Indonesian Hajj Pilgrims' Return from the Holy Land Begins Today

The return phase of 2026 Indonesian Hajj pilgrims begins today, Monday (1/5). Pilgrims’ arrivals are scheduled across several regions today. Several pilgrims are scheduled to arrive in Surabaya, Batam, and Jakarta today. Previously, Minister of Hajj and Umrah Mochamad Irfan Yusuf saw off the first batch of Indonesian Hajj pilgrims returning home at King Abdul Aziz International Airport in Jeddah on Sunday (31/5) local time. During the event, the Minister visited Cluster SUB-01, greeting, conversing, and shaking hands with pilgrims preparing to return to Indonesia after completing all Hajj rituals in the Holy Land. ‘After a 40-day journey with its various dynamics, Alhamdulillah, you are now ready to return home tonight. The Indonesian Ministry of Hajj and Umrah extends our prayers and hopes that you arrive safely in Indonesia,’ the Minister stated in an official release. The Minister symbolically draped a shawl over representatives of the pilgrims. The moment was warmly received, with several pilgrims eagerly shaking hands and taking photos with the Minister before entering the departure area. The departure of the first cluster marks the start of the Indonesian Hajj pilgrims’ return phase from Saudi Arabia. The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah assured that all repatriation processes would be closely monitored to ensure safety, orderliness, and smoothness. Meanwhile, Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (Soetta) General Manager Heru Karyadi stated that 34,853 Hajj pilgrims will return home via Soetta from 1 to 30 June 2026. ‘The Hajj return phase begins on 1 June 2026 through Terminal 2F with the first cluster arriving from Jeddah,’ Heru said, as reported by Antara. The repatriation phase is led by two debarkation points, Pondok Gede and Bekasi, with 836 people. ‘We have optimised all service aspects, from facility readiness, arrival flow management, operational staff support, to coordination with all stakeholders, to ensure the pilgrims’ return process is safe, smooth, and orderly,’ Heru said. Heru explained that all passenger arrivals are coordinated through Terminal 2F, prepared as the Hajj service terminal, with support facilities including arrival areas, baggage handling systems, health facilities, and vehicle and bus arrangements for transporting pilgrims to their respective debarkation points.