Travelling With Your Group? How to Get the Best Umrah Rates

Planning Umrah with your family, your friends, or your local mosque group? Good news: travelling in a group is one of the easiest ways to bring your price down. Group Umrah packages almost always cost less per person than booking alone, but only if you know what to ask for and when to book. This guide walks you through how group Umrah rates actually work, what should be included in your price, and how to spot a travel agency you can trust with your deposit.

Why Group Travel Lowers Your Umrah Rate

Hotels near the Haram price rooms per night, not per guest. When four adults share one room instead of booking four singles, the hotel cost splits four ways instead of landing on one person. This is the main reason Umrah rates for groups drop as your numbers grow.

Airlines work the same way. Tour operators buy blocks of seats in bulk, which usually means a lower fare per seat than a solo booking made at the last minute. Ground transport follows the same pattern — one minibus for twelve pilgrims costs far less per head than twelve separate taxis.

How Many People Count as a “Group”?

Most UK Umrah agencies set the group threshold at 10 people, with better rates unlocking at 15 or more. Al Muslim Travel offers negotiated hotel and flight rates for groups of 10 or more, with one dedicated coordinator handling every visa application, seat assignment, and hotel voucher for the whole party.

Quick FAQ: How many people do I need for a group discount? Ten is the usual starting point for a group rate in the UK Umrah market. Once your group reaches 15 paying members, most agencies, including Al Muslim Travel, add a free place for the group organiser.

What Should Be Included in Your Group Umrah Rate

Before comparing prices between agencies, check that each quote covers the same five things. A cheap-looking price that leaves something out is not actually cheaper.

1. Return flights from a UK airport to Jeddah or Madinah
2. A processed Umrah visa for every traveller
3. Hotel nights in Makkah
4. Hotel nights in Madinah
5. Ground transport, including the Makkah-to-Madinah transfer

Al Muslim Travel’s Umrah packages 2026 bundle all five as standard, with flights on Saudi Arabian Airlines, Emirates, Qatar Airways, or Flydubai depending on your departure city. Visa processing normally takes four to seven working days, with a faster 24 to 72 hour option if your travel date is close.

Hidden Extras to Ask About

A few things are easy to miss on a quote. Ask whether breakfast is included, whether your group gets connecting or nearby rooms, and whether the price can rise after you pay your deposit. A trustworthy agency locks the price once you book and adds nothing later.

3-Star, 4-Star, or 5-Star: Matching Rate to Group Needs

Hotel tier is the biggest factor in your final price, and it usually comes down to distance from Masjid al-Haram rather than luxury for its own sake.

3-Star Group Packages

3-star Umrah packages place your group roughly 800 metres to a kilometre from the Haram. This tier suits fit travellers and larger groups on a tighter shared budget, with 7-night packages starting around £490 per person.

4-Star Group Packages

4-star Umrah packages sit 300 to 500 metres away and are the most booked tier among UK families and mosque groups, since rooms are bigger and breakfast is usually included. Prices start from roughly £665 for 7 nights.

5-Star Group Packages

5-star Umrah packages, such as Pullman Zamzam Makkah, sit right next to the Haram entrance. This tier suits elderly parents or anyone in the group with limited mobility, from around £800 for 7 nights.

A Note for Mixed-Age Groups

If your group includes both grandparents and children, a 4-star or 5-star hotel usually works out better once you count the taxi fares a 3-star group would otherwise pay to get back and forth to prayers five times a day.

Quick FAQ: What is the cheapest time of year for group Umrah? October through January tends to bring the lowest group Umrah rates in the UK market, since demand drops after the summer and before Ramadan season begins. Booking two to three months ahead also helps you lock in better hotel blocks.

When to Book for the Best Group Rate

Ramadan Umrah packages cost noticeably more than off-peak travel, since hotel rooms near the Haram sell out months in advance during this period. School holidays, Easter, and December also push prices up. If your group has flexible dates, booking outside these windows and reserving your rooms early is the single biggest way to protect your rate.

How to Check an Umrah Agency Is Trustworthy Before You Pay

A low rate means nothing if the agency behind it cannot deliver your flights, visa, and hotel as promised. Before your group pays a deposit, check for three things.

ATOL Protection

ATOL is a UK Civil Aviation Authority scheme that protects your money on flight-inclusive holidays. Al Muslim Travel holds ATOL licence #74904, so if a flight or hotel supplier ever became insolvent, your group would be refunded or brought home at no extra cost. You can verify any agency’s ATOL number directly on the CAA website before booking.

IATA Certification

IATA accreditation shows an agency is authorised to issue flight tickets directly through recognised airline channels, rather than passing your booking through a chain of sub-agents.

Saudi Ministry Approval

Direct accreditation from the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah confirms the agency can legally process your group’s visas.

Al Muslim Travel holds all three: ATOL, IATA, and Saudi Ministry approval, and has arranged Umrah trips for UK Muslims since 2012, with every booking handled in-house rather than handed off to a third party.

Quick FAQ: Do I get a free place if I bring a large group? Yes, with most UK operators, including Al Muslim Travel, one complimentary place is offered per 15 paying group members on qualifying bookings, which is worth asking about directly when you request your quote.

Getting a Group Quote

The fastest way to lock in a group Umrah rate is to speak to a coordinator directly with your group size, preferred dates, and departure city ready. Al Muslim Travel’s team can confirm live hotel availability and return a full group quote within days, with pricing pulled from London, Manchester, Birmingham, and other major UK departure cities. You can also read what past group travellers say on the testimonials page before you book.

Travelling with your group does not have to mean a complicated booking process or a price that changes after you have paid. Compare your quotes against the five essentials above, confirm the agency’s ATOL and IATA credentials, and book your dates as early as you can.