Indonesia Expands Mecca Route Service to Makassar Airport

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The Directorate General of Immigration and Corrections (Kemenimipas) has expanded its Mecca Route service to Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport in Makassar, South Sulawesi, adding to the three airports where the service was previously available: Soekarno-Hatta, Juanda, and Adi Soemarmo.

Director General of Immigration, Hendarsam Marantoko, said the expansion is a strategic step to broaden access for pilgrims. This year, 221,000 Indonesian Hajj pilgrims are expected to use the service, including 15,804 from the Makassar embarkation point.

“Expanding the Mecca Route to Makassar is a strategic effort to ensure that more Indonesian pilgrims can experience a simplified immigration process from home,” Hendarsam said in Jakarta on Thursday, April 23, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

The Mecca Route streamlines procedures upon arrival in Saudi Arabia by having document verification completed in advance in Indonesia. Pilgrims can then continue their journey without queuing for immigration at their destination airport. The service is designed to expedite mobility and improve comfort, particularly for the elderly and disabled.

Hendarsam emphasized that the presence of the Mecca Route in Makassar reflects cooperation between Indonesia and Saudi Arabia to improve the quality of Hajj services, noting that the number of Indonesian pilgrims has reached 250,000. “We want to reduce bureaucracy so that pilgrims can feel more at ease as they prepare for their journey to the Holy Land,” he said.

The first flight from Makassar to Medina departed early Wednesday, April 14, 2026, marking the start of this year’s Hajj operations. ***