Mecca travel guide

Mecca Tourism | Mecca Guide

You're Going to Love Mecca

With a population of 1,32 million, Mecca is a must-see destination in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. It is the most popular tourist destination in the country. We recommend you stay at least 3 days in order to fully appreciate everything Mecca has to offer.

When to visit Mecca

Mecca in July
Estimated hotel price
AED 527
1 night at 3-star hotel
Mecca in July
Estimated hotel price
AED 527
1 night at 3-star hotel

How to Get to Mecca

Plane

Although Mecca doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Taif (TIF), which is located 75 km from Mecca. Taif is the most popular, with regular flights from flydubai, Air Arabia, Air France and other airlines departing from the United Arab Emirates. The shortest flight to Mecca from the United Arab Emirates departs from Dubai and takes around 3h 05m.

Car

Another option to get to Mecca is to pick up a car hire from Jeddah, which is about 66 km from Mecca. You’ll find branches of Budget and Enterprise Rent-A-Car, among others, in Jeddah.

Bus

Mecca’s bus station is located 11 km from the city centre.

Plane

Although Mecca doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Taif (TIF), which is located 75 km from Mecca. Taif is the most popular, with regular flights from flydubai, Air Arabia, Air France and other airlines departing from the United Arab Emirates. The shortest flight to Mecca from the United Arab Emirates departs from Dubai and takes around 3h 05m.

Car

Another option to get to Mecca is to pick up a car hire from Jeddah, which is about 66 km from Mecca. You’ll find branches of Budget and Enterprise Rent-A-Car, among others, in Jeddah.

Bus

Mecca’s bus station is located 11 km from the city centre.

Airports near Mecca

TIFTaif

Airlines serving Mecca

KLM
Good (850 reviews)
British Airways
Good (4,540 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (2,306 reviews)
Air France
Good (983 reviews)
Iberia
Good (1,585 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (4,960 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (2,120 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (2,467 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (5,860 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (923 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (833 reviews)
Ethiopian Air
Good (401 reviews)
ITA Airways
Good (716 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (502 reviews)
Egypt Air
Good (197 reviews)
Malaysia Airlines
Good (185 reviews)
Korean Air
Excellent (773 reviews)
ANA
Excellent (477 reviews)
Air Europa
Good (332 reviews)
JAL
Excellent (963 reviews)
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Where to stay in Mecca

From 5-star hotels such as the Makkah Hotel to great affordable options like the Borj Al Deafah Hotel, Mecca offers a range of accommodations for every taste. Average rates range from around AED 386 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to AED 506 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Nada Al Majd Hotel and Al Aseel Ajyad. There are also lots of holiday rental options in Mecca, with prices from AED 48 to AED 1,329 per night. Batha Quraish is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, holiday rentals in Mecca are about 77% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.

Where to stay in popular areas of Mecca

Most booked hotels in Mecca

Swissôtel Makkah
5 stars
Excellent (8.5, Excellent reviews)
AED 499+
Swissôtel Al Maqam Makkah
5 stars
Excellent (8, Excellent reviews)
AED 544+
Jeddah Hilton Hotel
5 stars
Excellent (8, Excellent reviews)
AED 946+
Pullman Zamzam Makkah
5 stars
Good (6.8, Good reviews)
AED 519+
Al Nabarees Al Masi Hotel
3 stars
Good (6, Good reviews)
AED 165+

Hiring a car in Mecca

Hiring a car in Mecca costs AED 231 per day, on average, or AED 693 if you want to hire it for 3 days.

Compact (Hyundai Accent or similar) is the most popular car type to hire in Mecca, while also 60% cheaper than other types, on average.

Hiring a car in Mecca costs AED 231 per day, on average, or AED 693 if you want to hire it for 3 days.

Compact (Hyundai Accent or similar) is the most popular car type to hire in Mecca, while also 60% cheaper than other types, on average.