Indonesia Finalises Preparations for 2025 Hajj Season Departure
JAKARTA – Preparations for the departure of Indonesian hajj pilgrims for the 2025 hajj season have entered their finalisation stage.
Director General of Hajj and Umrah Administration at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Hilman Latief, outlined the various measures undertaken to ensure the smooth departure and return of this year's hajj pilgrims.
"We have completed domestic hajj service preparations. First, regarding air transportation within the country, we will be using three airlines: Garuda Indonesia, Saudi Airlines, and Lion Mentari Airlines," said Hilman during a joint working meeting with Commission VIII of the House of Representatives in Senayan, Jakarta, on Monday (28/4/2025).
Garuda Indonesia will serve approximately 90,933 pilgrims departing from the embarkation points of Aceh, Medan, Solo, Balikpapan, Makassar, Lombok, and part of the Jakarta Pondok Gede embarkation.
Saudi Airlines will transport 102,182 pilgrims from various embarkation points including Batam, Palembang, Jakarta (Bekasi and Pondok Gede), Kertajati, Surabaya, and part of Jakarta Pondok Gede.
Meanwhile, Lion Air will serve approximately 11,762 pilgrims from the Padang and Banjarmasin embarkation points.
"In addition, the Ministry of Religious Affairs has prepared services at 14 hajj embarkation points, and to facilitate the departure process for pilgrims from various regions to the main embarkation points, we have also established intermediate embarkation points in six provinces," said Hilman.
The six provinces are Jambi (for Batam embarkation pilgrims), Bengkulu (for Padang embarkation pilgrims), Bangka Belitung (for Palembang embarkation pilgrims), Lampung (for Jakarta Pondok Gede embarkation pilgrims), and Gorontalo and Maluku (for Makassar embarkation pilgrims).
At all embarkation points, the Ministry of Religious Affairs has prepared a One Stop Service (OSS) concept aimed at simplifying the service process at hajj dormitories. The OSS encompasses various essential services, including pilgrim health checks, submission of dormitory entry summons letters, proof of hajj administration fee settlement, as well as the distribution of meal cards and room assignments.
Additionally, pilgrims will receive identity wristbands, passports, visas, boarding passes, and living cost allowances for their time in the Holy Land.
"Through the OSS scheme, it is hoped that all pilgrim reception processes at hajj dormitories will proceed more quickly and efficiently," he explained.
Regarding the duration of travel, Indonesian hajj pilgrims this year are expected to stay in Saudi Arabia for approximately 41 days, though some pilgrims may stay slightly longer or shorter, between 40 and 42 days.
The departure and return process will be divided into two waves. The first wave will depart for Madinah from 2 May to 16 May, with returns from Jeddah between 11 June and 20 June 2025. The second wave will depart for Jeddah from 17 May to 31 May, with returns via Madinah from 20 June to 10 July 2025.
Director General of Hajj and Umrah Administration at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Hilman Latief, outlined the various measures undertaken to ensure the smooth departure and return of this year's hajj pilgrims.
"We have completed domestic hajj service preparations. First, regarding air transportation within the country, we will be using three airlines: Garuda Indonesia, Saudi Airlines, and Lion Mentari Airlines," said Hilman during a joint working meeting with Commission VIII of the House of Representatives in Senayan, Jakarta, on Monday (28/4/2025).
Garuda Indonesia will serve approximately 90,933 pilgrims departing from the embarkation points of Aceh, Medan, Solo, Balikpapan, Makassar, Lombok, and part of the Jakarta Pondok Gede embarkation.
Saudi Airlines will transport 102,182 pilgrims from various embarkation points including Batam, Palembang, Jakarta (Bekasi and Pondok Gede), Kertajati, Surabaya, and part of Jakarta Pondok Gede.
Meanwhile, Lion Air will serve approximately 11,762 pilgrims from the Padang and Banjarmasin embarkation points.
"In addition, the Ministry of Religious Affairs has prepared services at 14 hajj embarkation points, and to facilitate the departure process for pilgrims from various regions to the main embarkation points, we have also established intermediate embarkation points in six provinces," said Hilman.
The six provinces are Jambi (for Batam embarkation pilgrims), Bengkulu (for Padang embarkation pilgrims), Bangka Belitung (for Palembang embarkation pilgrims), Lampung (for Jakarta Pondok Gede embarkation pilgrims), and Gorontalo and Maluku (for Makassar embarkation pilgrims).
At all embarkation points, the Ministry of Religious Affairs has prepared a One Stop Service (OSS) concept aimed at simplifying the service process at hajj dormitories. The OSS encompasses various essential services, including pilgrim health checks, submission of dormitory entry summons letters, proof of hajj administration fee settlement, as well as the distribution of meal cards and room assignments.
Additionally, pilgrims will receive identity wristbands, passports, visas, boarding passes, and living cost allowances for their time in the Holy Land.
"Through the OSS scheme, it is hoped that all pilgrim reception processes at hajj dormitories will proceed more quickly and efficiently," he explained.
Regarding the duration of travel, Indonesian hajj pilgrims this year are expected to stay in Saudi Arabia for approximately 41 days, though some pilgrims may stay slightly longer or shorter, between 40 and 42 days.
The departure and return process will be divided into two waves. The first wave will depart for Madinah from 2 May to 16 May, with returns from Jeddah between 11 June and 20 June 2025. The second wave will depart for Jeddah from 17 May to 31 May, with returns via Madinah from 20 June to 10 July 2025.