The Best Airlines for Flights to the Maldives

It might seem a bit soon to start planning your summer vacation, but in reality is it ever too soon? Booking flights, choosing your destination and looking for accommodation are time-consuming tasks. And if that trip is ever going to leave the group-chat, it’s about time to start looking into airlines that fly to the destination of your dreams. If you’re looking to finally book that trip to the Maldives, here are some of the best airlines that will connect you to the dreamy destination. Get your passports ready, find the best deals and get ready for a vacation to remember!

British Airways

Frequent fliers to the Maldives always recommend booking with British Airways. The airline currently serves around 13 domestic destinations and 196 international destinations in 76 countries. Luckily, The Maldives is one of those destination. Although British Airways was conducting one weekly flight for Winter of 2022, the airline had increased the schedule to fit three flights to the Maldives per week. As the airline has been flying to this dreamy destination since 2015, it is reliable, comfortable and ready to connect you to The Maldives!

Emirates

The connection to The Maldives through Emirates started all the way back in the 90s. Emirates is one of those airlines that needs no introduction, connecting travellers to destinations all around the globe. Currently Emirates hosts around 28 flights between Dubai and The Maldives per week! This means, if your connection if to Dubai, you can book your flight to The Maldives through Emirates.

Batik Air

Batik Air commenced its brand new destination in 2023, offering direct flights to the Maldives. Through its Malaysia route, passengers of Batik Air can reach Maldives ins less than 5 hours on a budget! The airline provides economy as well as business class seating in addition to inflight catering. Since its announcement of the new route, Batik Air has become one of the budget-traveller favourites to connect to the Maldives.

Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways is popular for its comfortable seating and its excellent service. The Doha-based airline has conducts direct flights to the Maldives, often increasing the connections for summer. With Qatar Airlines, travellers can easily connect to the Maldives from Doha in under 5 hours!

Etihad Airways

Etihad started flying to The Maldives back in 2011, offering travellers a more budget friendly trip to the tropical destination. This is the perfect airline for travellers looking to book lower cost tickets without giving up the comfort factor.

SriLankan Airlines

Srilankan Airlines was the first airline to touch down in the Hulhule’ Airport in the 1960s. Since then, SriLankan airlines has been connecting travellers to the beautiful destination for a budget friendly price. The airline is not only popular for its spacious seating, SriLankan airlines also offers an amazing inflight catering menu!

Air France

The French National Airline has been flying to the Maldives since 2017. On top of providing amazing direct routes to the country, the airline often operates more frequently for winter season. Whether you’re planning a budget trip or booking last minute tickets, you can find some pretty good deals to The Maldives on the website of the airline!

Turkish Airlines

Following a short halt, Turkish Airlines resumed its flights to the Maldives in 2022, offering travellers direct connections from Turkey. Offering weekly flights to The Maldives, Turkish Airlines connects two beautiful destinations for travellers. Whether you’re looking to fly from Turkey to The Maldives or explore both countries, Turkish Airlines is your go to.

AirAsia

AirAsia is yet another airline which is favoured by budget-travellers all around the world. The airline is known to have extremely good deals for tickets booked ahead of time. AirAsia connects passengers directly to the Maldives by hosting 18 flights every week!

IndiGo

If you’re looking flights connecting from India to The Maldives, IndGo airlines is your answer. Although there is a layover in Mumbai if you’re booking from Delhi, IndiGo is a traveller favourite when looking to connect between India and Maldives.

FlyDubai

It might seem impossible but there is a budget airline connecting travellers from Dubai to the Maldives! Since it started flying direct routes to The Maldives, FlyDubai has become one of the more budget friendly airlines connecting travellers to the luxury destination. Since the airline started flying to The Maldives in 2013, FlyDubai has been hosting several flights weekly to its passengers.

The national Airline of Maldives; Maldivian has launched direct flights to three major cities in China—Chengdu, Beijing, and Shanghai. This expansion of the airline’s international network follows the addition of the Airbus A330-200, Maldivian’s first wide-body aircraft. As a result, the new routes will begin in January 2025, with the first flight to Chengdu scheduled for 22 January, followed by Beijing on 24 January, and Shanghai on 27 January.

Ismail Amrah Umar, Chief Commercial Officer of Maldivian Airlines, commented on the expansion:

“The launch of these direct flights to China represents a significant achievement in our expansion strategy. By connecting the Maldives directly with three major Chinese cities, we are not only enhancing accessibility for Chinese tourists but also strengthening the cultural and economic ties between our nations.”

The Airbus A330-200, which carries up to 260 passengers across Business, Premium Economy, and Economy classes, will operate these flights. Additionally, the aircraft offers a 10-tonne cargo capacity, which further supports the airline’s expanding operations. Consequently, the new aircraft enables Maldivian to enhance its service offerings and reach even more destinations.

Celebrating the Launch with Special Promotional Fares

To celebrate the new routes, Maldivian is offering special promotional fares. These are as follows:

Male’-Chengdu: USD 688 return
Male’-Beijing: USD 788 return
Male’-Shanghai: USD 777 return

These promotional fares include a 40 kg baggage allowance and are valid for travel from 22 January to 4 February 2025, depending on the destination. Therefore, passengers can take advantage of these limited-time offers to explore China’s most vibrant cities.

This expansion of Maldivian’s international network will play a crucial role in attracting more visitors to the Maldives, particularly given the long-standing popularity of the destination among Chinese travelers. Additionally, it will benefit the country’s economy, as tourism remains a key sector in the nation’s growth. Moreover, the new routes are expected to further strengthen the Maldives’ position as a leading tourist destination in the region.

With these new routes and the Airbus A330-200, Maldivian strengthens its position as a key player in the region’s aviation industry. As a result, the airline continues to offer more travel options for international passengers, ensuring seamless connections between the Maldives and major global cities.

The Best Airlines for Flights to the Maldives – Your Guide!