Cheap Flights to Medina

Medina overview

The Muslim holy city of Medina is filled with architectural wonders, religious sites and museum exhibits that will fascinate and entertain any tourists.

Famed for being the site of the prophet Muhammed’s period of teaching, the city is often included in the Hajj – the Islamic holy pilgrimage. Nobody undertaking their own pilgrimage should miss the stunning Masjid Al-Nabawi mosque, where the prophet himself is buried, and which is one of the Islamic world’s most elegant buildings.

Aside from the Masjid, the city is also home to many other important religious buildings, like the ancient Quba Mosque – said to be the oldest in the Islamic world and the unique Masjid Al-Qiblatayn – whose prayer niche points towards Jerusalem, not Mecca.

Medina is also crammed with markets and shops selling souvenirs, food and clothes. Wander around the bazaar near the central mosque and snap up a unique prayer mat or delicately carved rosary beads, along with succulent dates from local fields. For essentials, the city is also home to plenty of luxury malls and boutiques as well, so all shoppers will be in their element.

The city has also become a culinary centre to match any in the world. Because pilgrims come from all over the world to visit the holy sites, Medina is full of restaurants serving everything from Bangladeshi to East African and Indonesian foods – allowing visitors to enjoy a world tour of cooking while they make their Hajj.

Medina is also a great place to organise day trips to other sacred cities like Mecca, as well as thriving modern Saudi locations such as Jiddah or Riyadh. With its cosmopolitan, but serene atmosphere, it is a fantastic destination.

Getting around Medina

Medina is not served by a public transport network, but the centre of town is small enough to walk around with ease. For longer journeys, taxis are the main method of transportation, and can be booked via hotel concierges. Buses regularly travel between the city and Mecca, Jiddah and Riyadh, and can be caught from the city centre.

Getting from the Airport to the City

Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz Airport (MED) is not far from the centre of town, but there is no regular public bus service for visitors to use. Instead, most people arrive on organised tour holidays and use minibuses and coaches to get into town. Most hotels will offer shuttle buses for arrivals, but check beforehand if this is the case. If not, there are plenty of taxi drivers waiting to whisk you to your accommodation.

Medina airport overview

How long is the flight to Medina / Madinah, Saudi Arabia?

Flight times to Medina, Saudi Arabia – sometimes known as Madinah – arrive at the Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz Airport (also known as the Medina Airport), and from the United Kingdom the flight time ranges from 6h-12h. Departing from London, the quickest flight is 6h 30m, with one stop in Jeddah. The longest flight is 6h 55m with one stop in Cairo. From Manchester, the quickest flight is 9h 55m with one stop at MCT. The longest flight is 11h with a stop at DXB in Dubai. Birmingham has the quickest flight at 9h 55m to Medina with one stop on Emirates, whereas Turkish, Egypt Air, and Ryanair offers 2 to 3 stops from Birmingham to Medina. Many airlines offer flight deals to Medina.

Where can you get direct flights to Medina from the United Kingdom?

There are no direct flights to Medina directly from London, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, or Newcastle. There are several one-stop flights from most of the major airports. Emirates offers several one-stop flights from most of the major cities. Turkish Air, Egypt Air, Saudia, Ryanair, and Flynn offer one, two, and three stop flights to Madina. Emirates has flights from London to Medina with one-stop in Jeddah or Cairo. It has stopovers from Birmingham to Dubai before arriving in Medina.

How do you get from Medina Airport to the city centre?

There is no public transport from Medina’s Prince Muhammed Bin Abdülaziz Airport to its city center. You can get to the city centre using a 24-hour VIP car or taxi services. The average cost of a taxi from the airport to the city center is €20 and takes around 15 minutes. The cost of the VIP car service varies from €36–€120. The average taxi price is €20. Car rental is available at Medina Airport.

What are some things to do in the city of Medina and the Al-Madinah region?

Al-Masjid a Nabawi is a beautiful mosque established and originally built by the Islamic prophet Muhammad. It is the largest mosque in the world, the second-holiest site in Islam, after the Great Mosque in Mecca, and it is always open. Dar Al Madinah Museum is the first and biggest museum that specialises in the history of Al-Madinah and its heritage. The museum highlights the history of the city and its valuable heritage and great ancient civilisation. The museum displays a large collection of handmade models that shows a simulation of the actual old landmarks of the city. Mount Uhud holds the history of the Uhud Battle. Al-Madina Museum is the old railway station in Medina has been renewed where you can see many things related to its culture for the last 300 years.

Do I need a passport or visa to fly to Medina?

A valid passport is required for UK citizens to enter the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Medina/Al-Madinah. A minimum of six months’ validity beyond the date of travel is recommended. Most visitors to Saudi Arabia need a passport and a visa to enter. Saudi Arabia does not issue tourist visas, they only issue Hajj visas for religious pilgrims. The government has current plans to introduce an Online Visa for Saudi Arabia which will open the country up to tourism.