The miqat
Where do I enter ihram when flying to Umrah from the UK?
Every flight from the UK to Jeddah crosses the miqat before it lands, and Jeddah lies inside it, so you must be in ihram before the plane crosses it. Put on your ihram before boarding and make the intention when the crew announce the miqat.
Flying to Jeddah
The simplest way is to bathe and put on the ihram clothing at home or at the airport, pray the two rak'ahs before you board, and make the intention and talbiyah when the crew announce that the miqat is near. If there is no announcement, make them about an hour before landing to be safe.
On an airline with prayer and changing facilities, you may put on your ihram on the plane. On an airline without them, it is advised to put on your ihram at the departure airport. Check in first, then change in the prayer room. If your flight stops in another country, you can change at the stop.
Going to Madinah first
If you fly into Madinah, you do not need ihram on arrival. When you leave Madinah for Makkah, you enter ihram at Dhul Hulayfah.
Another Umrah from Makkah
If you are staying in Makkah and want to make another Umrah, you enter ihram at the nearest point outside the Haram. See Masjid Aisha at Tan'im.
More questions
Can I put on the ihram clothing at home in the UK?
Yes. The clothing alone is not ihram, so its rules do not bind you until you make the intention and recite the talbiyah. Do that before the plane crosses the miqat.
What if I pass the miqat without ihram?
Go back to a miqat and enter ihram before tawaf, and no penalty is due. See crossing the miqat without ihram.
Do I need ihram if I go to Madinah first?
Not on arrival. You enter ihram later, at Dhul Hulayfah, on the way to Makkah.
Read the full guide
Perform your Umrah with confidence
Follow every rite in order, with counters and duas in Arabic, in our step by step Umrah guide. To study the Hanafi rulings behind it with qualified teachers, see our courses, or explore our apps. Ihya us Sunnah is sustained by its community, so please consider supporting our work.
This guide follows the Hanafi method and is based on Shaykh Mufti Wajid Iqbal's Umrah book, Essential Islam. For your own situation, ask a qualified scholar.