Take a mini pilgrimage with Corendon Airlines

Airline launches charter series to Jeddah/Mecca – return flights from Medina

Anyone wishing to set off from the Rhineland in October 2025 for Umrah, the minor pilgrimage to Mecca, can do so from Cologne/Bonn with Corendon Airlines. From Friday, 10 October 2025, the airline is offering a short-term series of charter flights to Jeddah, the nearest airport and thus the gateway to the Islamic pilgrimage site of Mecca. The return flight can be taken from Medina Airport, the second holiest city in Islam.

‘Our region is characterised by its diversity of people, nationalities and religions. Therefore, a destination such as Jeddah is important in order to meet the needs of Muslim passengers,’ says Cenk Özöztürk, Managing Director of Flughafen Köln/Bonn GmbH. ‘We are delighted that our partner Corendon Airlines is making it possible this autumn to reach the holy sites comfortably and stress-free by direct flight from Cologne Bonn Airport.’

Pilgrimages are possible all year round, but autumn is a particularly pleasant time to travel outside of the Hajj season, with mild temperatures. Jeddah is also a tourist destination with its historic old town, which is a World Heritage Site, as well as the nearby beaches and coastal villages on the Red Sea.

The first flight in the charter series will take off at 11 p.m. on 10 October 2025. There will be a small inaugural flight celebration with passengers and media representatives beforehand. The flight time is approximately six hours each way. A Boeing 737-800 will be used. The flights can be booked through pilgrimage tour operators.

About Corendon Airlines

Corendon Airlines (Antalya, Turkey) is an international airline with sister companies Corendon Dutch (Amsterdam, Netherlands) and Corendon Europe (Malta). Corendon Airlines flies from numerous airports in Germany, Austria and Switzerland to popular holiday destinations in the Mediterranean region – for example, Turkey, Spain, Greece and Egypt – as well as to the Canary Islands. The airline also works closely with tour operators and travel agencies.

Corendon Airlines was founded in 2004 as part of the Corendon Group, a multinational tourism group that began operations in the Netherlands in 2000 and now includes tour operators, hotels and incoming agencies in addition to airlines. Since its maiden flight in 2005, Corendon Airlines has followed the motto ‘Make a Difference’ and has distinguished itself through innovation and customer service. Among other things, Corendon Airlines was the first airline in Europe to be certified according to ISO 10002 for its customer satisfaction management system.