The first direct flight operated by the national airline Maldivian from Melbourne has arrived in the Maldives, marking the launch of the first-ever direct air connection between the Maldives and Australia.

The inaugural flight landed at Velana International Airport on Tuesday morning, where a special ceremony was held to commemorate the commencement of the new route. Tourists arriving on the flight were welcomed at the airport, with Maldivian stating that 240 passengers travelled to the Maldives on the inaugural service from Australia.

The new route is being operated using the airline’s Airbus A330 wide-body aircraft and will initially run once a week as part of a six-month trial period. According to the airline, flights will depart the Maldives on Sundays and return from Australia on Tuesdays. The direct connection is expected to reduce travel time between the two destinations from more than 20 hours to around 11 hours.

Guests being received by Maldivian staff --- 

Maldivian has described the launch of direct flights to Australia as a significant milestone for the national carrier and a major step towards expanding the Maldives’ international connectivity. Melbourne Airport earlier welcomed Maldivian as its 43rd international airline partner, noting that the route provides Australia’s first direct flight connection to the Maldives.

Australia remains one of the Maldives’ key tourism markets. Statistics released by the Tourism Ministry show that 18,066 Australian tourists had visited the Maldives by the end of this month, making Australia the 10th largest source market for tourist arrivals. Maldivian said demand for the new route has been strong, with the first three flights fully booked and current seat occupancy reaching around 50 percent.

The airline also stated that it expects the direct route to bring approximately 11,000 tourists annually to the Maldives, further strengthening tourism and travel links between the two countries.