Umrah Packages from Buffalo
Flight-inclusive Umrah for pilgrims from Western New York, departing via BUF.
Umrah from Buffalo made simple
A pilgrimage from Western New York begins with a short flight, and that first leg deserves the most care. Buffalo Niagara International isn't one of the five US gateways our airfare is priced from, which are JFK, Washington Dulles, Chicago O'Hare, Atlanta and Los Angeles. So the itinerary typically starts with a domestic flight, either to one of those gateways or to another connecting airport. Starting in Buffalo can add to the airfare; the team works out that amount and confirms it with you before a booking is made. Winter is the other variable. Lake-effect snow can come down hard in one spot while the sun is out a mile or two away.
Departures
BUF
Routing
Expect a domestic flight from BUF to a priced gateway or other hub, then a second connection in Europe, Turkey or the Gulf.
Community
The 2020 US Religion Census estimated about 26,500 Muslim adherents in Erie County, in 13 congregations. Refugee resettlement has driven much of the region's foreign-born growth. A February 2018 brief from Partnership for the Public Good lists Somalia and Iraq among the top origins of immigrants and refugees in the county from 2008 to 2016, and names Yemen a top source of immigrants to the region from 2003 to 2006. A 2019 article in The Conversation describes East Side mosques in former churches, Masjid Zakariya among them.
Getting to Makkah from Buffalo
Getting to the airport is the easy part. NFTA Metro's Route 24 Genesee runs between downtown and Buffalo Niagara International every 20 to 30 minutes all day, a limited-stop 24L runs on weekdays, and the Route 78 Cheektowaga Express uses the Kensington Expressway during the morning and evening rush only.
From BUF, the first flight takes you to a bigger airport, and from there the long-haul leg often connects through a European, Turkish or Gulf hub on the way to Jeddah. That often means two changes of plane, so the whole journey can run roughly 18 to 25 hours depending on how the connections fall. In winter, a comfortable first connection is worth more than a fast one, because a missed domestic hop can unravel everything after it.
On landing, set your watch forward: 8 hours in the winter months, when Buffalo is on Eastern Standard Time, and 7 from March to early November, because Makkah stays on UTC+3 year-round. After a trip this long, some rest before Umrah is worth planning for.
Lake-effect snow and the first flight
The National Weather Service describes lake-effect snow as common across the Great Lakes in late fall and winter, falling in narrow bands that can drop 2 to 3 inches an hour or more. It's intensely local, which makes it hard to plan around. On winter dates, favor longer connections over tight ones, keep an eye on the Buffalo forecast office in the days before you go, and ask the team whether an earlier domestic flight makes sense for your itinerary.
Which way the first flight points
The five priced gateways are not equal from here. Chicago, Atlanta and Los Angeles all lie west of Buffalo, so routing through them adds distance to a journey that's heading east, while JFK and Dulles are already on the way. Schedules still matter more than the map. A westward hop with a good connection can beat an eastward one with a five-hour wait, so when the team confirms any added airfare, it's worth asking which connection your itinerary uses and how long it is.
An urgent passport, downtown
Buffalo has its own State Department passport agency, at 111 Genesee Street, Suite 101. Appointments are required, and they're limited to people flying abroad within 14 calendar days or needing a foreign visa within 28. Hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Mondays and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and it closes on federal holidays. Metro buses 14, 16 and 24 stop less than a block away. Check every passport in the family the moment you start planning.
Three ways to go from Buffalo
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 Buffalo: questions
Yes. NFTA Metro's Route 24 Genesee connects downtown Buffalo with the airport along Genesee Street, with service every 20 to 30 minutes all day. The 24L makes fewer stops and runs on weekdays only, at no extra charge. Route 78, the Cheektowaga Express, uses the Kensington Expressway but only runs for short periods in the morning and evening rush hours. For an early flight with bags, compare the first bus against your check-in time.
Often, yes. BUF isn't one of the gateways airfare is priced from, so many itineraries to Jeddah start with a domestic flight, then connect again at a European, Turkish or Gulf hub before the final leg. That's why total travel time tends to run longer than from New York. It's also why connection length deserves extra attention, above all in late fall and winter, when lake-effect snow is common.
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.