Indonesia urges umrah travelers to choose direct flights over Singapore and Malaysia routes

Indonesia’s deputy Haj and Umrah minister, Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak, urged the country’s umrah pilgrims to prioritize direct flights to Saudi Arabia rather than using transit hubs in Singapore or Malaysia. He argued that direct routes to Jeddah or Medina are safer given the escalating conflict in the Middle East, while also supporting national airlines Lion Air and Garuda Indonesia. The minister noted that roughly 70,000 Indonesian pilgrims currently travel via the two neighboring countries, a market that could be redirected to domestic carriers.

He said the appeal was communicated to pilgrim travel operator associations, asking them not to book transit flights for the time being. Although the conflict has not disrupted umrah activities in Saudi Arabia, the government sees the change as a way to strengthen its aviation sector and the broader economy.