The distance from the US to Maldives is around 9557 mi. Thus, flying to the Maldives from the US is not as easy. The main hindrance is the unavailability of direct flights between the two. Also, there are many oceans between the two, which makes traveling by land impossible.
However, if you are planning to visit this avant-garde location despite the distance, we have curated for you a list of the options you can avail to fulfill your dream. Today, we will talk about the ways in which you can travel from the US to the Maldives to have an unforgettable vacation!
About Maldives
Situated in the midst of the Indian Ocean, Maldives is one of the most exotic holiday destinations. It is an outstanding place for romantic celebrations and honeymoons. It has received a plethora of Awards and Titles, such as “World’s Leading Destination” and “World’s Leading Tourist Board” by World Travel Awards.
It offers the tourists the chance to indulge in numerous activities such as Scuba Diving, Waterplane traveling, Spas, Underwater Hotels, and much more, along with enchanting views ad crystal clear water, of course.
Maldives has a plethora of things and experiences to offer to its tourists- an abundance of coral reefs and marine life, tropical weather, sun-kissed atolls, and some of the most exotic hotels in the world. Visiting the Maldives is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that one must cherish completely. The best part about this dreamy destination is that despite the Covid regulations, strictness, and norms in other countries of the world, it does not have any testing, vaccination, quarantine, or visa requirements.
While it is in close proximity to the South Asian Nations, people from all over the world travel for hours to visit this beautiful and wonderful location. The connection of Maldives with the world is facilitated largely through its capital- Male.
Flights from the US to the Maldives
As prevalent and exotic as the Maldives might be for the people of the world, its connectivity to different parts of the world is quite tricky. There are absolutely no flights or direct routes available through which the passengers can fly directly to the Maldives from the US.
Consequently, if you wish to travel to the Maldives, you might need to travel for over 20 hours and also spend a lot of money. Below are the two main ways for tourists to reach Maldives from the US.
Flying from Los Angeles
While there is no direct flight from Los Angeles to the Maldives, there are a number of flight options for tourists, with one or more stops in between. Some of these routes come with a stop in locations such as Dubai, Doha, Istanbul, Abu Dhabi, Zurich, Hong Kong, etc.
If we talk about the economy class seat, the fare of a return flight ranges from USD 900 to USD 2000. The average price of traveling from Los Angeles to the Maldives is thus USD 1500.
Accordingly, a trip from Los Angeles to Male can take somewhere between 23 to 35 hours, with 29 hours being the average time. Some common airlines which operate from Los Angeles and offer flight options to the Male include-
- Qatar Airways with Doha as a stop
- Turkish Airlines with Istanbul as a stop
- Emirates Airlines with Dubai as a stop
If you prioritize saving money, you must go for the flight with the Hong Kong stop, as it can help you reach Male with a return ticket in economy class at a price of less than USD 1000. However, if your priority is to each within the minimal time, you must go for the flight with Zurich as a stop, which can help you reach Male within 23 hours.
Apart from this, there are also multiple two-stop options, with which you can get to Male at a cheaper rate but with more air time. We, however, recommend you take a single layover flight to reach with utmost comfort.
Flying from New York
Similar to the flying options from Los Angeles, there are no direct flights from New York to Maldives. Thus, one needs to get a flight with a layover stop to reach the Maldives. The average cost of a flight ticket (return ticket included) is somewhere around USD 950 to USD 1500 when traveling in economy class.
The traveling time can range between 18 to 28 hours, depending on the airline and the stopover you choose. You can get to Maldives from New York via Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi, Moscow, Istanbul, etc.
The shortest flight time from New York to Maldives is with the Emirates flight that goes via Dubai. The trip is 18 hours long, with a stopover of around 1.5 hours. The price of the same (with a return ticket in economy class) is around USD 1600. However, if you are in search of a cheaper option, you can go with the flight by Qatar Airways, which goes via Doha. It is around USD 600 cheaper than the Dubai route and takes around an hour longer.
All Flight Options from the US
Let us now have a look at all the flight options provided by multiple airlines for flying to Maldives from the US, with which you can commence your journey. You can choose the flights based on the location and distance of the boarding city from your home and the charges of the flight. Recent trends regarding flight options from the US to the Maldives are-
- Chicago (ORD) to Male (MLE)- USD 1200 – USD 1500
- San Fransisco (SFO) to Male (MLE)- USD 6000 – USD 7000
- New York (EWR) to Male (MLE)- USD 6000 – USD 7000
- Denver (DEN) to Male (MLE)- USD 7000 – USD 7500
- Houston (IAH) to Male (MLE)- USD 7000 (average)
- Los Angeles (LAX) to Male (MLE)- USD 6500 (average)
About Maldives Airport
The Indian Ocean archipelago Maldives has attracted more flights than ever, especially in the past few years. This is because of its ease of regulations and the hard work of its travel associations. In this regard, the role played by the Maldives Airports is also quite commendable.
The Male Airport or the Velena International Airport (IATA: MLE, ICAO: VRMM) Is the most important and the only international airport in the Maldives. It is situated on Hulhule Island, which lies near the capital island of Male in the North Male Atoll.
It is operated by the Maldives Airports Company Limited and currently has only two runways. The airport can handle up to 60 flights per day, landing from different regions of the world. For tourists, the airport has in store many shops, restaurants, and even a hotel named Hulhule Island Hotel, which is on a five minutes drive from the airport.
Other Important Flight Information
Mentioned below are a few things you must know regarding flying to Maldives from the US.
- The fastest flight from the US to Maldives takes off from New York and reaches North Male Atoll within 18-19 hours.
- Some of the most popular airlines flying to the Maldives from the US are Alaska Airlines, Qatar Airways, Emirates, etc.
- You can fly to Sri Lanka and then go to Maldives from there for a cheaper trip.
- A stop in Europe or Asia is a good choice to find the best flying option.
- You can partner with the Mileage or Transfer programs of the airlines you fly in the most to accumulate points. Based on that, the price of your trip can be reduced.
Final Words
Flying to the Maldives from the US can be exhausting if you do not plan out your trip and itinerary carefully. Thus, you must carefully look out for all the relevant flight options and then plan your travel accordingly, saving the most amount of money and time possible.
