10 tips for every Mutamir should know before choosing a cheap flight to Umrah

Insha Allah, I wish to share with you some tips what every Mutamir should know prior choosing a cheap flight to Umrah. I was blessed to visit the holy place of Makkah and Madina and perform Umrah last year. When the blessed month is not so far away I thought this is a good time to share my experience with you all. This is not an exhaustive list but simply what I thought are vital to consider when choosing your flight to Umrah.

Prior my trip, I searched on the internet for tips on what a Mutamir should consider for choosing an affordable flight to Umrah. There were a lot of sites where many people have given advised and shared their experiences but it was all messed up. So I did go a little crazy with the preparation and it took me a few days to decide what the key things to consider are.

So, Insha Allah this list would help my brothers and sisters who are going for the pilgrimage either for Ramadan to perform Umrah or for Hajj.

1. Book at the Right Time

Understanding when to book your flight to Umrah can be the best tip for saving some good amount of money. I did a study last year and found that you will possibly pay a big amount for booking too late or for booking too early.

2. Check Fares Early & Often

After doing a lot research prior my pilgrimage I found that, on average, the fare difference between the best day to book your flight ticket and the worst is £136. Timing is everything when it comes to booking an airline ticket. So, I advise that you start checking airfares once you know you will be flying.

3. Some Days are Cheaper than Others

The day of the week you fly on makes a big difference on your flight tarriff. I found that weekdays are usually the cheapest days and weekends are the most expensive.

4. Mix and Match Airlines to get the Cheapest Flights

This is one method I opted for to get the cheapest flight to Umrah. You can cross check different airline's air fares to find the cheapest flight.

5. Beware of Seasonality

Understanding when to go matters just as much as when to buy. The most vital factor that influences the air fare of a particular flight is how full that flight is. Booking air tickets in holiday season can cost you more.

6. Prepare for Extra Bag Fees

Many airlines have different policies on baggage. The majority of airlines charge for checked bags and some even charge for carry-on. You must consider that into your buying decision.

7. Sign Up for Airfare Alerts

To keep an eye on air fare trends, sign up for Airfare Alerts. You will get notified more speedily when a sale for flight to Umrah starts.

8. Check Alternate Airport

All pilgrim's flights from abroad are direct to Jeddah or the Holy City of Madinah. So whenever you are about to book flight to Umrah always consider what your destination city is and check them both. You will find a little difference between the air fares.

9. Buy on a Site that Offers Price Drop Payback

This might sound a bit odd but I think it is justified. Many online flight booking websites offers price drop payback. If the air fare for the same flight goes down any time prior your trip, they will pay you back the difference.

10. Break up Families into Separate purchases

This one sounds counter-intuitive but let me tell you it is a good way to get cheap flight to Umrah. Because airlines normally limit the number of seats per flight they advertise at their lowest rate, at times you can in fact price yourself right out of a good deal just by having too many passengers.

If you are planning to perform Umrah this year then I advised to hire an experienced Hajj & Umrah tour operator that arranges everything for you. There are numerous tour operators in the UK like Al-Amanah Hajj & Umrah Ltd. that provide bespoke, affordable, standard and 5 star Umrah packages to meet your every Umrah requirement. Visit their website www.umrah-alamanah.com