Possible Hajj cost increase not a burden for pilgrims: Prabowo

Despite facing this pressure, Hajj and Umrah Minister Mochamad Irfan Yusuf emphasized that the President’s directives become a primary guideline for the government in formulating policy measures.

“This is a commitment from President Prabowo, who has asked us and our team to follow up and calculate the actual needs,” Yusuf stated during a meeting with Commission VIII of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) in Jakarta on Wednesday.

He explained that before the latest war involving the US, Israel, and Iran broke out in February, the average flight cost per pilgrim was around Rp33.5 million (US$1,969).

However, when the conflict erupted and caused oil prices to soar, airlines proposed additional costs.

In a scenario without changes to flight routes, the average cost per person is estimated to increase to Rp46.9 million (US$2,757), or a 39.85 percent increase.

Meanwhile, if rerouting to avoid conflict-affected airspace is necessary, costs can increase by up to Rp50.8 million (US$2,987), or an increase of approximately 51.48 percent.

Garuda Indonesia, he said, proposed an additional fee of around Rp7.9 million (US$464) per person, while Saudi Airlines proposed an increase of US$480 per person.

The Hajj and Umrah Ministry stated that Indonesia has received an official quota of 221,000 pilgrims for the 2026 Hajj, consisting of 203,320 regular pilgrims and 17,680 special pilgrims.

Furthermore, the ministry has scheduled the first group of prospective Hajj pilgrims to enter the Hajj dormitory on April 21, 2026, and depart for Saudi Arabia on April 22.

Amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East, Indonesia voiced hope that regional instability would not disrupt the pilgrimage process.

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Translator: Asep Firmansyah, Yashinta Difa