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What is the Makkah Route Initiative?
The Makkah Route Initiative is one of the initiatives of the Ministry of Interior to serve Hajj pilgrims from the following ten countries that are part of the program:
- Malaysia
- Indonesia
- Pakistan
- Morocco
- Bangladesh
- Turkiye
- Côte d’Ivoire
- the Maldives
- Senegal
- Brunei Darussalam
The Makkah Route initiative was launched in 2017, with Malaysia as the first country to benefit from its services. The program’s role is to facilitate Muslims’ performing Hajj to the fullest extent and to enrich and enhance their experience by simplifying the entry and customs procedures.
How does it help pilgrims?
The Makkah Route Initiative comes as a continuation of the efforts of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in facilitating Hajj to the pilgrims and visitors to the holy sites- Makkah and Madinah. The program aims to assist the pilgrims from the 10 countries in:
- finalizing the procedures for the pilgrims from their countries.
- issuing the Hajj visa electronically and collecting biometric data.
- completion of passport procedures at the airport of the country of departure after verifying the availability of health requirements.
- coding and sorting luggage according to transportation and housing arrangements in the Kingdom.
- upon their arrival, the pilgrims are directly moved to buses to take them to their places of residence in Makkah and Madinah, with designated paths.
- the service agencies deliver their luggage to their places of residence.
The General Directorate of Passports, launched a special stamp featuring the visual identity of the Makkah Route Initiative. The stamp serves as a recognizable symbol for pilgrims participating in the Makkah Route Initiative. It allows authorities at various airports to quickly identify and process pilgrims, reducing waiting times and streamlining their entry process.
The initiative is available across 17 entry points in ten countries. Pilgrims can access these halls specifically designed for their convenience, where they can complete necessary procedures efficiently.
Makkah Route Initiative’s latest updates
Malaysia
The first flights carrying beneficiaries of the Makkah Route Initiative arrived from Malaysia at Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah on 18 April 2026, via the initiative’s terminal at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
Pakistan
The first flights carrying beneficiaries of the Makkah Route Initiative arrived from Pakistan at Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah on 18 April 2026, via the initiative’s terminal at Jinnah International Airport in Karachi.
Furthermore, the first Makkah Route Initiative flight from Islamabad International Airport departed on 19 April 2026, heading to Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah.
Indonesia
The first Makkah Route Initiative flights from Jakarta, Solo and Surabaya departed for Saudi Arabia on 22 April 2026. This initiative has been implemented in four cities in Indonesia, namely, Jakarta, Solo, Surabaya and Makassar.
The Makkah Route Initiative continues to work at the departure terminals at Soekarno-Hatta, Adisumarmo, Juanda and Sultan Hasanuddin international airports to serve pilgrims in Indonesia by facilitating their travel procedures to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Bangladesh
The first flight carrying beneficiaries of the Makkah Route Initiative departed from Bangladesh on 18 April 2026 through the initiative’s dedicated lounge at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, heading to King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah.
Türkiye
The first flight carrying beneficiaries of the Makkah Route Initiative departed from Istanbul International Airport in Türkiye on 18 April 2026, bound for Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah.
Côte d’Ivoire
The first flight carrying Makkah Route Initiative beneficiaries from Côte d’Ivoire arrived in Madinah on 7 May 2026 after departing from the initiative’s dedicated terminal at Abidjan International Airport.
