Tickets
If you’re on a package, you’ll usually have little or no choice about the airline you fly, as it will be part of the package. However, packages without flights are available, so in those cases it pays to shop around for both scheduled and charter deals. More and more chartered airlines are selling flight-only seats and these can be good deals, so check their websites as well as those of scheduled carriers.

Airports & Airlines
Almost every visitor to the Maldives arrives at Male Ibrahim Nasir International Airport, on the island of Hulhule, 2km across the water from the capital island, Male. There are three further airports in the country that can take international flights, on the islands of Hanimaadhoo, Maamigili and Gan, though in practice they only received regular domestic flights from Male, private jets and the odd charter flight.

SCHEDULED AIRLINES TO MALDIVES

• Austrian (OS; 3334004; www.aua.com)
• Emirates (EK; 3315465; www.emirates.com)
• Air India (IC; 3310111; www.airindia.com)
• Malaysian Airlines (MH; 3332555; www.malaysiaairlines.com)
• Qatar Airways (QR; 3334777; www.qatarairways.com)
• Singapore Airlines (SQ; 3310031; www.singaporeairlines.com)
• Sri Lankan Airlines (UL; 3310031; www.srilankan.aero)
• Transaero (UN; www.transaero.ru; Male’ airport)

CHARTERED AIRLINES TO MALDIVES

Note that most charter airlines do not have offices in Male’ and should be contacted via the home country.

• Britannia Airways (BY; www.thomsonfly.com)
• Blue Panorama Airlines (BV; www.blue-panorama.com)
• Condor (DE; www5.condor.com)
• Corsair (SS; 3310111; www.corsair.fr)
• Edelweiss (EDW; www.edelweissair.ch)
• Eurofly (GJ; www.eurofly.it)
• First Choice (FCA; www.firstchoice.co.uk)
• LTU (LT; 3334004; www.ltu.com)
• Martinair (MP; 3323069; www.martinair.com)
• Monarch (MON; www.flymonarch.com)
• Neos Spa (NO; www.neosair.it)

From UK & Ireland to Maldives
British travellers have a choice of several charter flights from London and Manchester that go direct to Male’ and scheduled flights from London via Doha (Qatar Airways), Dubai (Emirates) and Colombo (Sri Lankan).

• Bridge the World (0870-4447447; www.bridgetheworld.com)
• Ebookers (0800-0823000; www.ebookers.com)
• Opodo (0871-2770091; www.opodo.co.uk)
• STA Travel (0870-1600599; www.statravel.co.uk)
• Trailfinders (020-79383939; www.trailfinders.co.uk)

From Australia to Maldives
Australians usually reach the Maldives via Singapore or Kuala Lumpur on Singapore Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas or a combination. The few Australian visitors to the Maldives makes this an expensive flight. There are no chartered flights currently operating between Australia and Male’.

• Flight Centre (131-600; www.flightcentre.com.au)
• STA Travel (1300-733035; www.statravel.com.au)

From France to Maldives
Charter flights operate between Charles de Gaulle and Male’ on Star Airlines and from Paris Orly on Corsair International during high season. The rest of the year Emirates, Qatar and Sri Lankan offer the best connections and prices.

• OTU Voyages (0 820 817 817; www.otu.fr)
• Nouvelles Frontières (0 825 000 825; www.nouvelles-frontieres.fr)
• Voyageurs du Monde (01 42 86 16 40; www.vdm.com)

From Germany to Maldives
Germany has a huge number of charter airlines bringing huge numbers of visitors to resorts year-round. Direct flights from Dusseldorf, Frankfurt and Munich as well as from other cities are available on a number of chartered airlines.

From Italy to Maldives
There is an excellent charter choice available from Italy to Male’ – most are nonstop flights, although some pick up in two or more Italian cities en route. For scheduled flights, Emirates followed by Sri Lankan and Qatar have the best connections from Rome and Milan. CTS Viaggi (840-501150; www.cts.it) is a recommended travel agency.

From other places in Europe to Maldives
There’s a weekly flight on Austrian Airlines from Vienna, a twice-weekly flight from Moscow on Transaero, flights from Amsterdam on Martinair and from Switzerland on Edelweiss.

From Japan to Maldives
Japanese travellers usually fly via Sri Lanka or Singapore, though some travel on Thai Airways via Bangkok and Colombo, for a lower price. Chartered flights are not in operation.

From USA & Canada to Maldives
The sheer distance involved in travelling between North America and the Maldives makes the US and Canadian tourism market minuscule. People travelling from North America will usually fly via London and then continue by Qatar Airways, Emirates or Sri Lankan. From the West coast travel via Singapore makes most sense.

From UAE & Middle East to the Maldives
Several Direct and Transit flights are available from UAE and the Middle East to the Maldives. Some common places travellers from the UAE and Middle East come from, Bahrain, Jordan, Oman ,Iran, Kuwait, Qatar, Iraq, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia