Maldivian to operate direct flights to Melbourne for six months
At present, Australian travelers typically reach the Maldives by transiting through hubs like Singapore, Doha, or Dubai, with total travel times often extending to around 20 hours. The introduction of direct flights is expected to cut travel time to between 10 and 11 hours.
In this image released on 19 December 2025 (L-R) Lorie Argus, CEO Melbourne Airport with Adam Schwab, Co-Founder and CEO of Luxury Escapes stand with a model of the Maldivian A330 aircraft at Melbourne Airport to announce take-off plans for new direct flights between Australia and the Maldives on 19 December 2025
Maldivian, the national airline, has announced the launch of its first-ever direct flights between Australia and the Maldives.
The service will operate under a charter arrangement with Luxury Escapes, a prominent Australian travel company, and will connect Melbourne with Malé.
The flights are scheduled to run once a week, beginning on 18 May 2026. The service is subject to approval from the relevant Australian government authorities, and the initial operational period will last for six months, with the potential for an extension depending on demand, as reported by Australian travel website escape.com.au.
In 2024, the Maldives saw 29,519 tourists from Australia, and by October of this year, that number had already increased to 34,933. Australia currently ranks as the 10th largest source of tourism to the Maldives.
At present, Australian travelers typically reach the Maldives by transiting through hubs like Singapore, Doha, or Dubai, with total travel times often extending to around 20 hours. The introduction of direct flights is expected to cut travel time to between 10 and 11 hours.
Maldivian will operate these flights using its A330-200 aircraft, offering both Business Class and Economy Class services. However, only passengers who book their travel through Luxury Escapes will be eligible to fly on these specific flights.
