The Maldives is open to international tourism
To protect tourism Maldives pursued one of the most liberal opening policies in the world and allowed quarantine-free entry for all vaccinated travelers in June 2020. Foreign visitors are no longer required to present proof of vaccination or other Covid-related documents before traveling. Unvaccinated visitors entering Maldives under specific visa categories may still be required to undergo health testing and mandatory quarantine upon arrival.
All travelers must complete an online Traveller Declaration, submit it within 96 hours before departure, and present the document on arrival to the Maldives.
All nationalities are eligible for a 30-day tourist visa on arrival. However, a pre-paid hotel/accommodation booking and an onward/return ticket to another country are required.
Practical tips
- If you are flying to Maldives from abroad, you will most likely land at its main international airport—Velana International Airport
VIAin Malé or Gan International AirportGANin Addu City.
VIA in Malé (located on the Hulhulé island, it's the busiest airport in the Maldives and the point of entry for most tourists), Gan International Airport GAN in Addu City (Gan), Hanimaadhoo International Airport HAQ in Haa Dhaalu (Hanimaadhoo), Maafaru International Airport NMF in Noonu (Maafaru), and Villa International Airport Maamigili VAM in Alifu Dhaalu (Maamigili). Domestic airports — such as Hoarafushi Airport HRF in Haa Alifu Atoll, Kulhudhuffushi Airport HDK in Haa Dhaalu Atoll, or Funadhoo Airport FND in Shaviyani Atoll — are scattered all around the Maldives, and they mostly have small runways that don't allow handling large commercial aircraft and basic terminals with one or two counters.
- Planning to explore the region? Popular destinations can be easily reached with regional low-cost carriers (LCCs) by the likes of AirAsia, Bangkok Airways, Flydubai, Go First, IndiGo, Sichuan Airlines, and Wizz Air Abu Dhabi.
Flights to Maldives
from United States and Canada
- There are no direct flights from the US or Canada to Maldives. However, most major hubs in Asia have non-stop flights to Maldives, as do some larger airports in the Middle East – your journey will have at least one stop. Since the most common holiday combination is to twin the Maldives with Sri Lanka (only one hour flight from the Maldives, many daily flights), it's worth checking prices for flights to Sri Lanka first, then booking a cheap short-haul flight from Colombo to Malé with one of the budget airlines operating in the region: AirAsia, Flydubai, Go First, or Vistara.
- Maldives is well-served via one-stop flights from North America. Flights to Maldives with one layover depart from most major North American airports, including Atlanta
ATL, DallasDFW, DenverDEN, ChicagoORD, Los AngelesLAX, Las VegasDFW, MiamiMIA, SeattleSEA, HoustonIAH, New YorkJFK, and San FranciscoSFOin the United States and TorontoYYZ, VancouverYVR, CalgaryLAS, and MontrealYULin Canada. While travel time to Maldives from North America can average more than 20 hours, it all depend on the departure city. If you're flying from the West Coast, then the easiest layover cities would be Hong Kong or Singapore with flights costing around $1000 return. Routes from the East Coast usually have a stop in the Middle Eeast (Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha), or in Europe (London, Istanbul, Zurich) and flights are a bit shorter and cheaper (starting from $800 return). - The best airlines to fly to Maldives from the US and Canada are: Emirates, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, and Turkish Airlines,. They are top full-service carriers, offering exceptional customer service, in-flight comfort, a generous checked baggage allowance, and reliable customer support channels – all included in the ticket price.
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What is the best time to book flights to Maldives?
The best time to book flights to Maldives is between 2 to 8 months before your travel date. The prime booking window (the most likely time to find the bargains) for Maldives flights is 4–6 months before takeoff. Book when you notice a significant drop in price.
Airfare prices for Maldives flights fluctuate due to demand, seasonal trends, and competition, causing numerous price drops and increases as your departure date approaches. The airlines use sophisticated revenue management systems to adjust pricing for optimal seat sales.
Generally, as seats are sold, prices tend to become more expensive.
Don’t book too early
Most airlines start selling their flights 9–12 months in advance. However, booking a ticket too early in that window can be an expensive mistake – airlines typically start by setting prices at a relatively high level to capture early demand from those willing to pay more to secure their seats.
Peak seasons are expensive
Peak travel seasons are always expensive – due to higher base prices set by airlines for dates they expect to be popular. Try to avoid the high season during summer and major holidays including holidays in the Maldives. If you must travel during peak times, book your flight well in advance.
Avoid last minute
Avoid booking flights to Maldives less than 30 days before takeoff. Prices spike sharply then, as airlines are taking advantage of any last-minute travelers who have no choice but to pay up.
Prime Booking Window
For long-haul flights to Maldives, the best time to book your ticket is around 4–6 months before departure. This is the “Prime Booking Window.” After some seats have already been sold, airlines start dropping prices to stimulate demand. They may also offer promotions and sales. This is the ideal time for bargain hunting.
Fly on weekdays
It makes a difference which day of the week you board the plane. Midweek travel (especially Tuesdays and Wednesdays) is less busy and likely cheaper than flying on weekends. Airlines charge higher prices for weekend travel due to the high demand from people going on short getaways or visiting family and friends.
Opt for early morning flights
To save on airfare, select a late night or early morning (1–5 a.m.) flight. Airlines often offer discounts on their first flight of the morning (up to 15-20%) simply because of lower demand—most people are not willing to go to the airport so early. Moreover, morning flights tend to have fewer delays, and airport queues are usually shorter.
Flights to Maldives from Europe
- There are no direct flights from Europe to Maldives — you’ll need to get a connecting flight from elsewhere in the Middle East or in Asia. Direct flights from Europe to the Maldives are about 7-11 hours long with prices for the return ticket starting at 600 EUR (depending on your departure city). Among the airlines operating direct flights to the Maldives are Air France, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Condor, Edelweiss Air, Eurowings, ITA Airways, Lufthansa, Neos Air, and SWISS. Only some of the largest European hubs have a nonstop connection to the Maldives - Frankfurt, Istanbul, London, Paris, Rome, Vienna, and Zurich. All those flights arrive at Velana International Airport
MLElocated near Malé on the North Malé Atoll. Since the most common holiday combination is to twin Maldives with Sri Lanka (only one hour flight from the Maldives, many daily flights), it's worth checking prices for flights to Sri Lanka first, then book a cheap short-haul flight from Colombo to Malé with one of the budget airlines operating in the region: AirAsia, Flydubai, Go First, or Vistara. - Airlines that frequently fly from the UK, Germany, France, and other European countries to Maldives include British Airways, Emirates, Etihad Airways, KLM, Lufthansa, Qatar Airways, SriLankan Airlines, Singapore Airlines, SWISS, Turkish Airlines, and Virgin Atlantic.
- Consider departure airports in neighboring countries to increase your chance of spotting the best deal. Especially look for large airports that serve as hubs for multiple airlines. For example, if you live in Western Europe, check air tickets to Maldives from Amsterdam, Frankfurt, London, Madrid, Paris, and Rome. Leverage frequent promotions from European budget carriers like RyanAir, EasyJet, and Eurowings to reach a major hub; from there, take a cheaper long-haul flight to your final destination, potentially saving hundreds of euros.
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Velana International Airport AKA Malé Airport (MLE)
Velana International Airport MLE (better known as Malé) is the main airport of the Maldives — the hub that connects the country with the outside world. It is located in the North Malé Atoll, on the island of Hulhule, a 5-minute ride across the Sinamalé Bridge or 10 minutes by ferry from the capital city. The airport has three terminals (international, domestic, and seaplane) and serves most of the international traffic and numerous domestic flights to other islands of the Maldives archipelago via three main local carriers: Maldivian Airlines, FlyMe, and Trans Maldivian Airways.
The airport itself is quite small, which allows passengers to take just a short walk from the gate through immigration to the baggage carousel and then through the customs to the exit.
Among the airport’s facilities are free carts in the arrival and departure areas, baggage storage service ($5 to store one bag for 24 hours), duty-free shops with a good selection of alcohol, cigarettes, and cosmetics, gift shops, cafes and restaurants, a medical center and a pharmacy, free shower rooms, internet kiosks, and several regular and VIP lounges.
Traveling between islands by seaplane
Seaplane transfer is the fastest way to reach your resort or hotel in the Maldives. In fact, many island resorts can be reached only by seaplane. The flight time varies from 20 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the distance, and costs around 500 USD (~740 AUD / ~470 EUR ) per person on a round-trip basis (premium resorts can charge up to $1,000 / ~1480 AUD / ~950 EUR).
Traveling in a seaplane is an experience in itself, and it’s all about the aerial views. These breathtaking seaplane flights over shallow lagoons, coral reefs, and uninhabited islands are probably the most picturesque air travel that exists.
Trans Maldivian Airways is the largest and most experienced seaplane operator in Maldives, while Manta Air is the newcomer. Both airlines are flying highly versatile, twin-engine turbine powered DHC-6-300 Twin Otter seaplanes that take around 15 passengers. Each passenger may carry 5 kg of hand luggage and 20 kg of checked baggage. All seaplanes take off from Velana International Airport in Male.
Usually, the resort/travel agent/tour operator reserves the seaplane transfer on behalf of the guest. You can also book a seaplane once you arrive at Malé at the seaplane operator’s help desk.
The cheapest time to fly to Maldives
The Maldives has a tropical monsoon climate with two dominating seasons, with temperatures averaging between 25℃ and 32℃. The warmest period is observed between March and mid-May. However, if you’re looking for a cheaper and quieter trip, aim to book your flights for dates from May to November. These months are considered Maldives’ off-peak tourism season – while there is some rain, the storms move quickly and won’t ruin an entire day. The islands receive significantly fewer visitors, and everything, including airline tickets and resort prices, is cheaper.
Flights and accommodation are the most expensive between December and April as many families seek out warmer, tropical weather for their holidays to spend the day at the beach and soaking up the sun. Make sure to book your flights well in advance to avoid inflated last-minute fares.
Use the ferry system instead of flying to save money
Flying locally is incredibly expensive in the Maldives. Flights from Malé to the surrounding islands can easily cost you up to 500 USD (~740 AUD / ~470 EUR ) one-way.
If you want to stay on a budget, skip flying and use a reasonably-priced public ferry instead — expect to pay just 5-10 USD (~4-9 EUR) depending on the route. Ferry transport isn’t frequent — a ferry usually makes only one trip each day in each direction. From Male, there are public ferries to North and South Male Atoll, Rasdhu Atoll, Ari Atoll, and Vaavu atoll. There are no public ferries to or from resorts in the Maldives.
Please note that the timetable can be changed depending on the weather conditions and that ferries do not operate on Fridays (it’s the day off in the Maldives).
Maldives Time vs Maldives Island Time
When checking flights and airport transfer times, ensure you know the local time zones. The departure/arrival times on your plane ticket and boarding pass are based on the time zone of the departure/arrival airport – this also applies to the connecting (layover) airports.
Officially, all the Maldives islands follow the same time zone known as Maldives Time (MHT) which is 5 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC+5h ). However, some resorts on distant islands frequently operate according to their own rules and they observe different time zone, known as Maldives Island Time. It is an unofficial time zone where 1 or 2 hours are added to the Maldives Time, so travelers to take advantage of “an extra hour of daylight each day”. There is usually no need to worry about this time difference, as the resort will let you know if they have altered their clocks to Maldives Island Time.
Long waiting times when calling the helpline?
Social media is usually a faster way to reach the airline when a problem arises. Use Twitter or Facebook Messenger to contact the airline customer service and get a response and solution within minutes (see detailed guides for Air India, Singapore Airlines, AirAsia, and others.
When it comes to Twitter, there’s one more trick to get in touch with the airline faster: mention the airline in a tweet about your issue (add “@airline_handle”, for example: @MaldivianAero” if contacting the national carrier Maldivian Airlines). The social media team will often notice it immediately, ask you for a direct message, and respond privately.
Airlines of the Maldives
Fiji’s national flag carrier is Maldivian (formerly Air Pacific), based at Velana International Airport in Malé. It offers international scheduled flights to Maldives from Bangladesh, China, India, Sri Lanka and Thailand. Most of its long- and medium-haul flights to Maldives have meals, drinks, and in-flight entertainment onboard.
Three other airlines of Maldives – FlyMe, Trans Maldivian Airways, and Manta Air – are much smaller carriers that mostly focus on short-haul flights to the nearby islands, often using the fleet of seaplanes. They may not provide free baggage allowance, inflight refreshments, meals, or onboard entertainment. In most cases, their tickets are fixed and non-refundable if there is a no-show or cancellation.
Flights to Maldives
from Australia and New Zealand
- Australia and New Zealand offer robust flight networks to key APAC locations, Maldives included. While domestic carriers like Qantas, Jetstar Airways, Virgin Australia, and Air New Zealand provide solid options, several major international airlines also serve these routes. These include ANA, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Garuda Indonesia, Japan Airlines, Korean Air, Malaysia Airlines, Philippine Airlines, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, and Thai Airways — expanding your choices for travel between Australasia and Asia.
There are no direct flights from Australia or New Zealand to Maldives. You’ll need a layover in one of the major hubs in Asia. The best way to fly from Australia to the Maldives is via Kuala Lumpur with AirAsia X, Singapore Airlines, or SriLankan Airlines. If booked well in advance, the return flight can be as low as AUD 800 (from Perth), AUD 1000 (from Melbourne), and AUD 1100 (from Sydney). - Airlines have different pricing strategies for different routes. Depending on airline partnerships, demand, and even the time of year, a flight to Maldives could be significantly cheaper from Sydney than from Melbourne.
Compare fares from main international airports in Australia: SydneySYD, BrisbaneBNE, MelbourneMEL, PerthPER, AdelaideADL, CairnsCNS, Gold CoastOOL, CanberraCBR, DarwinDRW, and in New Zealand: AucklandAKL, WellingtonWLG, ChristchurchCHC, and QueenstownZQN. - If you’re looking to save, consider flying from Australia or New Zealand to a primary Asian hub, then catch a connecting flight to Maldives with a regional budget airline such as AirAsia, Bangkok Airways, Flydubai, Go First, IndiGo, Sichuan Airlines, and Wizz Air Abu Dhabi.
For the initial leg of your trip, full-service airlines such as Qantas or Virgin Atlantic offer premium comfort and exceptional service, albeit at a premium price. However, many Asian airlines, including budget carriers, operate out of Australia and frequently feature sales and promotions. For instance, AirAsia runs deals to Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore; Cebu Pacific to Manila; Scoot to Singapore; VietJet Air to Ho Chi Minh City; Jetstar to Seoul, Singapore, and Tokyo; Bamboo Airways to Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Beijing; Batik Air to Jakarta and Singapore.
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Flights to Maldives
from major hubs in Asia
- The Maldives islands are well connected with the rest of Asia region. There are multiple daily direct flights to Malé from Abu Dhabi, Almaty, Bangkok, Colombo, Doha, Dubai, Kuala Lumpur, Mumbai, Muscat, Singapore, and Tashkent.
- Asia is probably the best continent for short-haul and mid-haul flying. The sheer scale of this most populous region on Earth is reflected in the type of aircraft operating many shorter routes: intra-Asia flyers benefit from comfortable, wide-bodied aircraft by the likes of Boeing 777, 787 or Airbus A350, A330, and A380. When booking your flight to Maldives look for these bigger planes as they will almost always give you the best experience in every cabin, including better seat pitches, higher ceilings, and larger overhead bin space.
- Asia is also home to most of the world’s best airlines. There are only ten airlines that received the prestigious 5-star mark of quality from Skytrax, and all of them are from Asia: ANA, Asiana Airlines, Cathay Pacific, EVA Air, Garuda Indonesia, Japan Airlines, Korean Air, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines. Choosing one of these airlines for your trip to Maldives will guarantee a pleasant journey – delicious meals served during the flight, great in-flight entertainment, and above-average airline customer service.
- Asia is extremely well served by low-cost regional airlines. If you are visiting the Maldives and want to see several other countries on a tight budget, they often have great sales with rock-bottom prices, while still offering a relatively comfortable flight experience. Among the best Asian budget airlines you can book without hesitation are AirAsia, Cebu Pacific, Citilink, FlyDubai, Indigo, Jetstar Airways, Scoot, SpiceJet. The cons? Being no-frills airlines they may not provide free baggage allowance, inflight meals, or onboard entertainment. The departure times may also be quite inconvenient as they try to save money by flying at off-peak hours.
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Flights to Maldives dataset
