Makkah LiveThe Umrah and Hajj booking scene in Toronto
Toronto’s agencies range from established multi-branch operators to small storefronts and home-based sellers across the GTA — Scarborough, Mississauga, Brampton, and beyond. Most packages from Toronto depart from Toronto Pearson International Airport, and the size of the market means group departures run through much of the year, with the heaviest demand around Ramadan and the school holidays. Competition keeps quotes worth comparing: for the same dates, ask at least three agencies for written itineraries with named hotels and their distance from the Haram.
How to verify a Toronto agency
Any business selling travel services in Ontario must be registered with TICO, and every registered agency has a TICO number it should display and quote on request. Before paying, run the name or number through the registrant search on tico.ca — if the agency does not appear, stop. Buying from a TICO-registered agency is also what makes you eligible for the Ontario Travel Industry Compensation Fund if things go wrong, so an unregistered seller is not just a legal problem, it is an uninsured one.
Questions to ask a Toronto agent before you pay
- What is your TICO registration number?
- Which hotels, exactly, and how far from the Haram in metres or minutes?
- What room occupancy does this price assume, and what does a private room cost?
- Is the flight from Pearson direct or connecting, and with which airline?
- Does a group leader travel with the group, and how many pilgrims per leader?
- What is in writing: contract, cancellation terms, and what happens if a hotel is switched?
Frequently asked questions
How do I check whether a Toronto travel agency is legitimate?
Ask for its TICO registration number and look it up with the registrant search on tico.ca. Registration is required by Ontario law for anyone selling travel services, so a seller who is not in that database should not be handling your money. A verifiable business address and a written contract are the next two checks.
Are umrah packages from Toronto usually flights included?
Most full packages include return flights from Toronto Pearson, visa processing, hotels, and transfers, but land-only packages exist too — useful if you want to book flights with points or travel on different dates from the group. Always confirm exactly what the quoted price covers in writing.
Can I book Hajj through a Toronto agency?
Toronto agencies can help you register and choose a package, but the Hajj booking itself runs through the official Nusuk Hajj platform at hajj.nusuk.sa, as it has for Canadian pilgrims in recent years. Be wary of anyone in Toronto selling a Hajj spot outside that system.
When is the cheapest time to go for Umrah from Toronto?
Outside the peaks. Ramadan — especially its last ten nights — and the summer and winter school holidays carry the highest prices because demand from the GTA is heaviest then. Shoulder months are noticeably cheaper for the same hotels, and the crowds in Makkah are lighter too.