The national airline Maldivian has officially launched direct flights between the Maldives and Melbourne, becoming the first airline to operate nonstop services between the Maldives and Australia.
The airline announced that its Airbus A330 aircraft has departed for Melbourne, marking a historic milestone in the country’s aviation sector and strengthening connectivity between the two nations.
In a message shared on social media platform X, Maldivian described the inaugural service as a landmark journey and a proud achievement for the Maldives, noting that the launch of direct operations to Australia represents a major step forward in expanding the airline’s international network.
According to the airline, the decision to introduce direct flights to Melbourne followed extensive studies and assessments conducted to evaluate demand and market potential. The growing number of Australian travellers visiting the Maldives was identified as one of the key factors behind the move.
Under the newly launched service, Maldivian will initially operate one direct flight per week between Melbourne and the Maldives using its wide-body A330 aircraft.
Australia currently ranks among the Maldives’ leading tourism markets and is presently the tenth-largest source market for tourist arrivals to the country. Statistics released by the Ministry of Tourism and Environment show that as of the 16th of this month, a total of 18,066 tourists from Australia had visited the Maldives this year.
The introduction of direct connectivity is expected to further strengthen tourism ties between the Maldives and Australia while also providing more convenient travel options for passengers travelling between the two destinations.
The new route is also anticipated to support the Maldives’ broader efforts to diversify tourism markets and enhance the country’s global air connectivity through the expansion of long-haul international services.
