Welcome to DIY Cheap umrah packages birmingham.
I know that planning an Umrah is stressful for a lot of people, especially those who are going for the first time.
So, because many people asked for it, I made DIY Umrah packages for every month of the year. This is to help people understand the process, compare prices with Umrah agents, and figure out which option is the best and cheapest for them.
Even though my book DIY Umrah – Plan your Umrah like a Pro can help you plan one of the cheapest Umrahs possible, I take your questions seriously, and you always ask for "done for you packages as examples."
Below is a table with each month. You can book as you see them if the dates work for you, or you can use the steps to book your own trip and use this as a guide.
Please note that these are only cash prices for Umrah packages. You can find tips on how to save money on travel in my book.
Because not everyone wants to save points and earn points, learn how to manage and book awards to save money on their vacation or Umrah, even though the savings can be big.
You can check out the book if you want to learn more about how to use loyalty points to save up for Umrah or a dream vacation.
How the DIY Umrah Packages work
We'll set those up with flights from London, Manchester, and New York, which are the most popular cities among our readers. As we go on, I might also be able to find people from other cities, depending on your needs, so send me a message below.
You can, of course, follow the same example below: look for your own flights from your home destination and then book hotels using the links below.
The Umrah packages are set up so that one is available each month for a 10-day Umrah package that includes the cheapest flight options. Prices and hotels are for two people. Keep in mind that children usually sleep in the same bed as their parents. I'll give you tips on how to save money, and you can find your own flight dates.
I know that most people stay longer in Medinah, which is why there is a choice.
If you want to make your Umrah last longer, you can. This is an example of a flexible and cheap DIY Umrah package.
We get a small commission from the links in the post, which doesn't cost you anything extra, so if you book through them, it helps the blog. So, thank you for reading and helping us out.
I will always tell my readers about the cheapest and best options, not the ones that pay me the most commission, which I don't even keep track of.
Steps I take to plan my own do-it-yourself Umrah package
How Do Hotels Get Around?
The Saudi tourist visa lets you do Umrah and travel around the country. It is the easiest and cheapest way to get into Saudi Arabia for Umrah, and I have a whole post with updates for you.
Check out this article for everything you need to know about the Saudi tourist visa and a step-by-step guide.
Depending on the exchange rate, the price of the visa is about £120.
#2 Flights to Saudi for Umrah
My resources list the websites I use most to book travel, but I can tell you that I always start with Google Flights and then check and book through Skyscanner.
Both sites don't always show all prices, and Skyscanner is usually the cheaper way to book a flight.
I use both because they let me see quickly what's available each month.
People are having trouble finding deals because flight prices are crazy and airports are full. Flight prices have gone through the roof, and school breaks and busy travel times are always more expensive. I use points to save money and book early.
Many people, especially parents with school-aged children, can't always do it, but if you're on a tight budget, you can save a lot of money by being flexible or cutting back on the number of days you stay.
If you can't find the cheapest flights, try open jaw tickets, which let you leave one airport and leave from another. This can help you save money on your flights for Umrah.
You can also look for flights to Medinah that leave from Makkah, which is what I always suggest.
#3 Hotels in Makkah & Medinah
There are so many hotels in Makkah and Medinah that people always ask me about them.
You can read about my favourite hotels in Makkah and cheap hotels in both cities here.
When choosing a hotel, you should always think about your budget and how much you want to walk, especially if you have young children or older people with you, and then choose the best option.
The hotels and sites I list here have the best prices at the time this post was written. They are also places where I would stay with my family or where we have stayed.
You can read some of the reviews of hotels here.
I usually book hotels directly with the hotel, especially if I am an elite member and get free breakfast, free upgrades, and access to the lounge. As well as points that can be used to get more nights for free. My book has more information about these things.
But we're talking about cash options here, and there are times when I book with cash. Almost 95% of the time, I book through Hotels because for every 10 nights I stay there, I get a free night.
If you go on Umrah for 10 days and book all of your nights through Hotels, you'll get 10% back. You will get a voucher for this free night that is equal to the average amount you spent on your nights. For example, if each of your nights costs $100, so will the vouches (less than the taxes of that country).
I don't book through booking because I'd rather get a discount and because most of the sites in the same group have prices that are very close.
The Haramain train is new, fast, reliable, comfortable, and safe. It is the best way to get between the two cities.
Here is the review and everything else you need to know about the train.
I've taken a taxi from Makkah to Medinah, and it was hard and took a long time. It is possible, but since the train came along, I haven't even thought about it.
If you have a big family, it might be the best option, and it's easy to find taxis and agree on a price to take you there.
You can also take a VIP Saptco bus, which is comfortable, gives you a snack, and has great seats and room. If I had to choose between the options, I would choose the train first and then the VIP coach second.
So that you can see the whole DIY Umrah package, I'll list each type of transportation and how much it costs below. Again, this is just a guide, and you can always choose a different way to get there.
If you arrive in Jeddah and want to go straight to Medinah, the easiest and most convenient way is to take a taxi, which you can get from the terminal and pay for at the taxi counter. Once you leave the baggage claim area, everything is easy to find and follow.
Careem, Taxi, or Uber
The train from or to Makkah costs 135SAR/£30.
Taxi from Jeddah to Makkah 190-270SAR / £35 -£60
From Medinah Airport to Masjid, or from the train station to Masjid, a taxi costs 25SAR, or £5.
From the Makkah train station to Haram, a taxi costs 30 SAR or £7.
Free bus from the train station in Makkah to the Haram
DIY umrah packages 2023 UK
Here is what you need to know about the DIY Umrah Packages for September 2022.
The links below work as of the time this was written. They are affiliate links, but as I said, you don't pay more and we get a commission. But the sites I recommend get you free nights and points.
Skyscanner is usually one of the best places to find cheap flights, and Hotels.com gives you a free night after you stay 10 nights. So, if you book both hotels for 10 days through the links below, which is the DIY Umrah package, you'll get a voucher for 10% off your next stay.
Dates, prices, and links to book flights
London to Jeddah, 13th to 23rd, £400 per person
Book here
Lond to Med/Jed to Lon 14th–24th, £495 per person
Book here
Manchester to Jeddah, 17th to 27th, £425 per person
Book here
New York to Jeddah, 15th to 25th, £578 per person
Book here
Hotels in Medinah, Dates
Price for 4 nights from 13th to 17th at 5 star Intercon Medinah Dar Al Iman (review)
Intercon Dar Al Hijra 13th–17th 4 star Book from £381
Crown Plaza Medinah 13th to 17th 4 stars Book from £340
Pullman Medinah 13th to 17th, 4 stars, Book from £379
Hotels Makkah Dates Category
Price for 6 nights at the 5-star Swisshotel Makkah from 17th to 23rd
Pullman Makkah 17th to 23rd
4 star Book from £483
Review of the Hilton Makkah Convention, 17th to 23rd
4 star Book from £639
Book the 4-star Double Tree by Hilton 17th to 23rd from £571 M. Hotel Makkah by Millennium 17th to 23rd 5 stars more distant From £185 to book
As I said above, these are flexible, all-inclusive Umrah packages that you can mix and match, God willing.
What I Would Choose for a Do-It-Yourself Umrah Package in September 2022
I would choose the flights from London to Mecca with an open-jaw return to London for $495 and the Intercon Dar al-Hijra for $381 for two people because it is close to the mosque even though it is older.
In Makkah, I would choose the Pullman Makkah, which costs £483 and is close to the Clock Tower. If I had more money, I would choose the Swisshotel instead.
The whole DIY Umrah Package for September would cost me about $2,164 for two people, which would cover transportation and a visa.
DIY Umrah Packages October
Here are the best DIY Umrah packages I've found for October 2022. Again, these are some of the things I would book for my family.
Please read the information above so you can understand how I think and what advice I give.
Link to Book's Price
London to Jeddah, 10th to 21st, £460 per person
Book here
Lond to Med/Jed to Lon 1st–10th £508pp
Book here
Manchester to Jeddah, 10th to 21st, £597 per person
Book here
New York to Jeddah, Nov. 28–7, £711 per person
Book here
Price from Intercon Medinah Dar Al Iman for 5 nights (review)
1st–5th 5 star Book starting at £696
Shahd Al Madinah Hotel
Book from the 1st to 5th 5 star from £363
Crown Plaza Medinah 10th to 15th 4 stars Book from £456
Pullman Medinah 10th to 15th 4 stars Book from £565
Hotels Makkah Dates Category Price for 5 nights at the 5 star Swisshotel Makkah 5th to 10th
5 star Hyatt Regency 10th to 15th
From £1129 to book
Sheraton Makkah 10th to 15th 5 stars farther away
From £439 to book
Book a 4-star room at the Double Tree by Hilton 5th to 10th from £544 M. Hotel Makkah by Millenium 10th to 15th 5 stars farther away From £172 to book
What I Would Choose for a Do-It-Yourself Umrah Package in October 2022
With the prices listed above, this is what I would choose for Umrah in October. Since October is an expensive month because everyone is out of school, the prices reflect that.
I would choose the £508-per-person flight from London to Medina, followed by a flight from Jeddah to London. This would save me money on transportation costs. I would choose Shahd Al Medinah because it is cheap and close to the Prophet's mosque. For two people, it costs £363. If you have a small child, their stay will be free.
I'd choose the Swisshotel in Makkah because it's in the Clock Tower and close to everything. I like the Jabal Omar development better, but the prices are too high to make it worth staying there. The price for two people is £765.
The total cost for two people, including visas, travel, and a 5-star hotel, is £2,539. This is a good deal for a peak travel season and a 5-star hotel.