Christmas gives you the best weather of any school holiday and the highest price of any except the last ten nights of Ramadan. Both of those matter more when you are travelling with children.
What is genuinely good about it
Makkah at 20 to 28 degrees, which is comfortable at every hour including the middle of the day. The longest nights of the year, so children sleep properly. And crowds that are busy rather than overwhelming.
For a family, that combination is worth more than it sounds. It removes the heat, the sleep problem and the crush all at once, which is three of the four things that make Umrah hard with children.
What it costs
From £799 per person, against £499 for the first fortnight of the same month.
But the headline figure is the adult rate, and a family of four does not pay four times it. There is a section on how family pricing actually works, because most people assume the wrong number and rule it out on that basis.
And the two week structure
Unlike October half term, the Christmas break is roughly seventeen days. Long enough for a fourteen night trip without missing a single school day, which changes what you can do.
The short version
Roughly 18 December to 3 January, so about seventeen days.
From £799 per person, and a family of four pays considerably less than four times that.
Best weather of any school holiday at 20 to 28 degrees, and the longest nights of the year.
Madinah nights are the coldest of the year and children feel it. Pack properly.
Check whether your airport operates on 25 December. Some regional ones close or run reduced schedules. |
Send us your children’s ages for a real figure
The dates and what they allow
When the break runs
Most English authorities show schools breaking up around 17 December 2027 and returning around 3 or 4 January 2028. Scottish and Welsh dates differ and academies set their own.
That gives you roughly seventeen days, which is the second longest school break in the year after summer.
What that allows
Trip length | What it uses | School days missed |
|---|
7 nights | Half the break | None |
10 nights | Most of the break | None |
14 nights | Nearly all of it | None |
More than 14 | Runs into term | Some |
The comparison with October
October half term is one week, which is about nine days with the weekends and a seven night trip. Christmas is seventeen days and a fourteen night trip.
Which means Christmas is the only school holiday other than summer where a fortnight fits comfortably, and unlike summer it is not 43 degrees.
The window inside the window
The first weekend after schools break up, around the 18th to the 22nd, is the most forgiving part of the fortnight to book. Departures around the 27th to the 30th are the tightest.
And the return
Worth thinking about. A fourteen night departure on the 20th returns on the 3rd of January, which is the day before or the day schools go back.
With children, coming home the night before term starts is a hard landing. Departing a day or two earlier gives you a buffer.
What a family actually pays
The section that changes the decision, because most people work out the wrong number and stop there.
What the headline price is
£799 per person is the adult rate, quoted on quad sharing. It is not what each member of a family pays.
How family pricing works
Traveller | How they are priced |
|---|
Adult, twelve and over | The full rate |
Child, two to eleven | A reduced rate, sharing with two adults |
Infant, under two | A lap infant, at minimal cost |
The room | One quad room for four, not two rooms |
What that means
A family of two adults and two children aged six and nine is not four times £799. It is two adult rates plus two reduced child rates, in a single room.
The real figure is materially lower and most people never find out because they multiply the headline and rule it out.
What we need to give you the real number
Exact ages, or better, dates of birth. Because the age at travel is what counts rather than the age at booking.
Why dates of birth
A child turning twelve between your booking and your departure moves from the child rate to the adult rate. On a Christmas booking that is a meaningful sum and it is better flagged in advance than discovered later.
The other thing that lowers it
Quad sharing, which for a family of four is a private room rather than sharing with strangers. It is also the lowest price configuration and it is what the headline is quoted on.
Configuration detail for larger families in a separate post.
And the deposit
£99 per person, so £396 secures a family of four. The balance spreads interest free across the months to eight weeks before departure when you book four or more months ahead.
What that does to the monthly figure
Booked in the January before, a Christmas family trip becomes a manageable monthly commitment across the year rather than a large payment in the most expensive month of the British calendar.
Full detail on the payment plan post.
Why it genuinely suits children
The heat problem disappears
The single biggest constraint on family Umrah is temperature. In July and August, children under about ten struggle badly at 43 degrees and do not reliably say when they are struggling.
At 20 to 28 degrees that problem is simply not present. You can walk at midday. You can do Ziyarat without it costing you the rest of the day.
The sleep problem disappears
The winter solstice falls around the 21st of December, so the nights are at their annual longest. Isha to Fajr runs over ten hours.
Which means children can attend Isha and still get a full night, and you can go to Fajr without them being wrecked by mid-morning.
The crowd is manageable
Busier than November or January and considerably calmer than Ramadan or the summer. Ground floor Tawaf is workable at most hours, which with children is the difference between a good trip and a stressful one.
What remains hard
The travel itself, the time zone, and the price. None of those is solved by the season.
The comparison that matters
| | Christmas | Summer |
|---|
Temperature | 20 to 28 | 38 to 45 |
Isha to Fajr | Over ten hours | Around eight |
Crowds | Busy but workable | The busiest outside Ramadan |
Walking at midday | Comfortable | Not advisable |
Ziyarat with children | Pleasant | An endurance exercise |
7 nights, 3 star | From £799 | From £699 |
What that shows
Christmas costs £100 more than summer and is easier on every measure that affects a child. That is the honest case for the window and it is a strong one.
The case against it is October half term, which is £300 less than Christmas and easier than summer. There is a section on that below.
The Madinah cold, and children
The one December risk for families and the thing people consistently get wrong.
What happens
Madinah sits further inland and higher than Makkah, and in December the nights get genuinely cold, dropping toward ten degrees or below.
Why it catches people
Because they pack for Arabia. Thin clothes, sandals, nothing warm. And then they are sitting on marble at Fajr in an open courtyard at five in the morning with a six year old.
Why children feel it more
They lose heat faster than adults, they are lower to the ground where the marble is, and they do not reliably say they are cold until they are properly miserable.
What to pack for them
- A proper fleece or jumper each, not a token layer
- A light jacket for early mornings and late evenings
- Several pairs of socks, which help on cold marble as much as in shoes
- A large shawl or blanket, which layers and gives them something to sit on
- Closed shoes rather than sandals for the Madinah portion
The practical version
Take the same amount of warm clothing you would pack for a British autumn evening. It sounds excessive for Saudi Arabia and it is exactly right for a Madinah Fajr in December.
And the rain
December is the wettest month of the year in Makkah. Not often, and heavy when it comes, and the marble around the Mataf becomes genuinely slippery.
Shoes with grip rather than smooth sandals, for everybody in the party.
The airport question nobody asks
The issue
Some UK regional airports close entirely on 25 December, and others run substantially reduced schedules. It is one of the few days in the year where that is genuinely the case.
Why it matters for this window
Because a Christmas Umrah trip frequently departs or returns within a day or two of the 25th, and a family assuming their local airport operates normally can find it does not.
What to do
Check your specific airport before fixing your dates, and tell us which one you are flying from at the enquiry so we can build around it.
The advantage side of it
The days immediately around Christmas Day are among the quieter days of the year at the UK airports that do operate. Shorter security queues and calmer terminals, which with children is a real thing.
The days to avoid
The 22nd and 23rd, which are the peak of UK domestic Christmas travel, and the 2nd and 3rd of January when everybody comes back at once.
And the winter weather risk
Fog and ice can delay departures, particularly at smaller airports and on early morning flights. Book a single ticket with protected connections so the airline reroutes you rather than leaving it as your problem.
What a properly protected flight arrangement looks like is on the flights and hotel page.
The parking note
Long stay parking over the Christmas fortnight is at school holiday rates. On a fourteen night trip that is a real cost and it is worth booking in advance rather than on the day.
What to book for a two week window
The length
Ten or fourteen nights. The break is long enough for either without missing school, and fourteen at 20 to 28 degrees with children is genuinely comfortable.
This is the opposite of our summer advice, where we push families toward seven nights because heat accumulates. In December it does not.
The split
On fourteen nights we would take eight in Makkah and six in Madinah. That gives a proper stay in both rather than a rushed Madinah leg.
And six Madinah nights means considerably better odds on a Rawdah permit slot, because more days means more chances.
The tier
Four star, at £949. Not for the heat, which is not a problem, but for the ability to take a tired child back to the room mid-afternoon without a long walk.
The step from three star roughly halves your walk and removes the shuttle timetable. With a pushchair that matters more than the weather does.
The configuration
Quad sharing for a family of four, which is a private room at the lowest price. Five or six people need two rooms and connecting rooms go before the hotels do.
Ask about that first
Connecting rooms are the constraint for larger families in every school holiday and Christmas is the tightest of them. Ask at the enquiry rather than on arrival.
What we would build
If you are | Book | From |
|---|
Two adults, two young children | 10 nights, 4 star | £1,029 |
Two adults, teenagers | 14 nights, 3 star | On request |
A family wanting the full break | 14 nights, 4 star | On request |
On the tightest budget | 7 nights, 3 star | £799 |
Five or six people | Two rooms, ask early | On request |
And the departure day
Aim for the first weekend after schools break up rather than the 27th to the 30th. It is the most forgiving part of the fortnight and it gives you a buffer before the return.
The alternative worth knowing
One section rather than four, because the case is made properly elsewhere.
October half term
| | Christmas | October half term |
|---|
7 nights, 3 star | From £799 | From £499 |
Family of four saving | | £1,200 |
Temperature | 20 to 28 | 30 to 36 |
Length of break | About seventeen days | About nine days |
Crowds | Busy but workable | Quiet |
The trade
October is £300 per person cheaper and quieter. Christmas is ten degrees cooler and the break is nearly twice as long.
Which we would recommend
October, for most families taking one trip a year. It is the best school holiday in the UK calendar and £1,200 across a family of four is a great deal of money.
When Christmas is the better answer
If you want a fortnight rather than a week. If the weather genuinely matters, because 20 degrees with young children is easier than 33. Or if December is simply when your family can travel together.
All three are real reasons and none of them is a mistake.
And the cheapest version of December
The first fortnight, before schools break up, at £499. Same weather, £300 less, and the only cost is a few days of term time.
Whether that is right for your children is a decision between you and your school. Detail in our December guide.
The full ranking
All six UK school holidays compared on price, temperature, crowds and availability is in our October guide.
Christmas family prices
Duration | 3 Star | 4 Star | 5 Star |
|---|
7 nights | From £799 | From £949 | From £1,049 |
10 nights | From £869 | From £1,029 | From £1,135 |
14 nights | On request | On request | On request |
Adult rate, per person, quad sharing. Children aged two to eleven pay a reduced rate sharing with two adults. Under twos are lap infants. Includes return flights, both hotels named in writing with the distance in metres and the nearest gate, the Saudi Umrah visa, all three transfers and guided Ziyarat in both cities.
The most important line above
The small print. Children two to eleven pay a reduced rate, which is why a family of four does not pay four times the headline.
How to get your actual number
Send us dates of birth for everybody travelling and the dates you are considering. We will build the real figure, which is almost always lower than the one people calculate themselves.
The deposit
£99 per person, so £396 for a family of four, and it fixes your price in writing.
The monthly figure
Booked in the January before, the balance spreads across ten months interest free. Which turns a Christmas family trip into a manageable commitment across the year rather than a large payment in December.
How we price
We check comparable UK packages every month and sit £20 under the lowest we can find for the same nights and the same hotel tier.
What to do now
- Send dates of birth rather than ages, so we can build the real family figure and flag any child turning twelve before travel.
- Check whether your airport operates on 25 December. Some regional ones close or run reduced schedules.
- Book by September, and August if you want the New Year departures.
- Ask about connecting rooms first if you are five or six people. They go before the hotels do.
- Aim for the first weekend after schools break up rather than the 27th to the 30th.
- Pack for the Madinah nights. Proper fleeces, socks and closed shoes for the children.
- Use the £99 deposit and spread the balance, so you are not paying for the trip in the same month as everything else.
The one that changes the answer most
The first. Most families work out four times the adult rate, decide it is unaffordable, and never ask. The real number is materially lower.
And the one nobody thinks of
The second. It costs nothing to check and it is the sort of thing that is very difficult to fix once your dates are fixed.
The summary
It is the best weather of any school holiday
20 to 28 degrees, the longest nights of the year, and manageable crowds. Three of the four things that make Umrah hard with children, removed at once.
A family of four does not pay four times the headline
Children two to eleven pay a reduced rate sharing with two adults, and quad sharing is one room. Send dates of birth for the real figure.
The break is long enough for a fortnight
About seventeen days, so fourteen nights fits without missing a school day. Unlike summer, a fortnight in December with children is genuinely comfortable.
Pack for the Madinah nights
The coldest of the year, and children feel it more than adults. Proper fleeces, socks and closed shoes.
And check the airport
Some regional airports close or run reduced schedules on 25 December. It costs nothing to check and it is hard to fix afterwards.
Send us your children’s dates of birth
Related reading
Most families work out the wrong number
They multiply £799 by four, decide Christmas is out of reach, and book summer instead. Which is hotter, busier and only £100 less on the adult rate.
Send us dates of birth for everybody travelling and we will give you the actual figure. It is almost always lower than the one people calculate themselves, and it is worth knowing before you rule the window out.
Packages Umrah
WhatsApp or call: +44 7737 144 335
Office: 7 Huxley Avenue, Manchester, M8 0SJ
English and Urdu. Same-day quotes.
Christmas from £799pp adult rate, children at reduced rates. Held with a £99 deposit.
Trading name of Uraan Travel Ltd. |
Get your real family price
Christmas with children: 53 questions answered
Grouped by topic. Direct answer first. Term dates vary by authority and nation, so check your own.
What a family pays
How much is Christmas Umrah for a family of four?
Considerably less than four times the headline. £799 is the adult rate and children two to eleven pay a reduced rate.
Why does everybody get this wrong?
Because they multiply the per person figure by four, decide it is unaffordable, and never ask.
How are children priced?
Two to eleven at a reduced rate sharing with two adults. Under twos are lap infants at minimal cost. Twelve and over pay the adult rate.
Is it age at booking or at travel?
At travel, which is why we ask for dates of birth rather than ages.
What if my child turns twelve in between?
They move to the adult rate. On a Christmas booking that is a meaningful sum and it is better flagged in advance.
Does quad sharing mean sharing with strangers?
No. For a family of four it means your own four people in one room, and it is the lowest price configuration.
How do I get the real number?
Send dates of birth for everybody travelling and your dates. We build it properly.
What is the deposit for a family?
£99 per person, so £396 for a family of four.
Can we spread the cost?
Interest free across the months to eight weeks before departure, when you book four or more months ahead.
The dates
When do the Christmas holidays run?
Most English authorities show schools breaking up around 17 December and returning around 3 or 4 January.
How many days is that?
About seventeen, which is the second longest school break in the year after summer.
Can I take fourteen nights?
Yes, without missing a single school day.
How does that compare to October half term?
October is about nine days and a seven night trip. Christmas is seventeen days and a fourteen night trip.
Which departure day is easiest to book?
The first weekend after schools break up, around the 18th to the 22nd.
And the hardest?
Around the 27th to the 30th, when everybody who did not travel before Christmas travels.
Should I return on the 3rd of January?
With children, coming home the night before term starts is a hard landing. Departing a day or two earlier gives you a buffer.
Why it suits children
Is the weather good for children?
The best of any school holiday. 20 to 28 degrees, comfortable at every hour including midday.
Does that actually matter?
It is the single biggest constraint on family Umrah. In summer, children under about ten struggle badly at 43 degrees.
What about sleep?
The solstice falls around the 21st, so nights are at their annual longest. Isha to Fajr runs over ten hours.
So children can attend Isha?
And still get a full night, and go to Fajr without being wrecked by mid-morning.
How busy is the Haram?
Busier than November or January and considerably calmer than Ramadan or the summer. Ground floor Tawaf is workable at most hours.
Can we do Ziyarat with children?
Comfortably. Most of the itinerary is standing outside at unshaded sites, which is pleasant at 24 degrees.
What remains hard?
The travel itself, the time zone, and the price. None of those is solved by the season.
How does it compare to summer?
£100 more on the adult rate and easier on every measure that affects a child.
The Madinah cold
How cold does Madinah get?
Nights drop toward ten degrees or below in December. It is the coldest of the year.
Why does that catch people?
They pack for Arabia, then sit on marble at Fajr in an open courtyard at five in the morning with a six year old.
Do children feel it more?
They lose heat faster, they are lower to the ground where the marble is, and they do not say they are cold until they are properly miserable.
What should I pack for them?
A proper fleece each, a light jacket, several pairs of socks, a large shawl or blanket, and closed shoes for the Madinah portion.
How much warm clothing?
The same amount you would pack for a British autumn evening. It sounds excessive for Saudi Arabia and it is exactly right.
Does it rain?
December is the wettest month in Makkah. Not often, heavy when it comes, and the marble becomes slippery.
What footwear?
Shoes with grip rather than smooth sandals, for everybody in the party.
The airport question
Do UK airports operate on Christmas Day?
Some regional airports close entirely and others run substantially reduced schedules. Check your specific one.
Why does that matter here?
Because a Christmas Umrah trip frequently departs or returns within a day or two of the 25th.
What should I do?
Check before fixing your dates, and tell us which airport you are flying from at the enquiry.
Is there an upside?
The days immediately around Christmas Day are among the quieter days of the year at the airports that do operate.
Which days should I avoid?
The 22nd and 23rd, which are peak UK domestic Christmas travel, and the 2nd and 3rd of January.
What about winter weather?
Fog and ice can delay departures. Book a single ticket with protected connections so the airline reroutes you.
What about parking?
School holiday rates apply. On a fourteen night trip that is a real cost, so book in advance.
What to book
How long should we go for?
Ten or fourteen nights. At 20 to 28 degrees, a fortnight with children is genuinely comfortable.
Is that different to summer advice?
The opposite. In summer we push families toward seven nights because heat accumulates. In December it does not.
How should we split fourteen nights?
Eight in Makkah and six in Madinah, which gives a proper stay in both.
Why six in Madinah?
More days means more chances at a Rawdah permit slot, which is the tightest thing in a short trip.
What tier?
Four star, for the ability to take a tired child back to the room mid-afternoon without a long walk.
Is that a heat decision?
No, the heat is not a problem in December. It is a pushchair and tired child decision.
What if we are five or six people?
Two rooms, and connecting rooms go before the hotels do. Ask at the enquiry rather than on arrival.
When should we book?
By September, and August if you want the New Year departures.
The alternatives
Is October half term better?
On price and crowds, clearly. £300 per person cheaper, or £1,200 for a family of four, and quieter.
Where does Christmas win?
Ten degrees cooler, and the break is nearly twice as long.
Which would you recommend?
October, for most families taking one trip a year. It is the best school holiday in the UK calendar.
When is Christmas the better answer?
If you want a fortnight rather than a week, if the weather genuinely matters, or if December is simply when your family can travel together.
What is the cheapest version of December?
The first fortnight, before schools break up, at £499. Same weather, £300 less, and it costs a few days of term time.
Do you advise taking children out of school?
No. That is a decision between you and your school. We tell you what it is worth.
Where can I compare all six school holidays?
Our October guide ranks them on price, temperature, crowds and availability.
Related reading
Most families work out the wrong number
They multiply £799 by four, decide Christmas is out of reach, and book summer instead. Which is hotter, busier and only £100 less on the adult rate.
Send us dates of birth for everybody travelling and we will give you the actual figure. It is almost always lower than the one people calculate themselves, and it is worth knowing before you rule the window out.
Packages Umrah
WhatsApp or call: +44 7737 144 335
Office: 7 Huxley Avenue, Manchester, M8 0SJ
English and Urdu. Same-day quotes.
Christmas from £799pp adult rate, children at reduced rates. Held with a £99 deposit. |
Get your real family price
