Updated · Saudi Arabia Taxi Services
Who sets the Zamzam water airport rules?
Zamzam water airport rules come mainly from your airline, with the airport and security checks adding their own limits. Rules differ between airlines and can change from season to season, so the only reliable answer is your airline's own website, app or call centre.
Standard liquid limits for cabin bags mean a large Zamzam container cannot normally go in your hand luggage. The real question is whether, and how, your airline accepts it as checked baggage.
Check close to your travel date, not only when you buy the ticket, because airlines update their baggage rules. If your journey uses two airlines, ask both, since the stricter rule may apply on the connection.
What do many airlines allow?
Because these points vary, treat the list as questions to check, not as rules you can rely on.
- Many airlines accept one sealed 5-litre Zamzam container per passenger.
- Some ask you to buy the sealed container at the departure airport rather than bring your own.
- Some do not allow Zamzam inside checked suitcases and ask you to check it in as a separate item.
- Some count the container against your baggage allowance; others do not.
- Some may not accept it at all on certain routes.
Questions to ask your airline
- Do you accept Zamzam water on my flight and route?
- How many litres per passenger, and in what packaging?
- Must I buy it at the airport, or can I bring a sealed container from Makkah or Madinah?
- Does it count against my baggage allowance?
- Do I hand it over at the normal check-in desk or somewhere else?
- Are the rules different on my connecting flight?
Where do pilgrims get Zamzam?
Inside Al-Masjid al-Haram and Al-Masjid an-Nabawi, Zamzam is available to drink from coolers throughout the mosques. To take home, sealed containers are available in the holy cities and, for some flights, at the departure airport.
If your airline only accepts containers bought at the airport, do not buy one in town: you may not be able to check it in.
Packing and carrying Zamzam
- Keep the seal intact; airlines that accept Zamzam usually want it sealed.
- Write your name and flight number on the container.
- Keep it upright and away from clothes in case of leaks.
- Remember the weight: 5 litres of water weighs about 5 kg.
- Do not pack Zamzam inside your suitcase unless your airline says you may.
- If you travel as a family, label each person's container separately, since allowances are usually counted per passenger.
Which vehicle for your luggage and Zamzam?
Tell us how many Zamzam containers you are carrying when you book, so we send a vehicle with enough space. Fares are per car and fixed before the ride; the driver helps load your bags. The drive from a Makkah hotel to Jeddah Airport takes about 1 h 25 min, so allow for that on top of your airline's check-in time.
| Group | Vehicle | Seats | Suitcases | Makkah to Jeddah Airport from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 to 2 people, light bags | Economy sedan | Up to 3 | 2 | SAR 180 |
| 1 to 3 people with Zamzam | Standard sedan | Up to 3 | 3 | SAR 210 |
| 4 to 6 people | Comfort MPV | 4 to 6 | 5 | SAR 260 |
| 7 to 11 people | Family van | 7 to 11 | 10 | SAR 330 |
| Excess baggage | Cargo van | 1 to 3, plus luggage | 20 or more | SAR 360 |
Domestic flights and road trips
Domestic airlines also set their own Zamzam rules, so check before a flight from Jeddah or Madinah to another Saudi city.
By road there is no airline limit, which is one reason many families take the Makkah to Madinah taxi with all their bags and Zamzam in one vehicle, from SAR 1,440 in a family van. See our Umrah luggage guide for packing for the whole trip.