Guide: Best Time to Book Umrah 2025 [Save Up to 40%]

If I had a penny for every time, someone asked me – When is the best time to book Umrah and save money? I get this question hundreds of times, especially during peak seasons like Umrah during Ramadan. 

Have you ever wondered why some people pay £3,000 for their Umrah while others pay just £1500 for the exact same trip? As someone who’s helped over 1.7 million Muslims plan their DIY Umrah journey over ten years, I can tell you the secret lies in strategic booking timing.

Value Periods: Best Time to Book Umrah Guide

Saudi Arabia, with its 2030 vision, is heavily pushing for more tourists and pilgrims and making it much easier to perform Umrah. With an improved visa process, better facilities, and hotels, it is becoming much more affordable and easier to perform Umrah. 

Truly, it is starting to become more challenging to say that the “best time to go for Umrah is x” because even the Hajj season is being shortened to accommodate pilgrims. 

Usually, the first three weeks after the Hajj are less crowded, and prices are slightly lower. In January, after the Christmas holidays and during the summer months when it is hot in Saudi Arabia, prices are also lower. However, this is changing due to the ease of issuing visas and performing Umrah now. 

The best way to start saving money and booking your Umrah trip is to time your booking process and save that way.

Best Times to Book: Peak vs Quiet Periods

During these times, you’ll need extra strategic Umrah planning:

• Ramadan (especially the last 10 nights)
• School holidays (December, February half-term, Easter)
• Major holidays in Muslim countries
• Weekends (Thursday to Saturday)

The most affordable Umrah months are:

• From Muharram to Rajab (except school holidays)
• Weekdays rather than weekends
• Non-holiday periods
• After Hajj (first 3 weeks)

How to Save Thousands on Your Umrah

Quick story: Last Ramadan, a sister messaged me in panic mode just two weeks before her Umrah trip, she decided it was a great option to experience Umrah in Ramadan. The same hotel room that was selling for £70 during a sale for Ramadan 4 months prior was now £240 a night! That’s why understanding Umrah booking patterns is crucial for your wallet.

It is about timing the hotel and flight bookings mostly. 

So, let’s take a look and, insha’Allah, find out the best time to book your Umrah and how to plan the Ultimate Umrah in the most effective way.

We have done-for-you Umrah packages that help you put together your own with examples and prices. I have done Umrah for Ramadan 2025 to help you see how much money you will be paying to plan your own Umrah package. 

Since this article is more about how to save money and general money advice, the cheapest months are the best. 

Strategic booking windows:

• Flights: monitor prices on Google flights (6-4 months)
• Hotels: book during the sales period  (6 months or less)
• Most economical umrah periods: just after major holidays 
• Best value Umrah dates: after Hajj 

Timing Your Umrah Booking Windows for Maximum Savings

With peak Umrah season travel, things are more expensive, and you must ensure your time for Umrah is the ultimate. This means making sure you book the hotel and flight sale deals that can save you 30 to 40% on your hotels. Saudi Airlines has sales, especially during their September National holiday, which you can take advantage of and book in advance. 

Those sales happen every 3-4 months, and I always encourage you to sign up for them and take advantage because when paying cash, this will literally be the best time to book Umrah.

Many don’t like booking this long in advance, but you can always book flexible options and cancel and re-book if the price increases. 

Medinah is usually a little quieter during Ramadan and it might be a good option to spend the last 10 nights there if you really want to visit in Ramadan. 

Ramadan Umrah is cheaper at the start of the month than the last 10 nights. If you are planning an Umrah in the last 10 nights, you are better off using loyalty programs and points for your hotels. I have saved over $50,000 doing this in Ramadan. My book shows you how, but it is not a fast strategy.

I have a masterclass training where I will share practical tips and more in-depth information. 

Best Time to Book Umrah Flights and Hotels

Booking Umrah Hotels in Advance is not SMART

Many people contact me asking if they should book about a year in advance, thinking they are getting a better hotel deal in Makkah. It’s important to understand that when booking this far ahead—especially for hotels—they are working with occupancy predictions, particularly outside of Ramadan. This means they raise prices in the hopes of achieving full occupancy. However, in reality, prices often decrease as the actual occupancy approaches the dates.

That’s why I always recommend booking with flexibility. If you book this way, you can take advantage of price changes: if the price goes up, you’re still secure, but if it goes down, you can rebook for a better rate. Make sure you check out my article about the best hotels for Umrah or my Makkah hotel reviews if you like a specific hotel.

Tip 1: I always recommend checking several websites, especially if you don’t have loyalty points for your Umrah, because you can save a good amount of money by doing this.

Tip 2: Flexible rooms might be slightly more expensive, but they can save you money. I have done this several times, and even friends in Makkah, where by checking a day or two before your stay (most offer 24 hours prior cancellation), you can get a reduced price based on real occupancy.

My friend saved over £600 on a 5 day stay in Makkah Swisshotel, and I have saved $200 on a two-night stay in a New York hotel in this way.

There is no one website to help you save if Umrah packages by agents can be more expensive than DIY by 40% so it is important to check yourself beforehand.

Expert Hotel Booking Tips

1. Direct Booking Benefits:
   • Join hotel loyalty programs
   • Earn points for free nights
   • Get member-only rates
   • Easier cancellation/changes
2. Third-Party Booking Strategy:
   • Use third-party reward programs for discounts 
   • Check Tripadvisor for deals
   • Compare rates across platforms
   • Book flexible stays if needed

Strategic Flight Booking: Save Up to 20% on Tickets

I use many loyalty points for my fights, and I have a full course on how to take advantage of Saudi Airlines flights. This provides me with a lot of flexibility and also upgrades to business class. 

For cash prices, I set up alerts on Google flights for months in advance to get a feel of how the price fluctuates. Use Skyscanner for full-month views and monitoring. Like hotels, flight pricing is very complicated, and there are major price differences even days apart. 

Expert Flight Booking Tips

• 8 months ahead: Set price alerts
• 6-4 months ahead: Book peak season (during a sale)
• 3-1 months ahead: Book off-peak (during sale ideally)
• 2 weeks ahead: Last-minute deals I have saved a lot but it is not for everyone!

Pro Tip: Avoid booking 2 months or 4 weeks before travel – this creates artificial demand spikes, pushing prices higher. I have no idea why, but I have tested this.

Money-Saving Hack: I recently saved £400 by booking a multi-city ticket (London-Jeddah, Medina-London) versus a regular return.

Best Time to Perofrm Umrah in Makkah

Makkah and Medinah are cities that never sleep, so answering this question on the best time to perform Umrah is very popular on my social media, and I do have a handy tip I shared on my Instagram.

Everyone feels differently about the best time to perform Umrah. Still, personally, after many Umrah and monitoring, I can say that you go the time you least want to go because everyone else feels the same. Due to crowds now, it is harder to “predict.” 

My best time for Umrah theory is: 

• During the peak of heat (lunchtime and a couple of hours before Dhuhr)
• Late at night after 1 am to before Fajr 

Worst time for Umrah

• During Friday Prayer (I have a YouTube video with my experience – not a nice one)
• Dhuhr to Asr
• Asr to Maghrib (usually because people stay for the prayer) 

My pro tip: Open the Haraim TV channel in your hotel room. See how crowded it is on the LIVE feed and decide if you want to go. Because I usually stay close to Haram, it takes me 10 minutes to walk if it is not crowded. 

When it comes to planning your Umrah journey, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. The best months for Umrah vary for each family, depending on your circumstances, budget, and goals. Through my ten years of helping millions plan their DIY Umrah, I’ve learned that strategic planning is the key to a successful journey.

• Monitor prices early on
• Book during sales
• Start collecting miles & points for ever bigger Umrah savings

Whether you’re dreaming of a Ramadan Umrah, looking for budget-friendly Umrah deals during quieter periods, or planning Umrah with your family during school holidays, timing your booking right can make a dramatic difference to your costs. I’ve seen the same Umrah package vary from £800 to £2,000 – the only difference being when it was booked! Don’t fall into the common trap of waiting until the last minute. 

If you want to learn more, make sure to download my DIY Umrah guide, which can help you with the best time to book and timeline for your next Umrah trip. 

When is the best time to book Umrah?

Based on 10 years of data and helping 1.7M Muslims, the best time to book Umrah is 6-8 months before travel. For hotels, book 8-10 months ahead with flexible rates. Monitor prices using Google Flights and wait for airline sales, typically saving 30-40% on flights and up to 60% on hotels.

How far in advance should I book Umrah?

For maximum savings, book hotels 8-10 months ahead with flexible rates, and flights 6-8 months before travel. For Ramadan Umrah, extend these windows by 2-3 months. I’ve seen the same package vary from £800 to £2,000 based solely on booking timing!

What are the cheapest months for Umrah?

The most affordable periods for Umrah are the first 3 weeks after Hajj, January (after Christmas holidays), and summer months. Book during weekdays rather than weekends, and avoid school holidays. Pro tip: Monitor hotel sales for up to 40-60% savings during these periods.

What is the best time to book Ramadan Umrah?

For Ramadan Umrah, especially the last 10 nights, book 10-12 months in advance. Start of Ramadan is cheaper than the last 10 nights. I’ve saved over $50,000 using hotel loyalty programs for Ramadan bookings. Early booking can secure rates at £70/night versus £240/night last minute.

*some links are affiliates; please see my disclosure. I always appreciate it when you click and book through these (you don’t pay extra), but I earn a small commission to keep this site going. I never, ever recommend sites that I don’t use or are of no benefit to you. Thank you

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