Your first hours after landing in Saudi Arabia: a checklist

Arriving in Saudi Arabia: the order of things

Arriving in Saudi Arabia is easier when you know what comes next. This checklist follows you from the plane to your first evening, at any of the main airports. It suits pilgrims and other travellers alike; steps that apply only to Umrah are marked.

Rules on visas, customs and Umrah permits come from the authorities and can change. Check them on the official sources before you travel, and use this page for the practical side.

On the plane: before you land

• Keep your passport, visa, hotel address and booking details in your hand luggage, not in the hold.
• Umrah: if you fly to Jeddah, plan your Ihram before the plane reaches the Miqat, as most scholars advise. Ask a scholar about your own case.
• Check your terminal on your ticket. At Jeddah, most scheduled flights use Terminal 1.
• Keep medicines in their original packs, with a copy of the prescription.
• Turn off flight mode after landing so our messages and the driver's details come through.

Immigration, bags and customs

• Immigration: have your passport and visa ready for the officer.
• Queues vary with the number of flights landing. If you are held up, message your driver; the free waiting time starts when you land, not when you clear immigration.
• Baggage claim: collect your bags and a trolley if you need one.
• Customs: follow the signs, and declare anything you are required to declare. Check the official customs rules on cash, medicines and food before you travel.
• If a bag is missing, report it at the airline's baggage desk before you leave the hall, and keep the reference.

Money and data in the arrivals hall

SIM card and currency counters are usually in or near the arrivals area. Card payments are common in Saudi cities, but carry some riyals for small purchases.

A working phone matters more than cash in the first hour. Buy a local SIM card with your passport, switch on an eSIM you installed at home, or use roaming. Our guide to SIM cards and eSIMs compares the options.

You do not need riyals for your SATS taxi: pay the driver in cash (SAR) or by card in the car, or pay before the ride by bank transfer or the STC Bank app (formerly STC Pay).

Where does your driver wait?

Check the plate against our message before you load your bags. If you cannot see the driver, call or message them: they are tracking your flight and are already at the meeting point.

In the car: the drive to your hotel

• Tell the driver if you need a stop for water, food, a SIM card or prayer.
• Umrah from Jeddah: the drive to a Makkah hotel takes about 1 h 25 min.
• Hotels near the Haram in Makkah use set drop-off points, because the central area is pedestrian-only on busy days.
• From Madinah Airport the drive to a central hotel takes about 25 min; central-area hotels use assigned vehicle entrances.
• Share your live location with family if they want to follow the trip.

At the hotel and your first evening

• Hotels set their own check-in times. If you land early, ask the hotel before you travel about early check-in or storing your bags.
• Umrah: rest first if you need to, then go to the Haram at your Nusuk slot time. Our Nusuk permit guide explains how slots work.
• Drink plenty of water; much of the year is hot, especially at midday.
• Save the hotel's location pin for rides back.
• Book tomorrow's rides now, such as Ziyarat or the transfer to Madinah, so the driver's name and plate reach you the day before.