Umrah Packages from Maryland

Assalamu Alaikum. An Umrah package from Maryland with Fond Travels puts the whole journey in one plan: flights from Baltimore/Washington International (BWI) or nearby Washington Dulles (IAD) to Jeddah or Madinah, a hotel within walking distance of Masjid al-Haram in Makkah, a hotel near the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah, airport transfers, the high-speed train between the two cities, and guidance on the e-visa and Nusuk permit. Call +1 (323) 800 6001 at any hour from Baltimore, Catonsville, Ellicott City, Columbia, Laurel, Silver Spring, Gaithersburg, Frederick or anywhere in Maryland, and a travel expert arranges it with you by phone. This guide covers which airport to use, how Maryland school calendars fit the 2026-2027 Umrah season, and practical tips for departure day.

Flights from Maryland to Jeddah and Madinah

BWI has no nonstop flight to Saudi Arabia or the Gulf, but Maryland pilgrims have an advantage: Washington Dulles, about 50 to 75 minutes by car from Baltimore and Howard County and closer from Montgomery County, has a nonstop to Jeddah several times a week, taking about 12 hours. Dulles also has nonstops to Doha, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Istanbul, each with frequent onward flights to Jeddah and Madinah, for about 16 to 19 hours in total.

From BWI itself, the practical option is the nonstop to London Heathrow, which operates daily from October 2026, with onward flights to Jeddah or Madinah for about 16 to 19 hours in total. That suits Baltimore families who prefer their home airport and an evening departure. A short flight from BWI to a larger hub is also possible, and your expert compares every option and confirms current schedules before quoting.

Route options from Maryland

Should you land in Jeddah or Madinah first?

From Maryland you cross seven or eight time zones and spend close to a full day traveling. Jeddah first suits energetic travelers and short trips: the high-speed railway station is connected to Terminal 1 at King Abdulaziz International Airport, and Makkah is about an hour to 90 minutes away by car. Because the miqat is crossed in the air, most pilgrims flying to Jeddah change into ihram at the connecting airport or on board.

Madinah first gives you time to rest near Masjid an-Nabawi before the more demanding days in Makkah. You enter ihram at the Madinah miqat as you leave for Makkah, travel by train or private car, and fly home from Jeddah. We usually suggest this order for seniors, families with young children and first-time pilgrims. For the rites themselves, please follow your scholar or group leader.

What is included in an Umrah package from Maryland

Every package is built around your family's pace. A typical Maryland package includes:

• Round-trip flights from BWI or Dulles to Jeddah (JED) or Madinah (MED), compared for journey time, layover and arrival hour, with baggage rules explained up front.
• Hotels in Makkah by walking distance to the Haram: facing the courtyard, a 10 to 15 minute walk, or a shuttle-served property with more space.
• Hotels in Madinah in the central zone, most five to ten minutes on foot from the Prophet's Mosque.
• Transfers from the airport, between Makkah and Madinah by high-speed train (about two to two and a half hours) or private car, and back for your flight home.
• Visa guidance covering the e-visa, Nusuk permit, passport validity and vaccination proof.
• Ziyarat tours such as Jabal al-Nour and Mount Arafat near Makkah, and Quba Mosque and Masjid al-Qiblatayn in Madinah.
• Group or private options, plus wheelchair and other assistance requests on every segment.

When to travel from Maryland for Umrah

For the 1448 Umrah season, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah announced that visa issuance opened on May 31, 2026. The last visa issuance is set around March 9, 2027, the last entry around March 23, 2027 and the last departure around April 7, 2027. Umrah visas then pause for the Hajj season, expected in mid-May 2027, and reopen afterwards. The dates follow the lunar calendar, so confirm them before you book.

Ramadan 2027 is expected to run from approximately February 8 to March 9, 2027, with Eid al-Fitr around March 10. Maryland families often aim for the last ten nights, and hotels nearest the Haram go first, so plan four to six months ahead.

Baltimore County Public Schools' 2026-2027 calendar is unusually helpful for Umrah. Winter break runs from December 24, 2026, with students back on January 4, 2027, and schools are closed for both Eids. Spring break begins after school on March 19, 2027, with classes resuming on March 30. Because the published last entry date is about March 23, a short post-Ramadan Umrah is possible if you fly out on March 20 and enter Saudi Arabia in time. Montgomery, Howard and Anne Arundel counties publish their own dates.

Local planning notes for Maryland pilgrims

At BWI, international flights use Concourse E, and the airport is close to Catonsville, Ellicott City and Columbia, usually 15 to 25 minutes by car. Families in Silver Spring, Rockville and Gaithersburg are often nearer to Dulles, while Frederick sits between the two. We look at where every traveler starts before choosing the airport.

If you drive to Dulles, allow for traffic on the Capital Beltway and the Dulles Access Road, especially on weekday afternoons, and plan to arrive three hours before the flight. Long-term parking, a family member's drop-off or a car service all work; the Metro Silver Line also reaches Dulles for travelers with light bags.

Keep passports, visas, the Nusuk permit and vaccination records together in your carry-on bag, and book the whole trip on one ticket so bags are checked through and connections are protected. Coming home, US immigration and customs are handled at the first US airport before you collect your bags.

Many Maryland families combine Umrah with a stop to see relatives on the way, for example a few days in Istanbul, Dubai or London, which can often be added to the same ticket. Your expert can also plan a quiet first day in Madinah so jet lag does not weigh on the first visit to the Prophet's Mosque.

Pilgrims from Annapolis, Hagerstown, the Eastern Shore and southern Pennsylvania also start at BWI or Dulles. Wherever you begin, we request wheelchair assistance at every airport, reserve aisle seats and pick hotels with short walks. Our senior travel reservations desk handles these arrangements every day.

Mosque and community groups from Baltimore, Howard County and Montgomery County often travel together over the winter break and in Ramadan. For ten or more travelers we reserve a block of seats on one routing, keep hotels and transfers together and name a single coordinator. See how we manage group travel flights. First-time pilgrims can call without any preparation.

Umrah visa and documents for US passport holders

Saudi authorities set these rules and revise them between seasons, so confirm them before travel. Before booking, also read the current US State Department travel advisory for Saudi Arabia and the countries you connect through, consider enrolling in its STEP alert service, and expect some Gulf flight schedules to change at short notice in 2026. In recent seasons the checklist has been:

• Visa: the Saudi tourist e-visa, which US citizens have been eligible for and which the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has confirmed allows Umrah outside the Hajj period, or an Umrah e-visa through Nusuk or a licensed provider.
• Nusuk permit: an Umrah permit reserved in the Nusuk app before performing Umrah at Masjid al-Haram.
• Passport: valid for at least six months from your entry date.
• Vaccination: quadrivalent (ACWY) meningococcal vaccine at least 10 days before arrival and within the last three to five years, depending on vaccine type.
• Mixed-nationality families: a separate check for anyone traveling on a non-US passport, including any transit rules in Europe or the Gulf.

How booking by phone works

1. Call +1 (323) 800 6001 at any hour to reach a travel expert.
2. Describe your trip: dates, travelers, city order and preferred hotel distance.
3. Hear your options and total for flights, hotels, train and transfers on the call.
4. We book and email everything, with a checklist for departure day at BWI or Dulles.

Why Maryland pilgrims book with Fond Travels

Fond Travels is an independent US travel agency in Woodbridge, Virginia, planning pilgrimages since 2017. We are not an airline, so we set the Dulles nonstop, every Dulles connection and the BWI options side by side and recommend what fits your family. We are BBB accredited, rated 4.8 out of 5 by more than 2,500 Google reviewers, and reachable around the clock. Read how booking flights by phone works with our team.

More Umrah and Hajj planning guides

• Umrah packages from the USA, our national guide by departure airport.
• Umrah packages from Washington, DC (Dulles), with the Jeddah nonstop in detail.
• Umrah packages from Philadelphia (PHL) for families north of Baltimore.
• Umrah packages from New Jersey (Newark) for the Northeast corridor.
• Hajj packages from the USA for the 2027 season.
• Hajj and Umrah travel packages, both journeys in one overview.