Miqat on the plane: which one, and when
Choose your departure airport to see which miqat your flight passes and how close to landing it comes. Geography only: we do not give religious rulings.
Which miqat does my flight pass?
Dotted line: shortest route to Jeddah. Red: the miqat sites.
Estimate from the shortest (great-circle) route; the minutes assume 450–600 km/h, the usual speed range while descending. Real routes follow airways, so listen for the crew’s miqat announcement. We do not give religious rulings.
The five miqat points for Umrah
| Miqat | Where | Who it serves |
|---|---|---|
| Dhu al-Hulayfah ذو الحليفة | Abyar Ali, south of Madinah | People of Madinah and anyone travelling from Madinah to Makkah. |
| Al-Juhfah الجحفة | Near Rabigh | Historically the Levant; today also Egypt, North Africa and those on their route. Pilgrims usually enter ihram at Rabigh. |
| Qarn al-Manazil قرن المنازل | As-Sayl al-Kabir, near Taif | People of Najd, Taif and the Gulf, and those on their route. |
| Yalamlam يلملم | As-Sa’diyyah, south of Makkah | Yemen, Tihama and those coming from the south, including many pilgrims from South and South-East Asia. |
| Dhat Irq ذات عرق | North-east of Makkah | People of Iraq and those coming from the north-east. |
Ihram on the plane
- Pilgrims who live beyond the miqat and arrive by air must not pass the miqat, or the point level with it, without being in ihram.
- The mawaqit are points set before Makkah, so a flight to Jeddah passes the miqat before it lands. Enter ihram before that point, not after landing.
- Pilots usually announce when the plane is about to pass level with the miqat, so passengers can get ready; Saudia says it makes miqat announcements on board.
- The miqat comes only minutes before landing: changing in a cramped aircraft toilet is hard, so many pilgrims put on their ihram clothing before boarding or during a stopover.
Packing ihram for the flight? See the Umrah packing list. Arriving in Madinah first? See Madinah hotels.
Already in Makkah? Masjid al-Tan’im and Al-Ji’ranah
The Saudi Press Agency describes Masjid al-Tan’im, also called Masjid Aisha or “the Umrah mosque”, as the miqat for the people of Makkah and its residents who want to perform Umrah. It is about 7 km from Masjid al-Haram, holds about 15,000 worshippers, and the Ministry of Islamic Affairs keeps it open all year, around the clock.
Al-Ji’ranah mosque, about 25 km north-east of Masjid al-Haram, is the second most used of these sites, by the people of Makkah and those coming from that direction.
Frequently asked questions
Can I put on ihram at Jeddah airport?
The mawaqit are set before Makkah, and flights to Jeddah pass the miqat before landing. Pilgrims arriving by air must enter ihram at the miqat or at a point parallel to it, and must not pass it without ihram, according to the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah’s Ihram guide.
How do I know when the plane reaches the miqat?
Airlines usually announce it on board, and Saudia says it makes miqat announcements on its flights. Because the miqat is only minutes before landing in Jeddah, most pilgrims prepare their ihram clothing before boarding or at a transit airport.
Which miqat do flights from the UK, Europe and North America pass?
The shortest route from the UK, Europe, Türkiye and North America to Jeddah passes alongside Al-Juhfah, near Rabigh. The tool above shows the result for your airport.
What if I fly to Madinah first?
If you go to Madinah first and travel to Makkah afterwards, the miqat on the Madinah–Makkah route is Dhu al-Hulayfah (Abyar Ali).
What is a miqat?
A miqat is one of the points set before Makkah at which pilgrims enter ihram. Pilgrims who live beyond it must not pass the miqat, or the point level with it, without being in ihram.
How many miqat are there?
Five: Dhu al-Hulayfah (Abyar Ali, south of Madinah), Al-Juhfah (near Rabigh), Qarn al-Manazil (As-Sayl al-Kabir, near Taif), Yalamlam (As-Sa’diyyah, south of Makkah) and Dhat Irq (north-east of Makkah). The table above shows who each one serves.
Can you wear ihram before the miqat?
Many pilgrims put on their ihram clothing before boarding or during a stopover, because the miqat comes only minutes before landing in Jeddah and changing in an aircraft toilet is hard. What pilgrims arriving by air must not do is pass the miqat, or the point level with it, without being in ihram.
We do not give religious rulings. For questions of fiqh, ask a scholar you trust.