Brief

UAE Umrah operators see 50% plunge in new bookings after Saudi airport attacks

Operators say existing trips continue, but fresh demand has halved as pilgrims wait for clarity.

By Felo News Desk · Published Fri, 16 Oct 2026 16:36:52 GMT

Travel operators in the United Arab Emirates said that while pilgrims who have already booked Umrah packages are still travelling, new enquiries and bookings have fallen by about half after recent Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabian airports, according to Khaleej Times.

What happened

Following missile and drone strikes that disrupted flights to Riyadh, operators reported that passengers with cancelled Riyadh flights are being re‑routed to Jeddah or Madinah, the main gateways for pilgrims heading to Mecca. Existing group itineraries remain on schedule, but the conflict has caused a sharp decline in fresh bookings for both bus and flight services.

What the reports add

Shihab Perwad of Rehan Al Jazeera Tours and Travels said the firm has not received any cancellations from customers who booked earlier, but new enquiries have dropped by roughly 50 %. He noted that the early part of the Umrah season is usually busy and demand is expected to rise in December, yet many residents are waiting before confirming travel plans.

Jaseem of Al Shammar Haj and Umrah Service confirmed that his groups are operating as planned and that passengers whose Riyadh flights were cancelled are being transferred to Madinah or Jeddah. He added that some travellers are considering bus journeys, which cost around Dh1,100 and take about ten days, compared with flight packages starting at roughly Dh2,700.

What was said

"People who have already booked are not cancelling their Umrah trips," Perwad told Khaleej Times. "But new enquiries and bookings have reduced by around 50 per cent. This is happening for bus travel, and flight bookings have also come down."

Jaseem said, "We have not received any cancellations so far, and our groups are on schedule. Flights to Riyadh have been cancelled, but passengers tickets are being changed to Madinah or Jeddah. People can still travel for Umrah through these routes."

How it came about

The drop in bookings follows a series of Houthi missile and drone attacks on Saudi airports reported by Felo News in early October, including the fatal strike on King Khalid International Airport that forced a temporary shutdown of flights. Those attacks prompted Saudi authorities to issue travel advisories and disrupted air links, creating uncertainty for pilgrims from the Gulf region.

Key facts

New Umrah enquiries and bookings in the UAE have fallen by about 50 % after recent Houthi attacks on Saudi airports. (khaleejtimes.com)
Operators report no cancellations from customers who had already booked their Umrah trips. (khaleejtimes.com)
Passengers with cancelled Riyadh flights are being re‑routed to Jeddah or Madinah. (khaleejtimes.com)
Bus Umrah packages cost around Dh1,100 and take about ten days; flight packages start from around Dh2,700. (khaleejtimes.com)