Umrah Packages from Baltimore
Flight-inclusive Umrah for pilgrims from Baltimore Metro, departing via BWI.
Umrah from Baltimore made simple
Two airports are worth weighing before anything else. The obvious one is BWI, about 20 minutes by taxi from the Inner Harbor by the airport's own estimate, with a Light Rail station right outside the terminal and a MARC and Amtrak station a free shuttle ride away. Because BWI sits outside our five priced gateways, a departure from there can carry an airfare difference, and you'll know that figure in advance. The other is Dulles, which is priced but lies on the far side of Washington. Neither answer suits everyone. It comes down to how you'd rather spend the first couple of hours of a long journey, and what the difference turns out to be.
Departures
BWI
Routing
Fly from BWI and connect, with any added airfare confirmed first, or cross to Dulles, a priced gateway that BWI puts 90 to 120 minutes away.
Community
The Islamic Society of Baltimore began in 1969, when a handful of families held weekly meetings and Friday prayers at Johns Hopkins University. In 1982 it bought an eight-acre lot, its current home on Johnnycake Road, and built Masjid Al-Rahmah there. A housing complex and a full-time primary school followed in the 1980s, and the society now runs a free health clinic. In February 2016, President Obama visited the Islamic Society of Baltimore, his first official visit to a US mosque.
Getting to Makkah from Baltimore
BWI is easy to reach without a car. The Light Rail station is immediately outside the terminal's lower level, next to Concourse E, with trains to and from downtown Baltimore, Timonium and Hunt Valley. BWI's rail station is on MARC's Penn Line and is used by Amtrak too, and a free shuttle links it to the terminal, dropping passengers near the airline check-in counters. Taxis wait on the Arrivals level just outside Baggage Claim, by Doors 5 and 13, and app-based rides pick up and drop off on the Departures level.
Count on at least one connection from BWI, at a bigger American airport or at a hub in Europe, Turkey or the Gulf. Roughly 15 to 21 hours in transit is a sensible estimate, give or take the layover. Choose Dulles instead and the ground trip is longer, but the flight starts on a priced gateway. Whichever way you lean, mention your preferred airport when you first get in touch, so the airfare is settled well before anyone books.
Light Rail and the Sunday gap
BWI's Light Rail page lists the first weekday train reaching the airport at 4:45 a.m. and the last one leaving at 12:40 a.m. Sundays and holidays are another matter. The first train doesn't arrive until 10:35 a.m., and the last leaves at 8:40 p.m. If your flight is early on a Sunday, arrange a ride or a taxi instead, and check MTA's current timetable before any trip. On the way home, riders bound for Penn Station change at Mt. Royal Avenue for the Penn Station Light Rail.
Long-term parking at BWI
BWI's most economical parking is its two Long Term lots, with more than 10,000 spaces between them, just off MD 162 (Aviation Boulevard) between South Camp Meade Road and Andover Road. Shuttles come by every 10 to 15 minutes around the clock, and each stop has a shelter with a screen showing when the next one is due. One catch for bigger families: the airport can't take oversized vehicles that need more than one space, so a large van may need another plan.
Getting to Dulles by train
Dulles is reachable without a car, though it takes several changes. From Baltimore's Penn Station at 1500 North Charles Street, MARC's Penn Line runs south through BWI to Washington Union Station, and Amtrak also runs from Penn Station to Washington. At Union Station, ride Metro's Red Line toward Shady Grove, change at Metro Center, and take the Silver Line to the Dulles Airport stop. An indoor tunnel then leads to the terminal. With suitcases in tow, leave generous time.
Three ways to go from Baltimore
Seven nights, flights included. The tier decides how close your hotels are.
- AffordableVoco Makkah (IHG)5-7 minutes by shuttle, or about 15 minutes' walkShaza Regency PlazaAbout 3 minutes' walk$1,590per person, quad
- PremiumRotana Jabal Omar MakkahUnder 2 minutes' walkPullman Zamzam MadinahUnder 1 minute's walk$1,790per person, quad
- LuxurySwissotel Makkah, Clock TowerFacing the HaramAnwar Al Madinah MövenpickFacing Masjid an-Nabawi$1,890per person, quad
Umrah from Baltimore: questions
It depends on the numbers. Dulles carries our priced airfare and BWI doesn't, so a BWI departure may add to the fare. You'll have that figure from the team before anybody books, which makes the comparison easy. Against it, set the ground trip: BWI's own guidance puts Dulles 90 to 120 minutes away by car or by train. For a family with plenty of luggage and an early flight, BWI can still be the easier start.
The State Department's list of passport agencies doesn't show one in Maryland. Washington's agency, at 600 19th Street NW, is the closest, and Philadelphia's, at 9th and Chestnut, is another option. Both work by appointment only, and a slot is offered only when you're traveling abroad within 14 calendar days or need a foreign visa within 28 days. If your trip is further out than that, apply the routine way and leave plenty of margin.
Our 7-night flight-inclusive packages run from $1,590 to $1,890 per person on quad occupancy, with airfare, the e-visa, medical insurance, both hotels and the Haramain train inside that figure. Advertised prices are based on departures from JFK, IAD, ORD, ATL and LAX. Flying out of your city may add to the airfare, and we'll confirm exactly how much before you book anything.