Pilgrims traveling by airplane to مکہ مکرمہ for حج or عمرہ must enter احرام before their flight crosses the miqat boundary established by نبی کریم (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم). 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 حاجی should wear احرام 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 حجاج should be ready at that point. As a precaution, Ibn Baz مستحب making the intention slightly before the miqat if the exact point is uncertain, because entering احرام before the miqat is permissible (though not ideal), while passing it without احرام is prohibited. If a حاجی passes the miqat without entering احرام, the majority of scholars hold that they must either return to the miqat to assume احرام 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 احرام garments before boarding is permissible and does not constitute entering احرام — the state of احرام begins only with the intention and talbiyah.