Government Allocates Rp 1.77 Trillion to Maintain Hajj Costs Amid Surge in Avtur Prices

Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Airlangga Hartarto, has assured that the government has lowered the Hajj costs for 2026 by Rp 2 million. Amid the soaring avtur prices due to geopolitical dynamics in the Middle East, Airlangga acknowledged that this could potentially drive up Hajj travel expenses. However, the government will allocate a budget of up to Rp 1.77 trillion to ensure that the travel costs for around 220,000 pilgrims do not rise accordingly. “Hajj costs have been reduced by Rp 2 million, so the impact of the (avtur price) increase is absorbed by the government for 220,000 Hajj pilgrims,” said Airlangga at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Wednesday, 8 April 2026. “The allocated budget is Rp 1.77 trillion and will be charged to the state budget. Thus, there is no impact (of cost increases) on the Hajj pilgrims,” he added. On the same occasion, Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa explained that the budget to absorb the avtur price surge for Hajj travel costs comes from efficiencies in the 2025 budget. He clarified that the results of last year’s efficiencies will be allocated for this year’s required expenditures, including to contain the surge in Hajj travel costs due to rising avtur prices. “If those efficiencies are taken and placed in one place, they will then be channelled to the new expenditures mentioned earlier,” he stated.