Maldivian, the national airline of the Maldives, is launching a new scheduled service charter route from its own island capital of Malé to Melbourne Airport in Victoria, Australia. Maldivian has joined with Luxury Escapes to launch the direct route to reduce stopover times for Australian passengers booking through the travel company.
Maldivian introduces new long-haul route
The A330-200, a wide-body aircraft equipped with a twin-aisle fuselage specifically designed for long-haul flights, is expected to service the route. Maldivian welcomed the A330-200 into its fleet on Jan. 6, 2025, as part of its plan to introduce new long-haul routes. The Malé to Melbourne route is expected to run throughout the seasonal summer period, with the service itself starting in May 2026.
The Maldivian and Australian partnership is a boost for long-haul tourism
The new route is thanks to a partnership between Maldivian and Luxury Escapes, a travel company founded in 2013 by Australian entrepreneur and CEO Adam Schwab. According to Schwab, hotel reservations have increased, and the exclusive Maldivian flight will significantly reduce transit time for Australian travellers. Maldivian managing director, Ibrahim Iyas, also confirmed the importance of Australia to the country’s tourism in a statement to the media.
This new route makes history as the first direct flight between Australia and the Maldives.
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