Umrah Packages
from Blackburn

From Blackburn to Manchester Airport: the drive south

Every Blackburn package we sell departs from Manchester Airport, which lies roughly 56 km south of the town centre. In normal traffic the drive takes about 50 minutes, but Friday afternoons and the first Saturday of a school holiday can add a good deal to that.

Most Lancashire households head out along the M65 and then join the M66 or the M61 towards the M60 ring road, depending on which side of town they start from. Treat that as a rough outline rather than directions, and check the traffic on the morning you leave.

Travelling as a group from East Lancashire

Blackburn has a large, close-knit Muslim community, and it is common for brothers, cousins and neighbours to book the same dates. When three or four households travel together, a hired minibus or a shared coach to the terminal is often less stressful than a convoy of cars and several weeks of airport parking.

If you would like your group on the same flight and in the same hotels, tell us the number of rooms when you ask for a quote and we will price it as one booking.

Leaving time for the terminal

The daily Saudia departure leaves Terminal 2 at 13:45, so a family from Blackburn would normally set off mid-morning. From 1 November 2026 a second, late-evening service at 22:10 joins the timetable, which lets you spend most of the day at home and leave after Maghrib.

Which flights Blackburn pilgrims use

Only two UK airports currently have a non-stop flight to Jeddah: Heathrow and Manchester. For East Lancashire that is good news, because nobody on a 4★ or 5★ package needs to travel to London or change planes on the way out.

With the extra Saudia rotation, Manchester moves to 10 non-stop flights a week. Airline timetables shift often, so the flight on your written quote is the one that applies to your dates.

There are no direct flights from anywhere in the UK to Madinah at present. Our packages land in Jeddah and continue by road or rail between the two holy cities.

Fitting Umrah around Lancashire school terms

For many Blackburn parents the term calendar decides the dates long before the budget does. Holiday dates differ between councils and academy trusts, so check your own school’s calendar; the notes below describe the usual English pattern for 2026–27.

• Christmas break (roughly the last fortnight of December into early January): the most popular family window of the season, with higher prices. See our Christmas Umrah packages and book early.
• February half-term (mid-February 2027): Ramadan is expected to begin around 8 February 2027, so this week falls inside the first half of the blessed month. See our Ramadan Umrah packages.
• Easter holidays: not possible in 2027. The last date to enter Saudi Arabia on an Umrah visa this season is 23 March 2027, before most English schools break up.
• May half-term: falls around the Hajj period, when the Umrah season is closed.
• Summer: depends on the 1449 season, which is expected to reopen after Hajj, typically around late May or June. We confirm dates as soon as the Ministry announces them.

If your children are older or you are travelling without them, term time is quieter. January Umrah brings average Makkah highs of about 31°C, and March sits just before the season closes.

Packages and prices for Lancashire households

All three hotel levels are available from Manchester, in 7, 10, 12 or 14-night versions. A 7-night trip splits 4 nights in Makkah and 3 in Madinah; the longer packages divide the nights evenly between the two cities.

Distances are to Masjid al-Haram or Masjid an-Nabawi. Prices are per person with four sharing a room, include return flights, the Umrah visa, hotels and transfers, and are confirmed at the time of booking.

Matching the package to the family

Grandparents who find long walks hard usually do best on a 5★ package, where the Madinah hotel is about 50 metres from the mosque. Couples and younger families often choose the 4★ option because it keeps the non-stop Saudia flight while staying within walking distance of the Haram.

Households watching every pound tend to pick the 3★ package. The Istanbul connection adds a few hours, but the saving across a family of five or six can be significant.

Ihram and paperwork before you leave Lancashire

Jeddah lies inside the miqat boundary, so on the Saudia flight you need to be in ihram before the aircraft crosses the miqat line. The crew usually make an announcement about 30 minutes beforehand. Many Blackburn pilgrims change into ihram clothing at home or in the terminal and make the niyyah when the announcement comes; follow the guidance of your own scholar.

Check that every passport is valid for at least six months after you arrive. The meningitis ACWY vaccine is compulsory for everyone aged one and over and must be given at least 10 days before arrival in Saudi Arabia, so book GP or pharmacy appointments well ahead of a holiday rush.

Coming home to East Lancashire

Relatives back in Blackburn will almost certainly be hoping for Zamzam. Each pilgrim can usually bring one factory-sealed 5-litre bottle, bought at the official counter in Jeddah or Madinah airport and checked in as a separate piece rather than packed inside a suitcase. Saudia normally carries it as a free extra item, but confirm the allowance with the airline before you fly.

Think about the return leg when you arrange transport. Someone collecting you from Manchester after a long flight will appreciate knowing the landing time in advance, and if an older parent struggles with long terminal walks, it is worth asking the airline about assistance at both ends well before departure.

Many families also plan a short gathering at home for neighbours and relatives on their return. Building in a day or two before work and school restart gives everyone time to recover from the journey and share the experience properly.

Booking with confidence

Our flight-inclusive packages are ATOL protected (ATOL No. 11203), which gives financial protection for a package that includes a flight; if you do not receive an ATOL Certificate, the booking is not ATOL protected. It is not travel insurance, so arrange a separate policy.

The full terms are on our booking policy page.

The FCDO currently advises against all but essential travel to Saudi Arabia, so please read the latest FCDO guidance before you book and again before you fly, and check what your insurer says, as cover can depend on that advice.

Already holding a quote from another agent? Send it through our beat my quote service and we will see whether we can improve it.

Start planning your Umrah from Blackburn

Pilgrims from Oldham and other Greater Manchester towns use the same airport, so you may find our Oldham Umrah page and Manchester packages useful when comparing options. When you are ready, request a free quote with your dates, hotel level and number of travellers, or message us on WhatsApp and a member of the team will help you plan the trip.