Maldivian to launch Direct Flights to South Africa and Germany This Year
Getting to the Maldives
16 March, 2025
Maldivian is set up to expand its international service with exciting new flights to South Africa and Germany, which are scheduled to launch later this year. This marks a major step forward in the airline’s strategy to offer more direct routes to popular international destinations, helping to boost the Maldives’ tourism industry.
The newly acquired Airbus A330-200, capable of seating 264 passengers, marks the airline’s first wide-body addition to its fleet. This aircraft is already servicing routes to three major Chinese cities – Beijing, Shanghai, and Chengdu and the airline plans to add another wide-body aircraft by the end of 2025.
Maldivian’s move to establish direct routes to South Africa and Germany comes at a time when the government is focused on enhancing international connections to boost tourism. Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Mohamed Ameen highlighted that these new flights would provide more convenient travel options for tourists, particularly those from distant destinations.
“The new nonstop flights will make Maldives easier to reach for travelers from South Africa and Europe, making the Maldives even more accessible to global tourists.” said Minister Ameen.
The government has also committed to further expanding the fleet, with another wide-body aircraft set to arrive in October, increasing the airline’s capacity to serve other growing markets.
Tourism numbers are already going strong in the Maldives, with over 500,000 tourists visiting the Maldives in just the first few months of the year. The addition of direct flights to Germany and South Africa is expected to help maintain this upward trend and contribute further to the Maldives’ booming tourism industry.
SEARCH FLIGHTSRelated stories
Maldives Airport
Maldives, the most dispersed country on the planet with 1,192 islands spread over roughly 90,000 square kilometres, already has 15 airports, including five international airports. Honeymoon islands with white sandy beaches and beautiful blue lagoons surrounded by turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean pleasing to the eye already on the airplane board before landing at one of the airports of the Maldives.
Over a million tourists from across the globe visit the Indian Ocean island nation every year to holiday in one of the 120 resorts and 300 plus guesthouses located in all corners of the country. The multi-billion dollar tourism industry, which is the country’s main economic activity, relies heavily on the domestic transport infrastructure, especially air travel.
Read More
2025 Maldives Resort Trends: What’s New for Multi-Generational Travel?
New Openings & Multi-Generational Family Travel Guide
Read More
Best Maldives Resort Offers & Packages
Find out more about the most unparalleled Maldives hotel deals and special rates, when Book Direct your next beach holiday
Read More
Maldives Hotel Reviews
Some of the best hotels and resorts in the Maldives are already included in this list, and the good part of them offers the best prices. We will constantly add new hotels
Read More
Maldives First Time Visitor Guide: Essential Tips & Insight
Welcome to our comprehensive guide for first-time visitors to the Maldives!
Read More
The Most Anticipated Openings in the Maldives 2025/26
Dive in to explore what makes these luxury Maldives openings 2025/26 so special
Read More
Maldives Liveaboards Guide: Itineraries, Tips & Best Boats
Plan your Maldives liveaboard trip with our expert guide! Compare itineraries, costs, and boats.
Read More
Maldives Luxury Guide
Here's the best of Maldives for luxury travellers. We've compiled the finest recommendations of places to stay, ranging from the most celebrated five-star resorts to luxurious private islands Read More
Maldives Romantic Guide
The ultimate ‘flop and drop' and honeymoon destination, the Maldives is the playground for the most amazing and finest utilization of each second of this extremely valuable and hopeful time with each other in tota Read More
Maldives Budget Guide
Budget travellers choose Maldives as their destination of choice thanks to the variety of affordable stays Read More
Maldives Family Guide
Maldives - a name that became synonymous with honeymooners' paradise in the tourism world, has slowly Read More
Maldives Diving Guide
The life of these paradise islands below the Indian Ocean's level is the main draw attracting thousands of divers Read More