The new routes to Chengdu, Beijing, and Shanghai represent a significant expansion in the airline’s international operations, coinciding with a strong start to the year for the country’s tourism sector.
Nishan Ali
Maldivian Airlines, the national carrier of the Maldives, has started taking bookings for flights to China on its first wide-body aircraft, the Airbus A330. The new routes to Chengdu, Beijing, and Shanghai represent a significant expansion in the airline’s international operations, coinciding with a strong start to the year for the country’s tourism sector.
The first flight to Chengdu is scheduled for January 22, with return tickets priced at USD 688 (MVR 10,610). Flights to Beijing will commence on January 24, with return tickets available at USD 788 (MVR 12,151). Shanghai-bound flights are set to begin on January 27, with return tickets priced at USD 777 (MVR 11,981). All passengers on these routes will enjoy a generous baggage allowance of 40 kilograms.
The Airbus A330, which arrived in the Maldives last week, has a seating capacity of 260 passengers and features business, premium economy, and economy class options. Additionally, the aircraft offers a cargo capacity of 10 tonnes, making it suitable for both passenger and freight services.
In addition to being a major milestone for Maldivian, this expansion comes as Maldives’ tourism industry sees impressive growth. According to statistics from the Ministry of tourism, the country has already welcomed 90,000 tourists within the first two weeks of January 2025 marking a successful start to the year.
As Maldivian Airlines prepares to launch flights to China, the government aims to further boost these numbers, setting an ambitious target of 2.2 million tourist arrivals for the year. The new routes are expected to enhance connectivity and attract more Chinese tourists, who have historically been a key market for the Maldives.
