Luxury Escapes is partnering with Maldivian to introduce the first non-stop flights between Australia and the Maldives, commencing in 2026. The weekly charter of the two-class Airbus A330-200, flying from Melbourne to Malé will begin on 18 May, for an initial term of around six months.
The new Maldivian flights will eliminate the need to transit in destinations such as Singapore, Doha, Columbo or Dubai, reducing the journey time by nearly half (from around 20 hours to just 11 hours to Malé and 10 hours Melbourne-bound), and will be available exclusively for Luxury Escapes customers.
Dubbed the ‘Maldivian Luxury Escapes Express’, the service will depart Melbourne in the evening on a Monday, arriving in the Maldives early Tuesday morning, timed for seamless seaplane or speedboat transfers to outer-island resorts. Many resort partners of Luxury Escapes are providing free early-check in. Return flights will depart Malé on Sunday evening, landing in Melbourne at lunchtime on Monday.
Adam Schwab, Co-Founder and CEO, Luxury Escapes, says the charter with the Maldives national carrier comes off the back of thousands of customer requests for direct flights.
“According to our booking data, hotel reservations are up 17% with an average length of stay between five to six nights, so we tailored our flight schedule to allow almost seven days on the ground.
Travellers are currently spending almost 24 hours getting to Maldives, with an overnight stay at Singapore or Dubai – the Luxury Escapes Express will give our guests extra days to enjoy their dream Maldivian getaway and our exclusively negotiated early check-in will have guests poolside in time for mid-morning mocktails or cocktails.”
Luxury Escapes launch offers are priced from $2,599 per person for five nights, including speedboat transfers, water sports, daily breakfast and nightly dinner.
Maldivian’s A330-200 has 263 seats across Business and Economy cabins, including 18 fully lie-flat seats in the Business cabin, and 246 Economy seats in a 2-4-2 configuration. Guests will even be able to book out a complete row of four Economy seats for what Luxury Escapes is dubbing, ‘cuddle class’.
Ibrahim Iyas, Managing Director of Maldivian said Australia remains one of the Maldives’ most important long-haul tourism markets.
“Australian travellers are among our strongest source markets, consistently ranking within the Maldives’ top ten long-haul markets and known for longer stays that contribute to the wider tourism economy.
“This service represents an important milestone, supporting continued growth across the sector while reinforcing Maldivian’s role as the national airline and often the first point of contact for visitors, delivering the warmth and hospitality the Maldives is widely known for.”
Lorie Argus, CEO Melbourne Airport says the new direct flight is a huge win for both Aussie travellers and Melbourne Airport which will be the only airport in Australia to have the convenience of a direct link to one of the world’s most popular holiday destinations.
“It’s always exciting to welcome a new airline to Melbourne, but even more so when they fly to such a sought-after destination,” she said.
“We know non-stop flights are incredibly appealing to travellers because of time savings and convenience they offer, and we expect these Luxury Escapes charters will prove very popular with Australians looking for a relaxing getaway.
“This service will benefit travellers right along the east coast and Tasmania, with our single terminal precinct allowing for quick and easy domestic to international terminal transfers.”
Subject to demand across the initial six-month seasonal period, Luxury Escapes will look to extend for a second seasonal or even a permanent service.
