Maldivian has launched the first-ever non-stop flights between Australia and the Maldives, with the airline’s inaugural service touching down at Melbourne Airport (MEL) on May 18, 2026.
The flight departed Velana International Airport (MLE) in Male at 20:40 local time on May 17 and landed in Melbourne at 12:30 local time the following afternoon, having covered the journey in approximately 10 hours and 36 minutes.
The aircraft, an Airbus A330-200 registered as 8Q-IAB, carried passengers on what marks a historic first for aviation between the two countries.
A new chapter for Australian travel
With the launch, Maldivian became the 43rd international carrier operating out of Melbourne Airport and the first airline to offer non-stop service between Australia and the Indian Ocean archipelago.
The weekly seasonal service eliminates the need to transit through hubs in Asia or the Middle East, saving as much as nine to 10 hours of travel time for passengers heading to the Maldives.
Melbourne Airport Chief Executive Officer Lorie Argus declared that the new route opens up a more convenient path to the destination.
“For the first time ever in Australia you’ll be able to jump on a flight in the evening and wake up in the Maldives the next morning,” Argus said.
The westbound service departs Melbourne at 23:20 and arrives in Male at 05:55, timed to allow passengers seamless onward transfers by seaplane or speedboat to outer-island resorts.
Exclusive to Luxury Escapes packages
Unlike traditional airline services, the Maldivian flights are available exclusively to passengers booking through Luxury Escapes. Return flights are sold as part of bundled accommodation packages rather than standalone airfares.
According to Luxury Escapes CEO and Co-Founder Adam Schwab, the partnership addresses a long-standing gap in direct access to one of the world’s most popular destinations.
“The Maldives has long been a bucket-list destination for Australian travellers, but the time and complexity of travelling via a transit in Singapore or the Middle East had been a major deterrent,” Schwab said. “All of this combined will position the Maldives as the new Mediterranean for Aussie travellers.”
A milestone for Maldivian
Captain Mohamed Sunoosy, who operated the inaugural flight, described the moment as a turning point for the airline.
“Today, we did not just launch a route.” Sunoosy said. “We wrote the first line of a new chapter in aviation history between the Maldives and Australia, and with it, opened a new gateway for the world to discover the Maldives.”
Growing demand for South Asia
The launch comes as travel from Melbourne to South Asia continues to grow, with capacity out of Melbourne now at 53% above pre-pandemic levels.
The Australian government has also signed a new bilateral air service agreement with the Maldives, allowing airlines from both countries to operate passenger and cargo flights to all Australian airports.
