Flying Taxis & Drones Will Soar Into Saudi Arabia for Hajj 2024

Pilgrims embarking on the sacred journey to Saudi Arabia for this year's Hajj season are in for a revolutionary transportation experience with the introduction of flying taxis and drones.

In January, the Saudia Group revealed preparations to introduce air taxis as a new mode of transportation during the Hajj season. The airline has inked a contract to acquire 100 Lilium jets, German electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, for transportation between Jeddah airport and airstrips in Makkah hotels near the Grand Mosque and other holy sites.

The Saudia Group underscored the environmentally friendly nature of the Lilium aircraft, which operate entirely on electric power. Once operational, these state-of-the-art planes will ferry pilgrims from King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah to designated airstrips near the Grand Mosque in Makkah during the Hajj and Umrah seasons.