First Hajj Flights Arrive in Saudi Arabia for 2026 Season

The first flights carrying Hajj pilgrims have arrived in Saudi Arabia, landing at Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport and King Abdulaziz International Airport, marking the start of the 2026 pilgrimage season.

Arrivals included pilgrims travelling under the Makkah Route initiative from countries including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Malaysia and Turkiye, alongside the first group of Indian pilgrims received in Madinah by senior Saudi and Indian officials.

The first Pakistani group under the initiative arrived from Jinnah International Airport, with Saudi Arabia allocating Pakistan a quota of 179,210 pilgrims this year, according to officials. Additional flights carried pilgrims from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Kuala Lumpur International Airport and Ankara Esenboga Airport.

The Makkah Route initiative, implemented by the Ministry of Interior, allows pilgrims to complete entry procedures in their home countries, including visa issuance, passport control and health checks, before departure.

The programme has been expanded to 17 entry points across 10 countries this year, with Senegal and Brunei Darussalam joining for the first time.

Officials said the system also includes pre-sorted luggage handling, enabling pilgrims to proceed directly to accommodation in Makkah and Madinah without delays on arrival.

Since its launch in 2017, the initiative has served more than 1.25 million pilgrims, streamlining travel and entry processes during the annual Hajj season.