Saudi Airports Soar: Over 3M Travelers during Ramadan Peak
Saudi airports experienced a huge influx as over 3.4 million travelers were welcomed in Ramadan's first 18 days, according to Matarat Holding Company. Pilgrims dominated the surge, aligning with peak Umrah season at Islam's holiest sites in Makkah and Medinah.
Key Airports Drive Pilgrim Momentum
Matarat Holding Company reported heavy activity at Jeddah's King Abdulaziz International Airport and Medinah's Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport. Yanbu's Prince Abdulmohsen bin Abdulaziz Airport and Taif Airport also saw notable traffic. The operator manages 27 airports nationwide.
Passenger data revealed 2.4 million international travelers across the four hubs, with arrivals and departures surging. Furthermore, domestic flights accommodated 1.08 million passengers. Airlines operated 20,038 flights, including 12,699 international routes.
Saudi airports bolstered resources to manage Ramadan crowds, prioritizing seamless pilgrim mobility. For instance, Jeddah's airport deployed 70 e-gates to automate check-ins and reduce wait times.
Innovative 'Bag-Free' Initiative Elevates Travel
Additionally, Saudi Arabia expanded its 'bag-free passenger' service, allowing travelers to complete formalities remotely. Launched last year, the system forwards luggage directly to flights, easing domestic and international journeys.
These measures underscore Saudi Arabia's push to enhance pilgrim access and comfort. With Ramadan running until the end of March 2025, authorities aim to sustain momentum for Umrah and global tourism targets.
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Arab News
2 hours ago
- Arab News
Centuries of Hajj documented in travelers' chronicles
For centuries, the Hajj pilgrimage has stood as Islam's most profound convergence of spiritual devotion and physical endurance. This sacred journey, where the trials of travel merge with the sanctity of worship, has been meticulously documented by countless travelers, scholars and rulers whose written accounts have become invaluable chronicles of the history of Islamic civilization. From barefoot pilgrims to seafaring voyagers and desert caravans, the Hajj experience has been preserved across generations through detailed testimonies, books and manuscripts that illuminate both the ritualistic and human dimensions of this transformative journey. According to researcher and historian Saad Al-Joudi, the Hajj transcended its purely ceremonial function to become a comprehensive documentation project that captured the essence of Islamic society across different historical periods. The Andalusian explorer Ibn Jubayr was one of the most meticulous chroniclers, providing exhaustive accounts of his maritime route from Andalusia through Alexandria to the Hejaz from 1183-1185. His writings detail every stage of the pilgrimage sequence: The ritual consecration at designated boundaries (Ihram), the circumambulation of the Kaaba (Tawaf), the Sa'I (running between Safa and Marwa), the overnight vigil in Mina, the standing at Mount Arafat, the symbolic stone-throwing ceremony, and the final farewell circumambulation. • This sacred Hajj journey has been meticulously documented by countless travelers, scholars and rulers. • Their written accounts have become invaluable chronicles of the history of Islamic civilization. • The Andalusian explorer Ibn Jubayr was one of the most meticulous chroniclers, detailing every stage of the pilgrimage sequence. • Ibn Battuta, who set off on his pilgrimage in 1325, focused extensively on the logistical infrastructure supporting the routes to Makkah. The renowned traveler Ibn Battuta, who set off on his pilgrimage in 1325, focused extensively on the logistical infrastructure supporting the routes to Makkah. His accounts express wonder at the remarkable unity displayed by Muslims of diverse languages, ethnicities and cultures as they performed identical rituals in perfect synchronization. He documented the overland passages from the Levant to Madinah, describing rest stations, temporary pilgrim markets and mobile medical facilities. Majed Al-Yazidi, of Umm Al-Qura University, said that Hajj documentation extended beyond travel writers to include sultans and kings. Abbasid caliph Harun Al-Rashid is said to have performed the pilgrimage several times, notably traveling on foot as an expression of humility. The 13th-century Mamluk ruler, Baibars, established comprehensive supply networks and security installations for pilgrim caravans throughout the Levant and Arabian Peninsula, transforming the Hajj into an integrated socio-political undertaking. The geographic scope of the pilgrimage routes reflects the civilizational breadth of the Islamic world. Al-Yazidi said that pilgrims from Andalusia and Morocco predominantly traveled by sea, while those from Yemen and the Indian subcontinent used both sea and land routes. Pilgrims from the Levant, Iraq and Egypt followed established paths, including the famous Darb Zubaidah, Darb Al-Kufa and Egyptian corridor. These pilgrimage highways catalyzed the development and prosperity of numerous cities along their paths. Al-Joudi highlighted how these travel accounts provided systematic documentation of Hajj rites. These chronicles also captured behavioral patterns, regional clothing styles, commercial activities and accompanying cultural practices with remarkable precision. Humanitarian and social dimensions of the pilgrimage are exemplified in the works of Abdul Ghani Al-Nabulsi, the scholar who began his journey in 1693. Al-Nabulsi documented the extensive cultural exchanges occurring between pilgrims from East Asia to North Africa, recording gift exchanges, manuscript trading and intellectual discussions. Al-Joudi emphasized that Hajj journeys were cultural, spiritual and humanitarian occasions that motivated numerous writers and travelers to document their rich details. He said that among the most prominent was Ibn Battuta, who dedicated extensive passages in his book the Rihla to describing Hajj rituals, sanctuary conditions and caravan movements. Al-Yazidi also highlighted scholar Mohammed Al-Amin Al-Shanqiti, who authored 'The Hajj Journey to God's Sacred House.' His writings combine precise descriptions with jurisprudential insights and religious rulings, alongside personal observations and interactions with pilgrims from across the globe. Modern Arabic literature has been enriched by numerous Hajj memoirs. 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Al-Yazidi said that these diverse travel accounts, despite variations in language and approach, constituted a living historical archive of the Hajj across centuries.
Saudi Gazette
2 hours ago
- Saudi Gazette
Most pilgrims leave Mina after performing Hajj rituals
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Arab News
2 hours ago
- Arab News
Umm Al-Qura University becomes academic hub for Hajj
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