It’s easy to buy tickets to Maldives today, whether it’s a direct flight or a connecting flight through major transportation hubs such as Istanbul, Doha, or Kuala Lumpur. Even national carriers like British Airways, Air France, and Austrian Airlines operate direct flights with convenient schedules for arrival and departure. However, direct flights are not always affordable for tourists, and this article covers everything about prices, where to buy, and more.
It will be difficult for you to plan your dream trip to Maldives without these websites
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Direct flights to Maldives
As of 2024, many airlines offer direct flights to Maldives, with around 30 options available. The most popular European airlines are:
- British Airways (London-Male)
- Air France (Paris-Male)
- Condor (Frankfurt-Male)
- Austrian Airlines (Vienna-Male)
- Swiss International Air Lines (Zurich-Male)
However, direct flights to Male are not only expensive but also not daily, so tickets need to be purchased in advance due to high demand. It’s much easier and cheaper to buy connecting flights, which will be discussed later.
It is important to understand:
In addition to regular flights, there are also charters. Charter tickets are not often available for individual sale and are typically sold as part of a package tour. However, tickets for European airlines’ flights are easily available for purchase through aggregators or as part of a tour package.
Below is a dynamic table of all direct flights to Maldives (Male) from London. It’s updated daily, and you can click on it to view the schedule by day of the week and departure/arrival time.
What you need to know when looking for tickets to Maldives
There are several important rules to keep in mind when searching for tickets to Maldives. Regardless of where you’re flying from, whether it’s Doha or Paris, these tips can help you save money and avoid issues.
- Friday is a holiday in the Maldives, and there is no transportation between islands, including ferries, speedboats, and seaplanes. If you have a private transfer tour, you will be picked up from the airport and dropped off on Friday. However, try not to buy tickets with arrivals and departures on Friday. Any day of the week except Friday is fine.
- During the dark hours, transportation between the islands is not available. This applies to all forms of transportation including ferries, speedboats, and hydroplanes. Make sure to book tickets to arrive in Male before noon and depart in the evening to allow time to return to the airport and explore Male. If you arrive in Male after 4 pm, there is a high risk of being stranded overnight, which would result in the loss of vacation days and additional expenses.
- Here is more information on how to travel between the islands in the Maldives.
- Of course, if you arrive during daylight hours, choose a window seat. The views during takeoff and landing are breathtaking.
Flights to Maldives with layovers
Unfortunately, not all European capitals have direct flights to Male. Therefore, many tourists search for tickets with layovers. The main reason is that layover flights, although less convenient, are often cheaper than direct flights.
Important:
The most popular layover options when flying to Male are: Doha, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Bahrain, Istanbul for passengers from Europe and America. And Kuala Lumpur for passengers from Asia and Australia.
How much do tickets to Maldives cost?
This is a difficult and not very pleasant question. Travel by air is expensive today, and tickets cost as much as another plane, and we all understand the reasons for this. I hope that soon flights will become as affordable as they were a few years ago.
In 2018, I flew business class to the Maldives from Istanbul for 500 EUR, and in 2024, I bought economy class tickets for 1000 EUR, and I was happy that I got them cheaply. Everything is relative!
How much does a tickets to Maldives cost?
In 2024, the standard price per person for a round-trip flight as a direct flight is from 1000 euros, and with a layover, it’s from 500 euros. Anything cheaper than these amounts is a great price and should be purchased right away.
I am often asked where it is best to buy tickets to Maldives or any other city. Actually, wherever you want, wherever it’s convenient for you:
- You can call your national airline and buy there, even though we have long since entered the internet age, there are still people who do it this way.
- You can go to any airline ticket office or travel agency.
- You can also search online on a major aggregator like Aviasales. This service compares prices on other sites and from the airlines themselves and offers you the cheapest options so that you can decide for yourself where it is more convenient for you to buy tickets.
Wherever is most convenient for you, they all search through one large database, the main thing is to check where it’s cheaper and buy there. Spoiler alert: always check the price on Aviasales, as it’s often cheaper than any agency.
Travel tips
Giving advice from the couch is easier said than done:
- The easiest way to search for tickets is to buy a tour package. The tickets are almost always included, and they are usually direct flights. Useful article: tour packages to the Maldives from London.
- Don’t forget that it is critically important to arrive in Male in the first half of the day, and the earlier, the better. If you arrive at 10 am, you’ll be in your bungalow with an ocean view on your island by noon. If you arrive at 4 pm, you’ll have to spend the night in Male and only head to your island the next morning. In total, you’ll lose a day on the road.
Also, if you haven’t chosen a hotel yet, I recommend two great articles:
In conclusion, tickets to Maldives are easily available today for regular flights. Prices have certainly increased significantly compared to pre-pandemic times, with $800-$900 being the standard price for a round-trip flight. But on the other hand, it’s not more expensive than flying to Bali or Thailand, but can they really compare to the Maldives?
Wishing you cheap tickets and convenient direct flights!
If you enjoyed the article and the content in this guide, you can buy me a coffee ^_^
Resources to help you plan your dream trip to the Maldives
- Flight tickets and the best deals
- Tour packages (from budget to luxury): Expedia
- Hotels and guesthouses on any island:
- 12go is the largest Asian transfer service. It gathers all Maldivian carriers, even the small ones that operate between local islands.
- Tours and excursions: Viator – a limited selection of excursions, but convenient and reliable.
- Comprehensive insurance: EKTA
- eSIM at the same price as in telecom office in Male.