram, with no transfer from Jeddah and no one answering the phone.
The difference is rarely luck. It comes down to knowing where the money in a package actually goes, which savings are safe, and which ones you will regret once you land. I have priced Umrah trips for relatives and friends from Manchester, Birmingham and London over the years, and this is the approach I now use every time.
I will also cover Hajj, because people often ask about both in the same breath. The short answer is that Hajj does not work like Umrah at all when you book from the UK, and “cheap Hajj” offers are where most of the fraud happens.
Where Your Money Goes on an Umrah Package
Once you see the split, it becomes obvious where a cheap package can save money and where it cannot. Here is a rough breakdown for a seven-night off-peak trip from the UK at around £750 per person, sharing a room:
| Part of the package | Rough cost per person |
| Return flights from the UK | £350–£450 |
| Hotels in Makkah and Madinah | £200–£300 |
| Visa and insurance | £100–£120 |
| Transfers between airport and cities | £40–£60 |
The visa cost is fixed, and transfers are small. So when one package is £300 cheaper than another for the same dates, the saving is almost always in the hotel, the flight routing, or the number of people sharing a room. None of those are bad on their own. You just need to know which one you are giving up.
Seven Safe Ways to Find Cheap Umrah Packages from the UK
These are the savings that cut the price without making the trip harder.
1. Pick your month carefully. Late October to November and mid-January to February are the quietest periods. The same package that costs £750 in November can cost £2,000 or more in the last ten nights of Ramadan.
2. Fly midweek. Tuesday and Wednesday departures are usually the cheapest. Flying out of Manchester or Birmingham can also be cheaper than Heathrow, and saves Londoners less than you might think once you add the train fare.
3. Accept one stop. A connecting flight via Istanbul, Cairo or a Gulf hub can save £100–£150 per person compared with a direct flight. With a short layover, the extra time is small.
4. Share a room. Quad-sharing is standard for families and groups, and it is the single biggest saving on the hotel bill.
5. Spend fewer nights in Makkah, more in Madinah. Madinah hotels near the Prophet’s Mosque are generally cheaper, and the city is calmer.
6. Book eight to twelve weeks ahead. That is usually the sweet spot for off-peak dates. Genuine last-minute bargains exist, but they are rarer than adverts suggest.
7. Apply for your own visa if you can. If you hold a British passport, the Saudi tourist eVisa takes about ten minutes online. Some agents add a handling fee for doing it for you.
The one place I would not save is the hotel distance. Being within a few minutes’ walk of the Haram changes everything about the trip, especially in the heat or with older relatives.
When I want a quick benchmark, I check a UK specialist that shows the hotel name, star rating and walking distance for each deal. The cheap Umrah packages from UK listed by Islamic Travel do this, and they are ATOL-protected, so they make a fair yardstick for comparing anything else you find.
Red Flags in a Cheap Umrah Deal
A low price is fine. A low price with any of these signs is not.
• “Hotel to be confirmed” or “similar hotel”. You should know exactly where you are staying before you pay a deposit.
• Distance given in kilometres “by shuttle”. That usually means the hotel is too far to walk.
• No ATOL number, or one you cannot find on the Civil Aviation Authority website under the same company name.
• Payment by bank transfer only. A credit card gives you Section 75 protection on purchases between £100 and £30,000. A transfer to a personal account gives you nothing back if things go wrong.
• No UK address or landline. A WhatsApp number on its own is not enough.
• Visa “not included” for non-British passports. If you live in the UK on another passport, you need an Umrah visa through a licensed agent, linked to Saudi Arabia’s Nusuk system. An agent who leaves that to you cannot legally arrange it.
Whatever you book, you also need a free Umrah permit in the Nusuk app and a meningitis ACWY jab at least ten days before you fly. Neither should cost you anything extra through an agent beyond the pharmacy’s fee for the jab.
Hajj Packages from the UK: Why “Cheap” Works Differently
If you are looking at Hajj, forget most of what applies to Umrah. Since 2022, anyone living in the UK has to book Hajj through Saudi Arabia’s official Nusuk Hajj platform. You cannot buy a Hajj package from a British high-street agent, and nobody can sell you a guaranteed place.
That means the way to keep Hajj costs down is not hunting for deals. It is choosing the right package tier inside Nusuk and being ready when your turn comes.
• Know the price range. For the 2027 season, Hajj packages from UK run from roughly £4,500 for a standard 3-star option to £12,000 or more for 5-star hotels near the Haram.
• Shifting packages are the cheapest. These move you between hotels during Hajj and usually need a longer stay, around 14 days, but cost noticeably less than non-shifting ones.
• Be ready to pay fast. Once your registration is accepted, you normally have only seven to ten days to top up your Nusuk e-wallet and pay. Places are limited by quota, and missing the window can mean losing your place for the year.
• Budget for the extras. Qurbani, travel insurance and spending money are often not included.
Hajj 2027 is expected to begin around 14 May 2027, with the Day of Arafah around 19 May, though the exact dates depend on the moon. Get your passport, photos and vaccinations sorted early so you can move quickly when registration opens.
One firm rule: if anyone in the UK offers you a “cheap Hajj visa” or a Hajj place outside Nusuk, walk away. It is either against the rules or a scam.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest Umrah package from the UK?
In the quietest months, realistic packages start at about £600–£800 per person for seven to ten nights, sharing a room. Anything far below that usually means a distant hotel or missing transfers.
Which month is cheapest for Umrah from the UK?
Late October, November and the second half of January are usually the cheapest. Ramadan, Easter and the summer holidays are the most expensive.
Is a cheap Umrah package safe to book?
Yes, as long as the company has a valid ATOL number, names your hotels in writing and lets you pay by credit card.
How much are Hajj packages from the UK?
For 2027, roughly £4,500 to £12,000 or more per person, depending on the hotel and whether the package is shifting or non-shifting.
Can I book a cheap Hajj package through a UK agent?
No. UK residents must book Hajj through the Nusuk Hajj platform. Any UK company offering Hajj places directly should be avoided.
Do I need a visa for Umrah with a British passport?
Yes, but you can use the Saudi tourist eVisa, which costs about £100–£120 and can be applied for online. You also need a free Umrah permit in the Nusuk app.
A cheap Umrah trip is very possible from the UK. The trick is to save on the dates, the flights and the room, and not on the things that make the trip work.