Makkah: The Ministry of Interior has announced the successful conclusion of the Makkah Route Initiative for the 1447 AH Hajj season. Operating across 17 ports in 10 countries, the logistical program facilitated the seamless pre-clearance and arrival of 388,694 pilgrims into the Kingdom aboard 1,227 dedicated flights.

According to Saudi Press Agency, the initiative is a flagship component of the Pilgrims Experience Program under Saudi Vision 2030. This year, the program expanded to include Senegal and Brunei Darussalam for the first time, joining Morocco, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Trkiye, C´te d'Ivoire, and the Maldives. Utilizing state-of-the-art infrastructure, including 38 service stations, 60 mobile units, and 120 AI-powered mobile counters, Saudi authorities were able to complete comprehensive entry procedures for each pilgrim in just 40 seconds prior to their departure.

The Makkah Route Initiative is designed to eliminate arrival bottlenecks by shifting immigration processing to the pilgrim's home country. The comprehensive service includes electronic visa issuance, biometric data collection, health verifications, and final passport control. Luggage is systematically sorted, coded, and tagged before boarding. Upon landing at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah or Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah, pilgrims bypass traditional immigration and baggage claim, boarding dedicated buses directly to their accommodations while authorities deliver their luggage straight to their rooms.

Implemented by the Ministry of Interior for the eighth year, the initiative operates in cooperation with the ministries of foreign affairs, health, Hajj and Umrah, and media. Additional partners include the General Authority of Civil Aviation, the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority, the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority, the General Authority for Awqaf, the Pilgrim Experience Program, the General Directorate of Passports, and digital partner stc group.