Pilgrims traveling by airplane to মক্কা মুকাররমা for হজ্জ or উমরাহ must enter ইহরাম before their flight crosses the miqat boundary established by নবী করীম (সাল্লাল্লাহু আলাইহি ওয়া সাল্লাম). Since modern aircraft travel at high speed and cross the miqat in seconds, scholars unanimously advise preparing in advance. Sheikh Ibn Baz and Sheikh Ibn Uthaymeen both ruled that the হাজী should wear ইহরাম garments either at home, at the departure airport, or on the plane before reaching the miqat, and then make the intention (niyyah) and pronounce the talbiyah when the plane is about to cross or is crossing the miqat line.
Many airlines flying to Jeddah announce when the aircraft is approaching the miqat, and হাজীগণ should be ready at that point. As a precaution, Ibn Baz মুস্তাহাব making the intention slightly before the miqat if the exact point is uncertain, because entering ইহরাম before the miqat is permissible (though not ideal), while passing it without ইহরাম is prohibited. If a হাজী passes the miqat without entering ইহরাম, the majority of scholars hold that they must either return to the miqat to assume ইহরাম or, if they cannot return, they must offer a dam (sacrifice of a sheep) as a penalty.
The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta issued a fatwa confirming that the miqat rulings apply equally to those traveling by land, sea, or air, and that there is no exemption for air travelers. Wearing the ইহরাম garments before boarding is permissible and does not constitute entering ইহরাম — the state of ইহরাম begins only with the intention and talbiyah.