Haj 2023: Pilgrimage flight bookings recover to over half pre-COVID levels

Haj 2023: Pilgrimage flight bookings recover to over half pre-COVID levels

Haj pilgrimage flight bookings have streaked ahead of last year’s totals as Saudi Arabia has lifted the restrictions on the number permitted to fly to the kingdom to make the pilgrimage. This year marks the first year since the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic that there will be no limit on the number of people allowed to carry out the pilgrimage. The number was capped at one million in 2022, with 850,000 allowed to travel from abroad chosen by lottery. Flight data collected and analysed by ForwardKeys showed bookings to the kingdom for the days running up to the haj period and Eid Al Adha itself overall are still 47% behind pre-pandemic levels. But as of 13 June, flight bookings for the period of 23 June to 1 July were 48% ahead of the equivalent period last year. Pilgrims travelling from Egypt will make up 3% of the total international arrivals, with bookings 130% ahead of last year and 56% up on 2019. Flight bookings from Bangladesh are 66% ahead of last year and 19% ahead of 2019, while Jordan flights to the kingdom are 37% ahead of last year and 2% ahead of 2019. Bookings from Pakistan are 8%