Quick Facts: Umrah from the USA
- Visa route
- Saudi tourist eVisa eligible
- Flight to Jeddah
- 12h – 13h direct from JFK/IAD; 16h – 20h one-stop from other hubs
- Currency
- USD ($)
- Main airports
- JFK, IAD, LAX, ORD, IAH
Umrah from the USA sits at a specific point on the global pilgrim map — with its own visa rules, flight options, package pricing, and operator landscape. This guide collects the practical detail that does not change with the Islamic calendar: the route to your visa, what a fair package costs in USD, how long the flight takes, and what local regulators do (and do not) protect you against. The shared content — the rites of Umrah, the supplications, the season guide — lives on our Umrah & Hajj pillar guide.
Your visa route from the USA
US passport holders are eligible for the Saudi tourist eVisa. It explicitly permits Umrah, is multi-entry, valid for one year, with up to 90 days per visit. Apply through visa.visitsaudi.com — cost is approximately USD 160 including mandatory health insurance.
For the full breakdown — the three Saudi visa routes (tourist eVisa, Nusuk Umrah, operator-arranged), eligibility country by country, the step-by-step application, and the common rejection reasons — see our Umrah visa requirements complete guide.
Flights from the USA to Saudi Arabia
Direct flights from the USA to Jeddah (JED) take approximately 12h – 13h direct from JFK/IAD; 16h – 20h one-stop from other hubs. The Saudi entry airport for Umrah is Jeddah's King Abdulaziz International (JED), about 80 km from Makkah. Madinah (MED) is the alternative entry, used when starting the pilgrimage with a visit to the Prophet's Mosque.
Direct carriers
- Saudia (JFK, IAD)
One-stop carriers
- Emirates (via Dubai)
- Qatar Airways (via Doha)
- Turkish Airlines (via Istanbul)
- Etihad (via Abu Dhabi)
- Lufthansa (via Frankfurt)
Departure airports
- JFK — New York JFK
- IAD — Washington Dulles
- LAX — Los Angeles
- ORD — Chicago O'Hare
- IAH — Houston Intercontinental
What Umrah costs from the USA
All figures below are indicative off-season package prices for 2026 in USD per pilgrim. Last 10 nights of Ramadan pricing can run 3 to 5 times these levels for the same hotel.
- Budget tier: $1,500–$2,500 (3-star, 2–3 km from Haram, one or two stops).
- Mid tier: $2,500–$4,500 (4-star within 1.5 km, one stop, twin share, half-board).
- Premium tier: $4,500–$8,000 (5-star within 400m, direct or premium one-stop).
- Self-arranged (via tourist eVisa): $1,700–$2,400 for 8 nights using the tourist eVisa.
For the full cost framework — the four tiers, self-arranged versus package comparison, the red flags that signal fraud, and what value-tier operators actually include — see Cheap Umrah packages: how to find real value.
When to travel from the USA
Recommended window: October to March (cooler Saudi temperatures, off-Ramadan pricing).
The US is one of the largest English-speaking source markets for Umrah. October through March is the comfortable temperature window in Saudi Arabia; pilgrims travelling in June–August should be prepared for temperatures above 40°C in Makkah and pack accordingly.
The Saudi Umrah season runs year-round except for the approximately 6-week pre-Hajj suspension (mid Dhul Qa'dah to Eid al-Adha). For the full season guide including off-season, mid-season, last-10-of-Ramadan pricing dynamics, and the pre-Hajj suspension window, see the Umrah & Hajj pillar guide.
Regulators & finding a licensed operator
Three bodies have a say in your Umrah from the USA:
- US state travel-agent regulations (varies by state)
- Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah
The US has approximately 3.5 million Muslims, with the largest communities in the NYC metro area, Chicago, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, and the Washington DC region. The US Umrah operator market is regulated by state-level travel-agent rules rather than a federal scheme equivalent to ATOL — verify operators carefully and prefer those with IATA accreditation.
Looking for a verified Umrah or Hajj operator? Our HalalExpo Directory lists verified pilgrimage operators — filter by country to find those serving the USA.
The rites — what you will actually do
Umrah is four obligatory pillars performed in sequence: entering ihram at the Miqat, tawaf (seven circuits around the Kaaba), sa'i (seven walks between Safa and Marwah), and halq or taqsir (shaving or trimming the hair). The whole ritual cycle takes 2 to 4 hours of active time. For the practical detail — the specific supplications at each station, the prohibitions of ihram, the rules for women in menses, and the expiation for mistakes — see our step-by-step guide:
Umrah step-by-step: a practical guide to the rites
Hajj from the USA
Hajj is a completely separate system from Umrah. The visa is different (quota-allocated, single-purpose, bundled with accommodation), the cost is higher (USD 4,000+ even at the most subsidised tier), and the calendar is fixed (only 5 days of Dhul Hijjah). Performing Hajj on a tourist or Umrah visa is illegal and aggressively enforced. For the full country-by-country quota table, the Nusuk Hajj application, national-mission routes, and cost breakdown, see:
Editorial note: Saudi visa regulations, airline routes, exchange rates, and Umrah package pricing change frequently. Figures in this guide reflect the position as of May 2026 in USD. Always verify the latest information with the official Saudi authorities (visa.visitsaudi.com, nusuk.sa), with your origin-country regulator, and with a licensed Umrah operator close to your travel date.